Business technology users today often have multiple opportunities to join user communities. But what motivates someone to join? Member discounts to events? Opportunities for career networking? An inexpensive way to troubleshoot implementations? The reasons to join may be as varied as a group's membership, but no matter what the motivating factor is, user group membership can be a cost-effective way to expand your skills, maximize your technology investment and ensure that your voice is heard.
"User groups play many important roles," says Bill Bryan, chairman of the i2 User Group. "Obviously membership plays a key role in my ability to represent my company's interests to our software vendors. But I believe there is a broader purpose. I look at the i2 User Group as my entrance into a huge networking community. From this base of contacts and interactions I have the opportunity to improve our company's performance, advance our field of supply chain management as a whole, and grow my personal knowledge base."
Some of the first technology-focused user groups originated during the days of mainframe computers and were designed to serve as a forum to share information and software exchange, independent of the factorysupplied programs. In 1955, the first known user group, SHARE, was founded by aerospace industry corporate users of IBM's first computers. It is still active today.
The i2 User Group, founded in 1996 on the principles and beliefs of Ken Sharma, the late co-founder of the company, is dedicated to addressing the needs of the i2 user community and fostering an open line of communication with i2. Sharma believed that the voice of the end user must be heard at all levels of the company, and was known to say, "Take care of the customer, and everything will take care of itself." Today, the i2 User Group consists of more than 500 members, and offers networking and educational opportunities to share information and experiences related to the selection, implementation and effective use of i2 solutions.
From the beginning, companies joined the i2 User Group because they were interested in learning from other companies' experiences using i2 products and processes to address their business problems. i2 User Group Treasurer Bruce Budahn, who has been involved in the organization since its founding, says, "We tried to learn and apply those experiences to what we needed to do at our company. The i2 User Group allowed us to network with others who had gone through a similar process and gain insight into an implementation from the lessons they learned. This sharing of best practices allowed us to prepare in advance for those risks that could occur at any company."
Budahn also says he finds value in the enhancement and maintenance process discussions and voting offered as a result of his User Group membership. "These discussion opportunities help create awareness not only among User Group members, but ultimately with i2 as to what we need from a product standpoint. Having a formal process through which we know our voice will be heard and where users can help generate awareness and set priorities with regard to product development and enhancements is of tremendous value to us," says Budahn.
The opportunity for mentoring, and learning from those who have "walked the walk," is another key benefit to user group membership. "User groups allow you to network with colleagues at world-class companies, enabling you to expand your knowledge, learn best practices and avoid significant pitfalls," says i2 User Group Board Member Tom Dadmun. "User groups are an invaluable source of knowledge that can turn a major project from a daunting journey fraught with risk into a well-planned and executed experience. It's always nice to have a learned group of experts at the ready."
Communication, not just among users, but among a company and its customers, can be enhanced through user group membership. That's not to say that as the business climate changes every conversation is an easy one, but keeping the lines of communication open, in both prosperous and lean times, can make a world of difference to the success of the customer-vendor relationship. This is especially true when companies like i2 look to make changes to their solutions.
Members of the i2 User Group are at the forefront of providing that voice to the company as a result of direct contact with the company through special interest groups and the enhancement voting process.
"I think the User Group has been tremendously valuable to us," says former i2 User Group Chairman Ravi Vancheeswaran. "With the Semiconductor Special Interest Group, we have been able to solve some really difficult problems related to inventory optimization and scenario planning. Our influence is stronger when we speak with a singular voice as a user community, giving us a greater power of influence as we seek product enhancements."
User groups offer their members the power of many experiences, opinions and best practices, enabling professional growth and stronger relationships with technology vendors. The strength of user communities comes from an active membership that shares the common goal of maximizing technology investments through best-practice sharing. By building relationships among members, as well as with the vendor, user group members can speak with a common voice and create tangible benefits for everyone involved.
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For more information on the i2 User Group, please go to www.i2-usergroup.org. |
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