Localizing communities, goals, communication, and inclusion: A collaborative approach

Ann Shivers-Mcnair, Clarissa San Diego

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: The authors, one a researcher and one an international community strategy practitioner, illustrate community strategy work as a multi-faceted localization practice that intersects withuser experience design and user localization. We argue that localized community strategy is crucial not only to practice that aims for inclusivity and social justice but also to researchand theory building that aims for inclusivity and social justice. Method: We model a dialogic, localized knowledge-making process that operates at the level of collaborative researchbetween a theorist and a practitioner and at the level of international practice. The authors collaboratively analyzed the experiences of the practitioner, as well as our own collaboration process, and coded theMfor key dimensions, whichcan guide and be further developed bothin practice and in research. Results: The authors identify and discuss four key dimensions of a community strategist’s localization practices—localizing communities, localizing goals, localizing communication, and localizing inclusion—and illustrate theMbothin our own collaborative practice of analysis and in the practice of international community strategy. Conclusion: The definitions of user, community, and diversity themselves must be continually localized in our work to engage across cultures and across theory and practice. We call for further collaboration and researchat the intersections of international community strategy work withtechnical communication and global user experience, particularly the role of localizing diversity and inclusion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)97-112
Number of pages16
JournalTechnical Communication
Volume64
Issue number2
StatePublished - 2017

Keywords

  • Community strategy
  • Diversity
  • Inclusion
  • Social justice
  • User localization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication
  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

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