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In lugnet.general, Tim Courtney writes:
> Over the better part of the last year, I've done a lot of thinking about the
> LEGO hobby and the LEGO community, trying to develop a philosophy on it
> which I use to channel my efforts, energies, and interactions. I'm
> interested in hearing others' thoughts on the LEGO community.
>
> Particularly - what do you think the LEGO community includes? what does it
> exclude?
The Community Development team (the team I am on), spent some time looking
at this same question. As you can imagine, we get LOTS of questions
internally about "What is community anyway?" To address that question, we
developed a generic Community Definition, as well as the LEGO specific
version. Love to hear some feedback!
==== GENERIC COMMUNITY DEFINTION ====
A community is a **group** of people who form **relationships** **over
time** by **interacting** **regularly** around an **object** that is of
interest to all of them for varying **individual** reasons.
---
**Group**
A group can be 2 or more people. Most, if not all, communities will change
and evolve as they are subject to growth or reduction. During these
processes, they may destabilize, or turn into a very different type of
community. As such, the number of people involved can make a huge difference
for the character of the community and the kinds of relationships and
interactions that form.
**Relationships**
Relationships in this context can vary greatly depending on the community.
They can be very deep, long-term relationships, or much looser relationships.
**Over time**
Relationships can form over time either forward or backwards. You can form
relationships in a community because of prospective reasons (I want to get
involved with these people) or retrospective reasons (I have a long-standing
connection to these people).
**Interacting**
The most common forms of interaction in a community involve some form of
communication or expression, such as showcasing dollhouse creations,
dropping an email to say hi, or working together on organizing an offline
event. Additionally, interaction doesn't necessarily include the entire
community all the time.
**Regularly**
Community must come together in some form on a ongoing basis. Regularly
doesn't assume that this interaction is on a set schedule, but rather that
there is or will be interaction at some point in the future and/or has been
at some point in the past.
**Object**
What makes community more than a simple group of people is that they are
drawn together around some object. This object can be physical, virtual,
theoretical, or philosophical; a political ideal, a celebrity, a musical
genre, a hobby, a type of car, a neighborhood, a sport.
**Individual (reasons)**
While community members are drawn together around a single object, they are
drawn there for a variety of very personal reasons. We may both love Ford
Mustangs, but I may love it because I love to drive them, while you love it
because you can restore Mustangs with your son. Some reasons are emotional;
others are more abstract or intellectual. Some have to do more with
relationships that form in a community, others with the object of interest.
==== LEGO SPECIFIC COMMUNITY DEFINTION VERSION ====
==== (Applying the above thinking) ====
The LEGO Community is a **group** of people who form **relationships**
**over time** by **interacting** **regularly** around **LEGO experiences**,
which are of interest to all of them for varying **individual** reasons.
**Group**
This group is literally thousands of LEGO fans of all ages, from 1 to 100.
The whole of the LEGO Community really is made up of smaller communities
involved with LEGO experiences. The LEGO Community also includes LEGO staff.
The communities continue to grow in a variety of directions as more and more
activities and interactions are created. This growth brings in an every
larger and more diverse group of fans.
**Relationships**
Relationships in this context can vary greatly depending on the community.
They can be very deep, long-term relationships, or much looser relationships.
The Internet has given the LEGO fans the catalyst to reach out to many other
members of the LEGO Community. They have bonded by emailing regularly,
forming online and offline clubs, and working on projects, like books and
software development, that bring them closer to each other.
And as the group evolves, these relationships continue to change and grow as
well.
**Over time**
The LEGO Community as we know it today started to take shape via the first
few local LEGO clubs. Then came the Internet and with it a way for LEGO fans
everywhere to pool their creativity and share with each other across time
and around the world. Many LEGO communities have been around for years
(Lugnet) and some are more recent (BZ Power) and some are still yet to come
as we come out with cool new products and concepts.
**Interacting**
The most common forms of interaction in a community involve some form of
communication or expression, such as showcasing LEGO creations, dropping an
email to say hi, or working together on organizing an offline event.
Additionally, interaction doesn't necessarily include the entire community
all the time.
Interaction for this community has taken on many, many forms, which is to be
expected since the LEGO Community is really made up of many smaller groups.
The LEGO Community interacts via email, discussion boards, offline events,
over the phone, in personal and informal gatherings and much more!
Sometimes these interactions happen for the entire community to participate
in, such as a discussion board thread in a web community. But more and more,
these "full community" interactions are driving smaller groups, more
personal interactions.
**Regularly**
Community must come together in some form on a ongoing basis. Regularly
doesn't assume that this interaction is on a set schedule, but rather that
there is or will be interaction at some point in the future and/or has been
at some point in the past.
Like a whirlpool spinning around the hardcore fans, the more the community
has grown, the more pull to the center the "LEGO whirlpool" has had, pulling
casual fans into more frequent interactions. The more history that is
created, the more that the community comes together to create yet more history!
**Object**
While the foundation "object" for this community is the brick, there is much
more to the LEGO Community than that. The "object" here is "cool or defining
LEGO moments" including creating LEGO inventions and models, meeting friends
online and offline, creating LEGO events, participating in events like FLL,
celebration of the LEGO values, and much, much more!
**Individual (reasons)**
While community members are drawn together around a single object, they are
drawn there for a variety of very personal reasons. We may both love LEGO,
but I may love it because I love to build, while you love it because you can
interact with your kids on a new level. Some reasons are emotional; others
are more abstract or intellectual. Some have to do more with relationships
that form in a community, others with the object of interest.
Drivers for the LEGO fans are highly varied. FLL coaches may want to help
their kids learn how to work together in a teams or want to join other Dads,
or inspire kids about science and technology.
Bzpower.com members may want to get updates on products. Or discuss the
BIONICLE storyline.
Each person has their own reason – or more likely reasons – for joining and
being part of the LEGO Community.
======/END======
That's our stab at a definition of community! What do you think?
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Development Manager - North America
LEGO Direct
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