What We Do: Experience Design — Asynchronous Community Channels
We create and curate programming and events that spark insight, catalyze change, and bring people together—all while driving towards your community's underlying goal.
Here are a few tenets we keep in mind when designing an asynchronous community channel:
Think about whether you really need one.
For a lot of communities, a WhatsApp group for members who want to opt in will do the trick. Before investing in an asynchronous community platform, which runs the risk of disappointing super-users and annoying everyone else, think about whether you really need one.
Don’t over-complicate the tool.
One of the questions we get asked most often: “should my community have a Slack?!” The answer is usually no! And, in every case we’ve seen, a platform-first question is the wrong way to start. A better question is probably something like “would an asynchronous platform help my members achieve [this specific, measurable goal]?”
Determine whether your digital platform is a place to hang out or a place to connect for off-platform conversations.
We’ve seen two successful models for asynchronous community platforms: places where community members hang out and chat (think Reddit), or places where community members search upcoming events/connect with one another to facilitate off-platform conversations (think a calendar + directory with messaging). It’s hard to do both well off-the-bat, so decide which you’re prioritizing up-front.
Quick note: We’re breaking up our experience design posts for clarity and concision. There are just too many types of experiences—some of which have contradictory design principles—to capture everything in one. We’ll likely end up with more than three, but our first three cover: in-person events, online events, and asynchronous community channels.
Questions or ideas about community? We’d love to hear from you: hi@backpocket.consulting