Comments on: BlurNotes: Sean O’Driscoll, MS MVP & Ugly Babies

By: Mercedes

Mercedes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:18:08 +0000

And this is why I read globalneighbourhoods.net. Awesome post.

By: shelisrael

shelisrael — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:41:18 +0000

Susan,

The comment about scaling was Sean's not mine and I may have gotten it wrong. I think Sean was just thinking out loud, not proposing anything at all. I will be interviewing Nestor who currently runs MVP somewhere down the line and I will certainly make sure I ask about this.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:50:51 +0000

As a MVP for going on 10 years now, I too shudder when Shel wants to scale the MVP program to 40,000 people. There is a loss of community at that size, not a gain. Also feedback at that noise level is less effective not more.

Sometimes the best thing to do is have a funnel effect where you identify key people in places and ensure they have communication channels. 40,000+ people in a feedback channel is the bug process for Windows 7. It may not and is not the best thing for ensuring that the human connection is made.

So many times at Microsoft it's getting a message to the right single person is more effective than having multiple messengers.

Also in response to Sean's comment about a lack of repeat users of the Microsoft community, I disagree. I became a MVP because I initially was a repeat user of the small business community. I lurked for a long time. Then timidly posted when I knew the answer. In the communities I've been in and help build, there is a group of folks that return. That discuss ideas.

Certainly in a community like windows update, users come in and go, but in many of the Microsoft communities I've seen, there is a regular set of folks that consider it 'home'.

By: Mark Yolton

Mark Yolton — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:24:17 +0000

I'm glad Shel and Sean met - and apparently shared a beverage. Sean's voice will be a valued addition to Shel's book on "Blurring Boundaries."

Regards,
Mark Yolton

By: Sean O'Driscoll

Sean O'Driscoll — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:29:00 +0000

Thanks for the great write up Shel and wishing you all kinds of luck on your book. I guess I should have remember that next week is also the MVP Summit for MSFT....they'll be 1-2K MVPs all over seattle next week, enjoying their annual trek to connect with each other and their peers inside the walls of MSFT. I hope to connect with some old friends while their here.

Devin: I think we all agree - though I no longer can speak for MSFT, that more MVPs (the program) isn't the goal, but systematically finding ways to find, thank and engage with your most passionate users (MVPs or not) is critical to any companies long term success. MVPs are the Super of the Super-users for MSFT communities, but the tip of the iceberg in terms of what a company can and should do to connect with their users online.

Take care,
sean
Sean O'Driscoll
CEO Ant's Eye View
http://www.antseyeview.com

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:18:32 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post...

This post was mentioned on Twitter by shelisrael: New post: Sean O'Driscoll on Ms MVPs http://bit.ly/brog9n...

By: Devin L. Ganger [Exchange MVP]

Devin L. Ganger [Exchange MVP] — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:18:55 +0000

Why would Microsoft want the MVP community to grow to 50K users? That's kind of missing the point of the MVP program. MVPs are already involved in the user community -- that's how we get to be MVPs. The MVP program helps Microsoft *and the various Microsoft user communities* find people who are already effective in those communities and give them the support they need from Microsoft to be more effective within their communities, not transform other users into MVPs as well.