Here a proposal to improve communities. There will be two levels of interaction on AIMS

Registered user

Once one has registered, he will be able to:

• subscribe to one or more AIMS topics (topics to be extracted from the AIMS taxonomy and related to the second level of the AIMS navigation menu, e.g. AgriDrupal, AGROVOC, etc) to receive updates on news, events and blog/forum posts;
• subscribe to the AIMS monthly newsletter; and
• create forum posts on general forums.

Note that:

• From the AIMS homepage the user will have the possibility to register
• From the menu on the left access to the forum page will be provided, with an overview of all closed and ongoing forum topics
• The registration form will be revised, principally it will become shorter, less questions.

Community of practice user

Once one has registered on AIMS, he can decide to join any community of practice. This will allow to:

• create blog posts;
• create forum posts on general and community of practice forums (open or closed);
• get in contact with people interested  in and /or knowledgeable on the same topic.

These community of practices will be principally accessible from the homepages of the AIMS products. (second level of the AIMS navigation menu). These homepages will aggregate all the content and services that are available for their topic.

For example, the AGROVOC homepage will include:

• the introduction to AGROVOC
• the latest updates on AGROVOC: news, events, blog/forum posts (no registration required)
• the possibility to participate in/read forums on AGROVOC (to create forums only “registered users” is required)
• the possibility to join the AGROVOC Community of practice and be able to get in contact with other professionals interested in AGROVOC and post blogs.

Note that not all AIMS topics will have a community of practice on their homepage.

We will appreciate to know what you think in the next days. Note that we expect to have some of the proposals already discussed in the AIMS Consultative Group implemented next month.