WANTUG EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.0 Executive Summary
The World-Wide Association of NT User Groups (WANTUG) will be formed as a
non-profit educational and support organization specializing in educating,
supporting, and certifying users of Microsoft Windows NT-based software and
systems.
The founders of WANTUG are all active, successful leaders of local NT-based
user groups. They seek to share their enthusiasm and experience while
extending, on a world-wide basis, their tradition of educating and
supporting enterprise, corporate, government, and end-user NT-based
customers.
1.1 MISSION
WANTUG is a non-profit organization committed to the advancement of Windows
NT-based solutions through open forums, user groups, education, and other
media.
1.2 OPPORTUNITIES
WANTUG is dedicated to meeting the challenges of two opportunities:
Fostering the growth and development of local NT-based user groups as a
means of educating and supporting the local Windows NT-based user
community.
Providing a platform to "drive" Windows NT and related products into the
enterprise.
2.0 Business Summary
WANTUG is a new organization providing opportunities for the world-wide
dissemination of educational and support opportunities.
Developing and supporting NT-based users world-wide.
We will identify regional areas and then provide the tools, knowledge,
resources, and support to build new groups. We will also put programs in
place for existing groups to be able to increase their management skills
and administrative abilities, thus ensuring the long-term success of these
ventures. These programs will be enhanced by an aggressive Internet
presence supplying the latest information from WANTUG and from companies
with NT-based products and services. Acting as a central clearinghouse for
the distribution of such enhanced information to the many NT-based user
groups world-wide will be a key service provided by WANTUG.
WANTUG WAS FORMED TO:
Be a independent resource, serving
the needs of both the NT-based vendor and NT-based user communities.
WANTUG will work with any vendors, companies, or users in the
NT-based community and it will always be an unbiased, objective
source.
Foster the growth and development
of local NT-based user groups as a means of educating and supporting
the local Windows NT-based user community.
Share our experience, skills, contacts,
and ideas as a means of enriching and expanding the user community.
Develop and augment educational
and support programs to assist local user groups to develop into
local "professional" organizations.
Offer concrete "how-to"
advice and education in all areas of professional user group management.
Form a central clearinghouse for
the dissemination of technical, educational, and support information
and programs to the local level user groups who will, in turn,
use these tools and materials to meet the needs of the local end
user.
Provide a central distribution point
for access to vendor beta programs, contacts with product managers,
and vendor and user group produced whitepapers.
Coordinate NT event user group tours
for WANTUG sponsors and other NT-related product vendors.
Encourage the growth of the overall
NT marketplace through focused educational opportunities and year-round
local NT communities for timely information dissemination.
Assist local user groups in building
enhanced educational, certification and support programs.
Increase industry recognition of
NT-based user groups and professional associations.
Provide an information channel between
corporations or ISV's to the end-users of Windows NT.
Build a database of vendor, solution
provider, technical educators and industry speakers who are available
for local UG meetings and of vendors interested in presenting--then
coordinating this marriage.
Support and educational programs
for practical issues like electronic and print newsletters, building
successful web pages, fund-raising, managing growth, exchanging
information about successful meeting programs, upgrading sources
for booking speakers and group sponsorships, developing newsletters
and other media designed to disseminate information and function
as public relations collateral, expanding meeting attendance,
gauging the impact of legislation on groups and members, user
group politics, user group management, building educational and
support programs, etc.
Assess and advise group management
on the impact of tax laws and non-profit status on user groups.
Evaluate new technologies and publish
reviews of these technologies that can be used by the local groups
in their newsletters and publications.
Maintain a database of technical
literature and articles which may be re-printed.
Develop skills in leadership, communication,
management, fund raising, organization, or public relations.
Exploit product discount programs
for the products, services and information most desired, including
access to pre-release and off the shelf software and hardware
products.
Discover sources for Group Rate
and Errors and Omissions Insurance Coverage.
Assemble and produce technical resource
CD-ROMs on a regular basis.
Promote the development of a central
job database for WANTUG members and corporations
Serve as a resource for print, radio,
television, on-line, and other media, providing expert sources
of information for NT-related coverage.
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