Emerson Exchange 365

by Keith Larson

As I write this, it’s already Thursday morning in Denver, the penultimate day of Emerson Global Users Exchange 2015. And as the final formal sessions play out, attendees’ thoughts have begun to turn to overfull email inboxes and to-do lists that await them on return to work next week. For many, the learning, sharing and productive problem-solving of Exchange week has proven invaluable. Indeed, they’re now wishing they could bottle and bring back home the ready access to peers and subject matter experts that Exchange week represents.

This desire, of course, is as old as Exchange itself. But four years ago, social media tools and user acceptance had matured to the point where a virtual, year-long community began to make practical sense. "I gain a lot of information and knowledge at the Emerson Exchange—but it's only one week, and we can't bring everyone who should go every year,” said BC Spear, now of CITGO Petroleum, in a #TBT quote from Exchange week 2011.”But what if that one week could continue all year long?”

That very year marked the launch of Emerson Exchange 365, a website created to build on the experience of the physical event itself—the peer-to-peer sharing of things that work—explains Jim Cahill, chief blogger and head of social media for Emerson Process Management. "Secondarily, it's about connecting with Emerson experts and developers, but it's first and foremost about bringing our customers together with each other," Cahill says.

Since its launch four years ago, Exchange 365 has steadily gathered critical mass. The number of registered users is approaching the 10,000 mark, and the 28 discussion groups (by product technology and industry vertical) are peppered with regular contributions from around the globe, according to Rachelle McWright, community manager. “Exchange 365 has grown to have a significant presence beyond Exchange week,” McWright says.

The event and online communities will even gather together this week, in tomorrow’s Meet the Expert session MTE-6326 on Process Control Optimization. In this session, Emerson subject matter experts will field questions from physical attendees as well as members of the Emerson365 community posting questions online. “Virtual attendees will also receive real-time feedback on session discussions,” Cahill says. 

A community such as Emerson Exchange 365 is only as valuable as its participants make it, and Metcalfe’s law indicates that its value will continue to grow exponentially according to the square of the number of members. If Cahill and McWright have their way, you’ll each join the community and urge your colleagues back at the office to do the same. “We want Emerson Exchange 365 to be the preeminent location to connect peer-to-peer and do problem solving,” Cahill says. So if you haven’t joined up yet, send yourself a reminder email. Better yet, go ahead and visit www.EmersonExchange365.com  and get started today.