Looking for suggestions for starting and managing a programmer user group

Question

I am thinking about starting an area user group to discuss and share information on a variety of technology topics surrounding programming practices.

Any suggestions for finding attendees, space, sponsors, speakers, etc. - and managing all of this?

Answer 1

I run the London Java User Group and we did a number of things to get it started and then to keep it going.

Getting attendees:

It typically starts small: You, your friends, your colleagues. It's not hard to grow as long as you are willing to be 'social', which means:

• Having a centralised portal for efforts (we have a meetup.com site)
• Constantly promoting the group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, mailing lists etc
• Asking each new member to try and bring a new person to the next meeting

Getting Space

• Workplaces can be surprisingly amenable to you using a meeting room or two
• Look for training companies that have space (they'll expect to be able to promote themselves in return)
• Local software vendors
• Pubs (we'll eat/drink X amount if we can have your back room)
• Universities
• Technical schools (added via Matthew in the comments of this answer)
• and more

Sponsors

Be very, very, very careful with this. I've seen far too many sponsors ruin technology groups. Make sure you get real value and not just get a mandatory sales pitch every month.

The list here is likely to be your local workplaces and your local vendors (oh, and book publishers). In all honesty, you don't actually need much sponsorship until you get to a certain size and/or want to hold sizeable events.

Speakers

• Grow them within your local community!
• Ask local vendors to send their experts (real experts, not sales drones)
• Ask the global software community (so for Java, the JUG leaders mailing list)

Once you get to a certain size you'll also find yourself simply having them almost arrive on your doorstep.

Managing

I'd start with a couple of people who have a very clear vision and a drive to make that vision succeed. Later on you can form a much larger group of associates that can help you run things (think of it as an open source project).

Make sure you're an efficient user of online collaboration tools. Google docs, mailing lists, Google groups, meetup.com, whatever.

Events you can hold are:

• Lightning talks
• Regular Talks
• Coding Dojos
• Pub nights
• Unconferences / Open Conferences / Closed Conferences
• Code retreats
• Technology/language shootouts
• Book and software giveways
• And more

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

You need interest from people first. LinkedIn might be a good place for finding people interested in your tech in your area.

Your own colleagues and their personal networks might help too.

What type of speakers you would have may be a chicken and egg situation

Only then can you figure out space, and sponsors.

Answer 3

Universities/colleges nearby. Where I am, we already have these at the university. Perhaps a cooperation with one of those?