Start A User Group

If there is no User Group in your region, consider starting one!  

Starting a group takes a passion, time and commitment, but in exchange, you can reap many benefits including new friends, expanded business network, technology insight, new skills and more.  Before starting a group, first check to see if a User Group already exists in your area. You can do this by going to find a user group. A User Group may already be in your region but not close enough for you to travel to. User Groups are generally accommodating and may be willing to expand to include your participation and your location.

Not one in your area? Then here are some tips for starting a user group:

• Form a steering committee – this committee meets regularly to establish the group’s governance, plan and schedule upcoming meetings, coordinate speakers, etc.
• Appoint a User Group leader – this person will provide primary leadership, as well as serve as the primary contact for the group.
• Name your group – come up with a catchy name that is memorable and associates your group with the region in which it resides. For example:
  • BAVUG = Boston Avid User Group
  • ANYUG = Avid New York User Group
  • ATUG = Avid Toronto User Group
  • DVAUG = Delaware Valley User Group
• Create a Mission Statement – this is a statement of the User Group purpose and goals. The mission statement gives members, new and old, information on what they should expect from the group.
• Create a User Group Web Site – the website is used to establish the presence of your group and help you to communicate group location, member information, publicize meeting schedule and speakers, general topics of interest, and more. Avid does not offer web development or hosting assistance. Avid may provide logos, product images, content and link to your site; post a note in the User Group Forum.
• Secure Meeting Speakers/presenters - The User Group steering committee is responsible for securing speakers. Avid will provide assistance and leverage our partner community whenever possible. Encourage your committee to secure industry leaders or users within the community to speak at your user group. Please give speakers notice of at least six weeks in advance.  Interested in having Avid provide a speaker for a User Group event? Post a note in the User Group Forum.
• Get listed on Avid Community – once your group has been formally organized, get your group listed in our community. Post a note in the User Group Forum with the group name, location, leader contact information, including name, email and phone number, the URL of your site.