Using The National Archives’ Online Community as a User Advisory Group
Delegate.
Following a pilot phase, The National Archives have now opened up our Online
Community so that it is accessible to all users. Just go to
http://community.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ to register or sign in.
We are grateful to those User Advisory Group delegates who have been involved in the
pilot and helped to make it a success. Now that the Community is open to all, we hope
that it will fully realise its potential benefits for UAG delegates as a tool for seeking
feedback from the communities that they represent.
The following are some broad guidelines on getting the most out of the Community as a
UAG delegate. Naturally, we hope that the Community will evolve over time as it is
shaped by its users.
Joining the community
We encourage all UAG delegates to join the Community and use it as a tool to
communicate with and gather feedback from the constituents that you represent.
Spreading the word
Please help us spread the word about the community by telling others about it, including
constituents, colleagues and friends, and encourage them to get involved.
Getting involved yourself
All UAG delegates are encouraged to be proactive within the community, by getting
involved in conversations and encouraging others to do the same, even if just by
example. Less experienced users may be more reluctant to contribute actively within
discussions. Seeing others speaking up may encourage them to do the same.
Creating Groups
We encourage all community members to create their own groups within the community
if they feel that it will enable more convenient interaction between individuals with
similar interests. Creating groups (or getting involved in existing ones – please avoid
duplication) may be a good way for UAG delegates to encourage feedback from their
section of our user community. While a group may naturally only be of interest to certain
community members, groups should be open and inclusive and use language that is
accessible to all.
UAG Delegates Group
This is a ‘closed’ group for UAG delegates within the Community; a space for you to
discuss issues related to that role privately. We encourage all UAG delegates to join this
group, and hope that it will become a convenient area for messages and discussions
between UAG delegates.
UAG19031303b - Agenda item: 3