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A Pentaho User Group (PUG) brings together people who are users, administrators, developers, implementors, and anyone who is interested in sharing, networking and learning more about Pentaho Business Intelligence software. They are geographically based in order to facilitate regular in person meetups. The goals of the groups are to be an OPEN community to connect people around a common interest and foster conversation about open source, business intelligence, ; data integration, reporting, dashboards and , analysis, etc. You can find a list of all the existing known Pentaho User Groups here.
Why should I join a Pentaho User Group?
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A Pentaho User Group leader initiates and organizes PUG events, plans PUG meetings, moderates any private group discussion forums (ie, meetup groups, yahoo groups, google groups, flickr, linkedin etc), encourages group participation, keeps a contact list of all members in the group, is a member of the Pentaho User Group leaders group (you receive an invitation to this group when an email is received about the Group at usergroups@pentaho.com), receives occasional PUG Leader update emails from the Groups Coordinator, updates the groups wiki page on a regular basis. Most importantly, a good PUG leader delegates many of these tasks to members of the Group to help run the group smoothly.
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First check the list - to make sure there isn't already Pentaho User Group already running in your area or on the same global topic. Also check the hashtag #PentahoUG on Twitter to see if there has been any interest in your area. If you'd still like to start one, add your group to the Pentaho Community Meetings and Local User Group Page. You can add your group information to the new group or proposed group section.
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Anything you can imagine! Events that PUGs plan should work toward achieving the Group's broader goals – education, networking, innovation, community building, etc. We encourage group members to present and share best practices of what they are developing and learning, invite outside speakers to attend, take time to watch a Pentaho demo or webinar, host a code-a-thon, the list goes on...on….
I have an idea for Pentaho User Groups. Who can I tell?
Everybody! Again, use any and all social media sites you participate in to find interested people in your area. There are Pentaho intrest interest groups on most of them like linkedin, yahoo, meetup.com, XING, etc. You can also email usergroups@pentaho.com or post your ideas to the Community Discussion Forum for a broader audience.
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That would be great. Groups need a place to meet, meetings need speakers and refreshments so sponsors are key to successwhich make sponsors a critical success factor. The groups are a great way to make people aware of products and services that are available in their area. I caution against treating PUG meetings as a way to get a captive audience just for your sales pitch. Best case, that will work one time. Our desire for each group is to facilitate openness in education, networking and community. If the group members feel like the meetings are valuable to them, and keep coming back, then you are on the right track.
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We don't have an official program in place but we do want to recognize successful PUGs. For groups that are proving successful, we will help sponsor meetings, send people to give talks, buy refreshments, etc. We are open to helping successful groups offset the costs of organization by paying for services like meetup.com. Contact usergroups@pentaho.com if you have any ideas how for more info or to let us know other ways we can help your group continue to grow and continue successthrive.
Can PUGs charge dues?
Yes, a PUG can elect to charge dues. These dues might typically cover the cost of a particular event, web hosting fees, etc. It is up to each PUG whether or not they'd like to charge dues and how said dues are collected or spent.
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