Adopting Third-party Bots for Managing Online Communities

This interview study examines how online community leaders on the social app Discord adopt and adapt third-party bots to manage their communities effectively, focusing on the role of social ecosystems in facilitating bot adoption. Conducted with Northwestern University's Department of Communication and the University of Washington's Department of Communication, the research highlights how community leaders navigate challenges of bot adoption by leveraging intercommunity networks for support and knowledge-sharing. 

• Understand the social and organizational factors that facilitate or hinder bot adoption.

• Explore how leaders address uncertainties about bot security, reliability, and fit.

• Identify design opportunities to better support the adoption of third-party tools in online communities.

As a Co-Author and Analyst, I contributed to later stages of this project by: 

• Data Analysis: Conducted additional rounds of thematic coding and analysis on interview transcripts, refining key themes. 

• Writing and Revisions: Co-authored the paper by drafting and revising sections on findings, discussion, and implications. 

• Collaborative Analysis: Worked with the team to identify and synthesize emergent themes from interviews with 16 Discord community leaders.

• Theoretical Framing: Helped integrate insights into broader frameworks of technology adoption and social ecosystems.

• Manuscript Development: Contributed to refining the narrative and ensuring the research findings were presented with clarity and impact.

• Identified the importance of digital social ecosystems—intercommunity networks of knowledge and support—in facilitating bot adoption.

• Highlighted the role of reputation, word-of-mouth, and support communities in addressing adoption challenges.

• Proposed recommendations for platform designers to enhance the discoverability, usability, and scalability of third-party tools.