"A small group of determined and like-minded people can change the course of history" – Mahatma Gandhi
Isn’t it great when you ‘find your people’? We often long to share our common experiences and stories, find out the latest technology trends, or learn valuable information from our peers – or all the above! User groups can be small or large, some with their own large-scale conferences; others are local or regional gatherings, while others are virtual. But they all share something in common – they help to ensure technology users can share information and communicate their successes and challenges as a collective.
User groups have history!
According to Anthony Rotoli in this 2021 Forbes article, user groups have been around since the 1950s, in the early days of the IBM mainframe. And user groups have evolved over the years beyond more than expert technologists sharing stories to include product managers and product developers who work on the vendor products; guest and expert speakers who share their unique use cases; along with social events and networking opportunities. User groups have become an excellent vehicle to gather product feedback for development teams and often present a direct line for users to give detailed ‘wish lists’ for product enhancements.
User groups are everywhere!
IBM user groups exist all over the world too. And here’s the best part… if there isn’t one in your local area, but you know others who would like to gather, you can apply to start your own! In fact, we encourage, support and acknowledge it!
Get rewarded for your user group work!
In fact, if you are currently an IBM user group volunteer, board member, manager (or co-manager), or doing other administrative UG work, you can get started right now by applying for the IBM Rising Champions program and earn your first set of badges, which will help you begin the pathway to a future IBM Champion nomination.
Want to know more?
Register now for the 28 May 2025 public Webinar, IBM User Groups: an opportunity for professional development, technical community building, and product influence. Learn from the IBM User Group Leadership team and hear from two IBM Champions who run successful user groups and who will share their best practices and actions you can take to participate or start your own user group.
See you on May 28th – you don’t want to miss it!