SQLServerPedia

Users Groups are grassroots organizations for technical professionals managing and utilizing common applications or practices.  Like any small collective of individuals with a common purpose or interests there is still plenty of room for individuality however: different expectations from the organization, disparate interests within sub-threads of the products and methodologies pulling the members all together, conflicting schedules that prohibit active participation by many of those who would otherwise attend meetings and social gatherings.  It is this unquantifiable aspect of the group directive that has me wondering: “what do you expect, want, and need from your technical user group?” 

I run the West Michigan SQL Server User Group.  It was founded by Microsoft about two years ago and is now associated with The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) as a local PASS chapter.  It is also struggling (IMHO.)  Our membership is well-distributed geographically across the entire West side of Michigan.  I’ve centralized meetings in the Grand Rapids area, where the SSUG was founded and where my office is located.  We tend to average about 15 members in attendance at each meeting - this includes myself.  I recently attempted a second monthly meeting in Kalamazoo, 60 miles to the south, where I live and the home to the second-highest concentration of Microsoft customers (and members for the SSUG); we had 4 attendees total in-person:  this was comprised of Brent Ozar (our Speaker), myself, and two employees of the company hosting the meeting.  We had limited attendance online, we tend to average 1-5 online attendees at any of our meetings.  I don’t think speaker talent is the issue:  we’ve pulled in strong talent thanks to my years of association with PASS.  Honestly I don’t know why we don’t have a better draw.

My expectations were that we’d have an organization that would meeting monthly, pull in at least 30 members in person, perhaps the same amount online.  We’d have a solid leadership core and be able to alternate meetings between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.  Furthermore, we’d have the full backing and support of PASS and Microsoft in our endeavors.  Obviously the attendance expectations are not being met.  In regards to leadership it is just myself and Jason Burton, who volunteers to keep the web presence alive; I have yet to ever meet the original leader for the user group.  Microsoft is doing a good job supporting us; our Microsoft Rep, Rick Brewis, makes the drive in from Detroit for meetings and has the facility up and ready to go for meetings before I even step in the door.  PASS has done an adequate job of providing some resources, but I’ve never spoken with our Regional Mentor about the user group, we see each other socially at PASS Summits only, and we’ve yet pulled in speaker talent as a result of PASS and the user group working together to do so.  I’ve heard these complaints over the years so it was not an unexpected situation.

I know this is a dry post; there is no bacon on this breakfast plate today.  I’m venting and looking for ideas from those who have trodden down this path before me.  Sometimes the road less travelled is not the correct road to take.  I’m looking at walking in the footsteps of giants.  Perhaps at some point later I can start cutting a new path.