Network Management for Advanced Managers

Networks: The building blocks on which all effective commuter programs are based. 

By completing this network management training program for RideAmigos Advanced Managers, you will be able to perform all major functions related to creating and managing networks using RideAmigos.

  • Understand why separating users into networks is important
  • Learn the differences between public and private networks
  • Create new networks and subnetworks
  • View and edit existing networks
  • Understand the various ways users can be added to networks
  • Understand the role of basic network managers
  • Assign and manage network managers

Estimated Time for Completion: 45 minutes

We recommend completing the User Management for Advanced Managers module prior to beginning this module. 

(Each lesson will open in a new window so you can easily return to this module.)

Lesson 1: Networks – What? Why? How? (~ 5 minutes)

What are networks? Why use them? How are they commonly structured?

Assignments:

  • Consider how networks are structured in your program. Employers? Departments? Geographical areas?
  • Take a moment to evaluate how your current or proposed network structure will effectively segment your users for the types of commuter programs you want to run.

Lesson 2: How to Create Networks and Subnetworks (~ 5 minutes)

Time to learn the basics of creating networks! Includes an introduction to the differences between public and private networks.

Assignment: 

  • Create a new private network titled “[YourName]’s Test Network” with a private subnetwork named “[YourName]’s Test Subnetwork.”

Lesson 3: Viewing and Editing Networks (~ 10 minutes)

Now that you have a new network to play with it’s time to dig deeper into the network management dashboard.

Assignments: 

  • Edit the test network you created in Lesson 2, adding a description and messages for members and non-members.
  • If your platform is already in production, take a moment to search through and review the network data from some active networks.

Lesson 4: Populating Networks with Users (~ 10 minutes)

Networks aren’t much use unless they contain users. Explore how user can become part of public and private networks.

Assignments:

  • From your personal user account, view your profile and see if any public networks exist in your system. (If it’s brand new there may not be! Create a test public network if you like.)
  • Copy the network join link for your private test network. Paste the link in your browser, visit the page, and join your network.
  • Navigate to your private test subnetwork from Lesson 2 via network management tools and manually add yourself and the users “[YourName]Test BasicUser” and “[YourName]Test NetworkManager” to the test subnetwork.

Lesson 5: Network Manager Abilities (~5 minutes)

Giving trusted users the ability to manage networks and associated programs is an important way to maximize impact. Basic Networks are a way to share a limited set of tools and access with other related programs.

Assignments:

  • Review the reference sheet and familiarize yourself with the abilities and data access associated with basic vs. advanced network manager status.

Lesson 6: Adding and Removing Network Managers (~10 minutes)

Learn the two primary ways to add and remove network management privileges.

Assignments:

  • Make the user “[YourName]Test NetworkManager” you created in the User Management module a manager of “[YourName]’s Test Network”
  • Proxy as the user “[YourName]Test NetworkManager” to explore the platform from the perspective of a network manager. (Be sure to sign out of the proxy!)

Module Review

After completing all of the assignments for this module you should have created the following in your platform:

  • [YourName]’s Test Network
  • [YourName]’s Test Subnetwork
  • Both the parent and subnetworks should have 3 members:
    • You
    • [YourName]Test BasicUser
    • [YourName]Test NetworkManager
    • Remember: adding these users via the subnetwork automatically adds them to the parent.
  • Test Network should have 1 manager:
    • Test NetworkManager
    • Remember: network managers can view and manage all subnetworks of the networks they manage.

Double-check that you have successfully created all of the above objects and associations, they will be referenced in future modules.