Getting Started with iGrOOps

Traditional "social networks" are quite limited with access control.  For example, if you put your videos on YouTube, the world can access them.  If you start a YAHOO group, others will need to be a member of your group to access any of the group content.  This black and white approach to access control may have worked years ago, but the online communities demanded more -- and iGrOOps listened.

Multi-Layered Access Control

iGrOOps offers what is called "multi-layered access control".  As the name suggests, there are many "layers" to the access you as the group administrator can set for your group.  These layers are defined below.

Membership-Based Access.  Each area, feature, and application in your group is secured with membership-based access.  There are three levels of this kind of access.  They are:

• Guests/Visitors - guests are non-registered members (or visitors) to your group
• Limited Access Members - registered members who have chosen your first level of membership (if you choose to offer two levels)
• Full Access Members - registered members who have chosen your second level of membership (this is the default level if you have only one price point for your group membership)

Why two levels?  Let's say you want to provide free membership with limited content and applications, and a premium service with full application access.  These two levels provides and excellent opportunity for member upgrades.

You can select the membership-based access for each of your applications.  Other areas of your group are automatically secured based on use and information. 

Read / Write Access

When you select the membership-based access for each application, you also decide which levels will have write access, and which will only be able to read content.  This provides even more flexibility and control.  For example, your communication system can be set so guests and both levels of members can read posts, but only full access members can post messages (see figure 1)

figure 1

Administration Access

The administrator of the iGrOOp has what is called "administration" access.  This is the person that can access all areas of the iGrOOp including the group's setup areas.  The main administrator is the person who initially sets up the iGrOOp.

The main administrator can be changed by the iGrOOps administration staff only. 

Administration Team Access

The main administrator can define an "administration team" -- one or more members of the group who will have administration rights to some, or all of the areas.  These administrators are defined as follows:

• Co-Administrator
• Director of Benefits
• Benefits Committee
• Director of Communications
• Communications Committee
• Director of Content
• Content Committee
• Director of Marketing
• Marketing Committee
• Director of Membership
• Membership Committee
• Director of Member Support
• Support Committee
• Director of Public Relations
• Public Relations Committee

With the exception of the "Co-Administrator", which has all the same privileges as the Administrator, the other roles all have regular member access.  You can, however, grant admin access to individual members of your admin team on a per application basis.

Privileged Member

For each application, you can grant any member administration rights.

In the configuration area of each application, the administrator can assign admin rights to an administration team title in addition to a certain member.  This is helpful because a) sometimes admin team members change and you do not want to change for each application every time a new member comes on or leaves and b) by giving admin access to say "Support Committee" you are giving admin access to all those members who you assigned to that position.

Block Trail Member Access

For any application, you can deny trial members access to the application.