Sue Boettcher is the director of community development for Web Crossing Inc.
Virtual communities are, well, virtual.
By definition, in a virtual community, people communicate around the globe using tools such as e-mail, message boards, chat, and sometimes telephone and videoconferencing. And I often extol the advantages and the virtues of virtual communication for business. Not at all. Participants then go their respective ways and continue work using virtual tools, enriched by the experience and carrying with them a more holistic picture of their work partners. Other gatherings can be planned for specific intervals as work progresses.