GHDonline.org homepage (2011)
I’m proud to say that 2011 was a year of growth for us here at GHDonline.org– thanks to the efforts of our members, our moderators, and our staff.After a successful trial run of Expert Panels in the second half of 2010, we expanded them to the point where they are now core to our community management. These structured times of discussion supplement the traditional ad-hoc community discussions and allow the moderators to bring other subject matter experts in. We have found that members enjoy engaging in panel discussions much like those you would find at conferences — but online, without the airfare, lodging, and registration fees.
The team has grown over the course of the year — we welcomed eight new community moderators, and in August we welcomed Marie Connelly, our Community Manager who brought a wealth of experience from her time at WEGO Health.
In November, we ran our first site-wide Expert Panel (“Strengthening Health Systems: The Role of NGOs“), which had an all-star lineup of panelists (including the Minister of Health of Rwanda) and more than 120 replies. I encourage you to read through the discussion if you have the time, but if not, check out our 2-page Discussion Brief which summarizes the key points raised in the course of the discussion.
Behind the scenes, we made a number of improvements to site performance and functionality — for example, site-wide expert panels. Much of our time this year, however, has been spent redesigning the website based on feedback from our members. The new site will make it easier for you to read and post to your communities, as well as figure out what’s new, who else is in the community, and which discussions your colleagues are finding useful.
Look for a follow-up post soon announcing our new design for GHDonline.org and giving you an idea of what’s ahead in 2012.