Ask HN: Organizing a (Ruby) User Group

[g0T]

I'm currently organizing a first Ruby user group in Nairobi. While I have checked on what similar user groups are doing, it'd be useful to hear from people who have organized/participated in such meetups. I'm interested in how you were able to lay the framework for the meetings and maintain the initial enthusiasm. Is it necessary to invite speakers at this stage?

[BillSaysThis]

Depends on the make up of your community. In my experience, though, nothing gets a new group going better than several strong speakers in a row (that is, over several consecutive meetings). I relaunched a (non-Ruby, semi-technical) group and went from 10 attendees at the first meeting to 60+ in less than a year of every other month events by doing this.

If your community is one where the people feel comfortable just getting together to hack in the same space, perhaps speakers aren't necessary at every event. But I encourage you to try to book speakers and hold hack sessions only as a fall back.

[g0T]

Thanks a lot. I like the idea of having speakers at the meetings. We intend to complement this with hack sessions and (open) discussions as well.