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Top 5 reasons to invite your acquaintances to contribute on SAP Community Network

March 2, 2011 | 4 Views |
 erika atencio2
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I’d love to see my acquaintances joining this community and collaborating with their ideas.  But first of all I have to convince them with very good reasons.  That’s why I’ve made up a top 5 reasons list I wish that you, community members, could help me to improve.

 

Reason # 1: Those bright and colorful badges

Ok.  I’ve seen a lot of people arguing about this topic.  Some people say that collecting points is pointless.  Others say that if you want to collaborate you don’t have to do it for the points. Blah, blah, blah.

I’ll be honest. If it weren’t for the “prize” (winning points to win a badge and other stuff) perhaps I would have never come back to SCN forums to help others.  I would have just got used to ask and ask and ask but never answering.

 

The first time I accessed SCN forum I just wanted an answer for a question to a problem in certain area.  I noticed that some users had a lot of points in their profiles.  I think I’ve seen something like that in other forums like BOB.  However, there was something special in here – I don’t know exactly what. But I begun to review users’ profiles and I noticed they had a lot of points. I had zero points but after giving points to an answer I was rewarded with points.  I also came across a link about the profits of being an SCN Reputation Program Overview.  It sounded so interesting… So I tried to collect some points by answering some questions.  Those few points I won kept me wanting more points to be shown in my profile, just like it was a video game where you have to collect all the coins you can. 

 

I guess it was because something named gamification or gaming, described in Gamification examples @ SAP  and Does the SAP SCN community need more achievements and rewards?.  Anyway, I’m glad that the promise of a badge caught my interest because winning points for helping others with effective solutions is a thing that makes you feel proud of yourself.

 

 

Reason # 2: Being in the Active Members list

I would tell my acquaintances they would be very happy seeing their names in SAP Community Network Active Member List.

 

 

Reason # 3: Your company will be in the Contributing Companies List

I would tell my acquaintances they would be very happy seeing their company name in SAP Community Network Contributing Companies List.

 

 

Reason # 4: you can help others and you can be helped by others

I would tell them that there is not such a feeling like the gratification you feel every time you know that a tip, a trick or an advice you’ve shared has been useful for someone who was desperate looking for a solution. You’ll feel really good.

By the other hand, sometimes you don’t know how to solve a problem but you can count on SCN members who will be very willing to help you.

  

Reason # 5: You can increase your knowledge

You can learn from others experience a lot of interesting tips. You can increase your knowledge in your technical area and other non-technical areas, too.  For example, my English is terrible, but since the technical information I need is more available in English than Spanish, my native language, I’m forced to express myself in this foreign language.  It’s a little a hard for me but I win a lot:  I learn more about technical topics and I improve my English.  I guess others improve their skills in teaching, writing, etc.  So if it’s good for me it could be good for you.

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11 Comments

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  1. Steve Rumsby
    Communities work because of what people put into them, not what people get out of them.

    In my opinion, forget the first three reasons. If you are just here to earn status for yourself or your company you are missing the point, and you won’t really get as much out of it as you could. Reasons 4 and 5 are what the community is here for. You could add “make friends” as reason 6 (or 3).

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    1. Juan Reyes
      Hi Steve,
      I Partially disagree with you… Part of the whole Top Contributor/Topic Leader/Active Contributor thing is that SCN gives you an opportunity to raise your profile and gain visibility. Yes, there is a bit selfishness in it and to be honest I see nothing wrong on members been ambitious as long as kept under certain rules.

      Regards
      Juan

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      1. Steve Rumsby
        There’s nothing wrong with getting some recognition. What I said was, if that’s the only reason you are contributing, you are missing the point. Having those as the top three reasons in a list of 5 is putting too much emphasis on recognition and too little on contribution and community. Yes, I did say forget those, and maybe that’s too strong, but they should be at the bottom of the list not the top.

        That said, a community is only here for its members. If everyone wants points and badges and to be on “top contributor” lists, who am I to say that’s wrong?

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      2. Steve Rumsby
        There’s nothing wrong with getting some recognition. What I said was, if that’s the only reason you are contributing, you are missing the point. Having those as the top three reasons in a list of 5 is putting too much emphasis on recognition and too little on contribution and community. Yes, I did say forget those, and maybe that’s too strong, but they should be at the bottom of the list not the top.

        That said, a community is only here for its members. If everyone wants points and badges and to be on “top contributor” lists, who am I to say that’s wrong?

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        1. Juan Reyes
          Thats why I said I partially disagree, I like to think people come to SCN for answers and stay to contribute.

          Regards
          Juan

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        2. Stephen Johannes
          I have always told people not to focus on points as their goal.  That instead that if you focus on doing the following:

          – Answer unresolved tough question that no-one else is answering
          – Contribute technical/business insights via blogs
          – Contribute how-to procedures via wiki

          The points will always follow behind and you will be greatly rewarded in more than just points.  Your personal knowledge will be expanded from solving the problems, new “friends” will be made from helping someone else and you might help solve a problem that just does not impact you and the person you are answering the question for.

          Remember one quality contribution will always have more impact and meaning, than a 100 selfish attempts for recognition.  Points are a nice thank you but should not be the ends justifying your means of contribution.

          Take care,

          Stephen

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  2. G Lakshmipathi
    As Juan rightly said, being one among the Top Contributor and getting some reward for that will earn more reputation with our employer. 

    When somebody is sparing their time and helping you, what is wrong is giving some recognition to those.

    thanks
    G. Lakshmipathi

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  3. Tom Cenens
    Hello

    I certainly like the badges system which I have stated already before and gamification is also a very interesting topic. I’m certain more people got engaged to share on SCN because of the badges system that was put in place.

    One of the top reasons to contribute on SCN is getting connected (social aspect). Meeting other community members with a similar interest, discussing topics and learning from eachother because after all we are all into SAP.

    I’m still trying to find my way in twitter since I just recently started using it, it has to grow on me but I can certainly recommend to be active there too in the SAP area.

    Kind regards

    Tom

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  4. Former Member Post author
    Thanks a lot guys! I’ll consider all your suggestions. 

    Yeah, perhaps the order I used to do my top 5 list was not the most proper order, perhaps I wrote it in that order because that’s the way I felt I got connected to the community.  I mean, at first the points system drawn my attention but gradually I discovered that a good reason to be here was because of all the knowledge you can share and acquire. 

    It was just something that happened this way in my case.

    I guess you all stayed connected to SCN for different reasons.  It would be great to know what were your reasons.

    Regards,
    Erika “PadawanGirl” Atencio

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  6. Jason Cao
    Good to be honest, and better to recognize how you have changed. I’ve just bumped you up to Expert Blogger so feel free to publish at will. Congrats!

    Regards,
    Jason

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