This is one section from a longer presentation I gave at Internet Research 12 in Seattle, going into detail about how Campfire (http://www.campfirenyc.com) thinks about audiences/players/participants in the design of participatory programs.
1. 1. Design Communal Experiences
Audience Types (Self-selecting)
LOWER ENGAGEMENT
Skimmers
Dippers
Divers
HIGHER ENGAGEMENT
SHARING THE STAGE: STORYTELLING IN A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 1
2. 1. Design Communal Experiences
Audience Types (Self-selecting)
Divers
Dippers
SPREAD
Skimmers
SHARING THE STAGE: STORYTELLING IN A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 2
3. 1. Design Communal Experiences
Audience Types (Self-selecting)
Divers
Dippers
SPREAD
Skimmers
SHARING THE STAGE: STORYTELLING IN A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 2
4. 1. Design Communal Experiences
Audience Types (Self-selecting)
LOWER ENGAGEMENT
Skimmers
Dippers
Divers
HIGHER ENGAGEMENT
SHARING THE STAGE: STORYTELLING IN A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 3
5. 1. Design Communal Experiences
Audience Types (Self-selecting)
LOWER ENGAGEMENT
Skimmers
INVESTMENT ($)
ACESSIBILITY
Dippers
Divers
HIGHER ENGAGEMENT
SHARING THE STAGE: STORYTELLING IN A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 3
Notes de l'éditeur
\nWe break them down into three types and it’s important to note that these are self-selecting categories:\n\nSkimmers – This is the broadest audience, they are the least engaged and don’t participate in a meaningful way, they just take a small piece of it in. But that small piece may not come directly from the storytellers, it might come from:\n\nDippers – are people who engage casually. They dip in and out of a story experience and they may participate, but only in the most undemanding ways – post in a forum, for example. They are also more social. They will spread the word about your story experience and will recruit people in. If the experience is extremely compelling to them, they will become…\n\nDivers – These are the hardcore fans, the people who are going to explore every nook and cranny of your experience. They are the participators. They might:\n\nRoleplay\n\nEngage characters online and in the real world\n\nSolve mysteries or puzzles\n\nSeek out and participate in live events and real world experiences.\n\nDownload apps and play games\n\nThey spend an extraordinary amount of time and are deeply passionate. They live and breathe the story world.\n\n
\nWhen you flip that around you see how these layers of audiences influence each other and how your participatory story spreads and grows.\n\nDivers make up the smallest percentage of the overall participants, but they are the heart and soul of a participatory program. Their creativity and participation is what attracts the… \n\nDippers. The Dippers are there because of the Divers. They might have come into it from an experience you created or some piece of the story they discovered, but they are attracted to all the activity and intensity being generated by the Divers. They love to bring new people into the experience, and it’s the social, communal aspects of the story experience that attracts them. \n\nWhile they are invested in the narrative, they are really there for the social rewards.\n\nSkimmers infrequently pass through the experience. When we think about Skimmers it’s really about how to capture their imaginations quickly and inspire them to become Dippers.\n\n
\nSkimmers require extremely accessible experiences and content but as you drop further down the levels, the story can become much less accessible. \n\nDivers feed on complexity, Skimmers are repelled if confronted with it immediately.\n\nThere are also financial considerations. Reaching Skimmers is what mass media is best at, and that requires money. Your Divers, on the other hand, are there for the quality of the story and experience and if Blair Witch proved anything it’s that you don’t need a lot of money to provide that.\n\nThe key then, is to have different experiences and story elements exist for all these self-selecting audience types.\n\n
\nSkimmers require extremely accessible experiences and content but as you drop further down the levels, the story can become much less accessible. \n\nDivers feed on complexity, Skimmers are repelled if confronted with it immediately.\n\nThere are also financial considerations. Reaching Skimmers is what mass media is best at, and that requires money. Your Divers, on the other hand, are there for the quality of the story and experience and if Blair Witch proved anything it’s that you don’t need a lot of money to provide that.\n\nThe key then, is to have different experiences and story elements exist for all these self-selecting audience types.\n\n