academy

Online Community Toolkit

By John Coate

This toolkit is designed to lay out for you the essential questions and issues you must consider and address in order to succeed in building a community online.
— John

People

How will you make your service a safe place for your people?

People

Do you have space for both personal and professional engagement?

People

Do you expect geographic proximity so people can meet easily in person?

People

Do you have space for both personal and professional engagement?

People

Do you start with a core group or do you start with zero?

Platform

Does it easily allow live links, photos and other media?

Platform

If you have to change platforms is your data transportable?

Platform

Is it stable enough that it will last into the future?

Platform

Is it scalable both in terms of design and affordability?

Platform

Is your software optimized for community conversation?

Management

Do you have enough time, resources & commitment to do the work?

Management

Do you have the right personality for the work?

Management

Are you prepared for a special kind of leadership?

Management

Are you prepared to wear many different hats in the course of the work?

Management

What rules will you have?

Management

Are you prepared to handle conflicts?

Management

How will you make your service a safe place for your people?

Externals

Do you know the laws in your state so you stay in compliance?

Externals

Can you protect your users from hacking and malware?

Externals

Does your messaging system coordinate with your regular email address?