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Where is everyone?

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  • 1.  Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 12:05
    No replies, thread closed.

    I know it is early days and can appreciate that I've been an early adopter. However, given that now is the time we'd expect a flurry of initial engagement on this new platform, where are all the RACI members?

    Perhaps social media is indeed dead! Or is it just that this is one more platform that might be one too many for those already inundated with communications arising from other virtual communities?

    Just sharing my thoughts with everyone already invested in this platform, as I suspect that's the extent of the reach of this discussion thread...

    ...what can those of us already using MyRACI do to get more members on board?



  • 2.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 15:43
    No replies, thread closed.

    I think your point about it being another platform is the issue. This was my thought the second I went to the RACI site and saw the notification number over my initials "I don't need another inbox to check". 

    I struggle with keeping up with all the platforms I'm on now. It's possible I would search it for things, like stack exchange, but I don't think I could take it on as a chatty social kind of space.



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    Emily Barker
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  • 3.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 28-05-2024 08:51
    No replies, thread closed.

    I can understand Emily's point of view. I retired from the workforce about the time that social media really started to crank up. I've never been on Twitter/X, Facebook or any of the others, and posted only a few times on LinkedIn. Email was about as far as I got, and then mainly communicating with just one person. For the past 15 years of my working life I worked alone most of the time, and so was never directly affected by the corporate and academic communication storm which employees seemingly must endure these days. I can only sympathize with those who must live in this world. I guess I was looking for a place where I could share a few thoughts and engage in stimulating conversation. Perhaps this forum might come to that as those with more time on their hands come to find it.



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    Thomas (Tom) Smith
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  • 4.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 17:31
    No replies, thread closed.

    I think it depends on the convenience and access to the platform. RACI need to be clear on whether the new website is just for information or more like a mode of communication like social media for members. 

    If the objective is like social media communication. I don't think the current set up will suffice. I get notified through my personal email and really can't keep up with all the threads. Even when I want to read or interact. I have to go on website, login etc. In all honesty, the only time I check my email is just during wwork. I don't really want to dedicate a tap on my google search for RACI website or would consider searching RACI.com.au on my phone check what's going on in the community. I would suggest RACI to consider creating an App like Discord or Slack. Admin can then create different rooms representing the divisions.  I can take a glance at it after hours, or whenever I feel convinent glancing at Discord  updates once awhile from the phone. You even can text message individual member. 

    I personally only ever use RACI website for information or signing up for events. I have a feeling this is the case for many younger members. To encourage engagement, I think convenience is something we need to consider. 

    I understand this sounds lazy on our part as Gen Z and some millennial. But we are just used to working with apps for social communication now rather than website. 



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    Adam Huynh
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  • 5.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 17:37
    No replies, thread closed.

    Just discovered that we do have an App posted Hannah a few days ago. Fantastic!



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    Adam Huynh
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  • 6.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 18:20
    Edited by Sviatoslav Eliseenko 15-05-2024 18:20
    No replies, thread closed.

    Hello Daniel,
    I just found the new RACI feature. Most probably, people need time to adopt it. 



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    Sviatoslav Eliseenko
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  • 7.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 23:26
    Edited by Oliver Jones 16-05-2024 12:54
    No replies, thread closed.

    I agree with Adam. I use social media a lot but it is not clear what this new site is for. Did members ask or it or is it something that is just being tested. The purpose  has not really been communicated with the members so why assume people would just start using it? It is not the most convenient system. An RACI Discord server would perhaps be easier but that's just me.



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    Oliver Jones
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  • 8.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 15-05-2024 23:43
    No replies, thread closed.

    Hi Oliver. We do have an app dedicated for RACi now. Hannah posted it a few days ago. I think RACi needs to start encouraging members to download the app and then we can have a community there. 

    I am speaking from my experience from a mobile game I played during COVID. We were able to create a lovely community on Discord for over 3 years simply because when someone joined our community in the game, we also encouraged them to also join our community on Discord. Believe it or not, we ended up communicating more on discord than in the game itself. 

    I think when RACI gain new members, establishing clearly that we have this feature in place will help growing the community in the future. 



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    Adam Huynh
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  • 9.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 16-05-2024 09:47
    No replies, thread closed.

    Hi Adam,

    I do have an automated email that goes out to new members added to the community space, and will include info about the MyRACI app.

    With thanks,

    Hannah



    ------------------------------
    Hannah McCarthy
    Education & Outreach Coordinator (National)
    The Royal Australian Chemical Institute
    Email: education1@raci.org.au
    Phone: (03) 9328 2033
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 16-05-2024 13:05
    No replies, thread closed.

    Hi Adam, 

    Thanks, I did know about the app. I downloaded it already and have tried using it. I am not sure I will use it much. I just don't know if I need yet another thing to check. Perhaps others may like it more. The new site looks nice overall and if even not many people use the message boards it may not matter. It is good for the RACI to  try new things.

    Discord is a popular way for students at RMIT to chat. There is even an RMIT Discord server. Some of the undergrads are surprised to find an academic on their uni server. 

    Cheers

    Oliver



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    Oliver Jones
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  • 11.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 16-05-2024 12:13
    Edited by Daniel Turner 16-05-2024 12:13
    No replies, thread closed.

    With almost four thousand people listed in the directory, it seems to me that less than one percent of members have actively responded to the launch of MyRACI.



  • 12.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 16-05-2024 12:21
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Daniel,
     
    It may take some time for everyone to start using this space. At the National Office, we're doing our best to encourage participation. I'll be sending a follow-up email to all members, urging them to log in, explore, and engage with this new networking/communication platform. If you have any suggestions for increasing participation, please feel free to share them with me directly.
     
    Thanks,
    Hannah


    ------------------------------
    Hannah McCarthy
    Education & Outreach Coordinator (National)
    The Royal Australian Chemical Institute
    Email: education1@raci.org.au
    Phone: (03) 9328 2033
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 09-06-2024 20:27
    Edited by William Li 09-06-2024 20:27
    No replies, thread closed.

    Giving my $0.02 regarding a) seemingly lack of engagement with myRACI and b) using apps to engage with RACI.

    a) It's certainly not a good looking number with just 2% of the total membership engaging with these forms, when myRACI has potential to be the Reddit for chemistry-related professionals in Australia, plus with resources such as career advice and outreach opportunities. I can think of:

    • There should be many active members who do log onto myRACI, but they keep a low profile and keep to only membership-related things or events. We won't know how many of them would do things like connecting with fellow members or exchanging messages to e.g. do business with them.
    • There may be some who do want to share something but have some fear of doing so, like not wanting to be rebutted. Note that myRACI threads appear to be accessible for the whole world to see. We could do something to encourage each other to share expertise and feel that everyone's opinions are welcomed. This is particularly for students and early-career chemists who have relatively little knowledge being in the same thread as someone who may be at their end of their career.
    • There may be some who see RACI as something purely business-related and are not interested in discussions outside their field of expertise. They may only be interested in a specific field, perhaps a single interest group/division and would keep to only that.
    • There may be some who simply have no interest in connecting to others or engaging with others at all (a bit odd...).
    • There may be some who don't currently see RACI as a priority; they may contribute sometime later when they feel like doing so. This is particularly true for some students and those on some career-break.

    b) There's no one-size-fits-all solution nor there is a single platform that works the best. It's good that there's a myRACI app for those who prefer the app to do everything on their phone. Personally, I like to keep the number of apps on my phone to a minimum and so I'm not inclined to download it myself, nor are some others who are less tech-savvy or prefer to use an older phone that's less technologically advanced. I find this website to be good enough for me.



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    William Li
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  • 14.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 09-06-2024 21:30
    No replies, thread closed.

    Did you know, the majority of people on social media platforms are lurkers? (myRACI is essentially the same kind of platform.) Lurkers contribute very little or no content, and prefer to consume content or perform other non-content-generating activities quietly. Back when I was studying linguistics for my Arts degree in the mid 2000s, it was estimated that at least 95% of users were lurkers.

    But, that should not stop people from posting; it just means you won't get the "likes" or other forms of validation you may be seeking to see,,,,,,, 



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    Maree Stuart
    Principal Consultant
    MAS Management Systems Pty Ltd
    maree@masmanagementsystems.com.au
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  • 15.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 11-06-2024 18:44
    No replies, thread closed.

    Love that word...'lurker'! And yes, spot on.



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    William Li
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  • 16.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 13-06-2024 12:14
    Edited by Daniel Turner 13-06-2024 12:14
    No replies, thread closed.

    Bearing this in mind, what was the intention of the RACI in creating this space and its expectations of uptake in usage by the Board?

    A community requires leaders to participate and it is great to have you and others contributing here-irrespective of whether there's validation through 'likes'.

    Are 5% of RACI members using this platform? Is it intended to improve collaboration and communication that other channels aren't providing?

    My hope is that these discussion threads are additive to the Institute's posts on other social media platforms and activities by RACI members.



  • 17.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 10-06-2024 15:45
    No replies, thread closed.

    I think there is another important reason. Many social media channels cause mental health issues for a significant number of people and is full of mis/disinformation. I avoid social media except for professional purposes (e.g., LinkedIn and probably RACI etc.). I'm also very busy and can't devote time to following most social media channels.



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    Dave Winkler
    Professor
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  • 18.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 11-06-2024 18:50
    No replies, thread closed.

    Also spot on, Dave. Having too many social media platforms is bad for the mental health (unless work related). 



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    William Li
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  • 19.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 13-06-2024 12:19
    No replies, thread closed.

    My assumption is RACI has invested its members' money in the platform providing this service and so I have to assume there was due consideration of the assumed value this online community has the potential to provide those of us choosing to avail ourselves of the opportunity-how many users will post something here remains to be seen.




  • 20.  RE: Where is everyone?

    Posted 13-06-2024 12:28
    No replies, thread closed.

    I want to echo @Maree Stuart's comments. I can tell you that 1063 members have logged in to this platform since we launched. We may not be seeing 1063 people posting into this space, but that doesn't mean that the conversations aren't being read or considered. I hope that when the time is right, members will contribute in a way that is meaningful for them. I for one am enjoying seeing some of the meaningful interactions that are occurring in this space. With all of this in mind, I hope that we can all move on from this discussion post now.



    ------------------------------
    Hannah McCarthy
    Education & Outreach Coordinator (National)
    The Royal Australian Chemical Institute
    Email: education1@raci.org.au
    Phone: (03) 9328 2033
    ------------------------------