What's cool in the GTIA Portfolio...

Ask Les!

When you run into trouble with your site, or some issue is blocking the development of your local community, post your message here. No question is too specific or too philosophical.

If it's a quick fix, we'll fix it. If it needs a conversation, we'll talk. If multiple people register similar issues, we'll do conference calls. If it's a matter of training, we'll do it!

Keep in mind that our social network spans approximately 100 sites, spread over three continents. We can master our respective responsibilities much faster working collaboratively.

Les Squires
LSquiresSkype

TIP: Include a copy of the page URL with EVERY submission you make.

Tags: collaboration, customer support, troubleshooting

Views: 26

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Les Squires on August 6, 2009 at 2:53am
Invitations like this make me smile the big one! I am delighted to work with Whatcom. We'll start with creating a group in skype -- so we can talk with each other. I've found that those groups who take the time to learn to talk (well, I should say collaborate) take their group to a whole new level of communication. Ning follows very naturally then as a way to organize the broader community.

Here are some guidelines for getting started:

* each participant installs skype from http://skype.com
* each participant makes LSQUIRESSKYPE a Contact
* we create a skype working group
* we develop new skills for working together/collaborating
* we determine Whatcom's goals for the community
* we learn how to realize those goals in ning's shared directories, flow of activities, discussions, groups, categories, tags, calendars, etc.
* we have a ton of fun! giggling, laughing, experimenting, creating -- they're all encouraged!

Are you game? I suggest you install skype and give me a call. Then we'll add more people. You'll see, it'll grow like a garden. If you need assistance getting started, let me know and I'll set up a call to your landline phones.

Further questions?
Permalink Reply by Karl Steyaert on August 7, 2009 at 2:23am
Hello! If I suspect that someone I accepted to be "my friend" may not be a person but some form of marketing robot or so, how might I "de-friend" this person? Thank you for all you are doing on behalf of Transition, and therefore the Earth! : )
Permalink Reply by Les Squires on August 7, 2009 at 4:55am
Click on the person's profile. Below their photo is a link to "Add Friend" if they are not already a Friend and you want to invite them to be in your inner circle. The Link says "Remove as Friend" if they are already a friend and you want them removed.

In addition, please send me a copy of any offensive, irrelevant, or "just marketing" message. As Admin, I can with two clicks remove all traces of the person. We've removed about 5 dozen people this way across our 125 sites - particularly the droopy eyed girl who wants to show you her webcam. :)
Permalink Reply by Gail Swithenbank on October 1, 2010 at 7:03am
Hi Les,
Great website!
Was trying to add you as a friend, but when I go into your page it takes me to a 'Fun for Education' site, so can't really access your page.
Thanks for all the hard work
Hope you don't mind me adding all the videos, let me know if they are a little too Permaculture oriented.
Gail
Permalink Reply by Les Squires on October 1, 2010 at 7:14am
Appreciate your note, Gail. I'm aware of the "Fun for Education" problems. This group has somehow hacked my profile. I've reported it to Nina about 2 weeks ago. They'll get it fixed when they get it fixed... :)

This is definitely a permaculture friendly site. Your videos are welcome.

Great to see your interest.
Permalink Reply by Preston Glidden on October 3, 2010 at 8:02am
I'm having the same trouble with adding you, Les. I hope that they get it fixed soon!
Permalink Reply by Les Squires on October 8, 2010 at 8:18pm
Ning has fixed the problem. Now we can really get down to business! :)

I appreciate your not about the problem.
Permalink Reply by Les Squires on October 8, 2010 at 8:31pm
Ning has fixed the "FUN FOR EDUCATION" problem. Feel free to contact me anytime, about any Transition topic.
Permalink Reply by Carol Brouillet on January 29, 2011 at 10:56am

I'm new to this website- and not technologically savvy, but I am an organizer, have a weekly radio show, have started 3 non-profit organizations and am working on an event for February 10th which I'd like to post on whatever events listing I can.  How do I do it?  The event listing is at- http://communitycurrency.org/node/63

 

Carol Brouillet

Permalink Reply by Les Squires on January 29, 2011 at 11:58am

Hi Carol.

 

Go to http://transitioninaction.com/groups/group/new and create a group for EACH of your three non-profits that you want to associate with Transition. If your community currency announcement relates to one of these 3, announce it on the Comment Wall of that group.  The announcement will go out in next week's GROUPS IN ACTION newsletter.

 If the currency announcement is separate from all 3 of your groups, go to http://transitioninaction.com/events/event/new and post it.

 

Let me know when you have questions.

Permalink Reply by Annie McCleary on February 22, 2011 at 12:57pm

Hi Les, I've pasted a note below from a member of Transition Vermont. We could really use a "how to" page, users guide, for the site. None of us admins can attempt it. Anything you could do or any ideas? Thanks, Annie McCleary

From Robert Riversong, member of Transition Vermont:

Perhaps I'm the only one here who is relatively ignorant (deliberately so) about social networking and virtual community (to which I give a critical eye), but I can find no "users' manual" here to explain what it means to "friend" someone, the difference between a discussion, a group and a blog (I'm not completely oblivious to this, but it might not be clear to others), why some discussions require membership in a group and whether groups are completely open or can be exclusive by control of the initiator.
 
In other words, this site could use an introductory page which explains how it works and how to engage it.

Permalink Reply by Les Squires on February 27, 2011 at 12:28pm

Hi Annie.  I used to receive comments similar to your quote.  For about a year I worked on written materials, but realized that people for the most part never read them, and asked my advice anyway.  My response to that was to create the menuing structure found on this site.  I converted the bulk of my documentation into these helps.  You may have noticed that when you click on a main menu item like "MEMBERS", you are routed to DOCUMENTATION on FRIENDS -- getting to the menu item requires going through an explanation of what you're going to get when you get there!  I took some heat from purist website designers, but the incidents of problems dropped to an all-time low.  Now, when somebody asks for assistance, I show them how to use these descriptions.

 

Vermonters are most welcome to copy and use any of the materials here on this site.  

 

Let me know what you think.

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