Have had a few conversations lately with local gov folk which bemoaned the lack of active user groups for most software systems. This is a problem! What could we do about it?
It seems like vendors are keen to say they have user groups, but then once the sale is made, less keen on convening them.
There’s real advantages in the people actually using software to get together to share insight, issues, collectivise around requests, and so on.
Is there a space, I wonder, for an independent user group as a service offering? Someone to provide a safe place for online discussions, organise regular meet-ups, do a bit of the admin, and maybe engage with the vendors to get them to turn up and so on. Question is probably ‘who pays?’.
Another little LinkedIn post / rant, which I am saving for posterity here.
The K-hub has been going for years but doesn’t get much PR. This would be the ideal and free place to start.
https://khub.net/