Encouraging Participation in Virtual Community with Classified Facilitation Mechanisms: A Perspective from Online Communication Needs and Behaviors

Based on a literature review and three focused group sessions involving a total of 30 experienced designers of virtual community, this research examines design principles of computer-mediated facilitation mechanisms from the perspective of meeting participants´ online communication needs. The design principles are classified into three categories based on members´ intrapersonal, interpersonal and group communication needs and behaviors. The findings address the importance of understanding the different communication needs for individual participants when selecting facilitation mechanisms to encourage member participation in virtual communities. These findings yield innovative implications for research and practice.