Purpose, People, Participation, Process, Proof

Hello,

When an association community is not working as well as it could, it is tempting to look for one big reason:

• Members are too busy.
• The platform is not being used enough.
• Staff do not have enough time.
• There is not enough content.

Sometimes, there is an overarching issue impacting the community, but usually the issue is one we see again and again: one part of the community is not doing its job well enough. 

• Members may understand the purpose but not know how to take part.
• Staff may seed engagement, without understanding the people they’re engaging.
• Members may be reading quietly, but not seeing an invitation to participate.
• Staff may be keeping activity going, but without a replicable process.
• Leadership may ask for results, but the proof is hard to show.

That is why we created the 5P Framework, to highlight the core community components where we regularly see room for growth for online communities.

The 5Ps help association teams examine key areas that shape whether a community fizzles, or becomes something members use, value, and return to each day.

• Purpose defines the value, opportunities, and shared reason members come together.
• People helps you understand member groups and how they take part.
• Participation creates clear opportunities for members to connect, contribute, and collaborate.
• Process creates repeatable roles and routines that keep the community active and sustainable.
• Proof tracks outcomes and shows whether the community is creating real value for members.

A community can have a clear purpose and still struggle to get people involved. It can have active members, but still depend too heavily on staff to keep things moving. It can look busy, but have little proof that the activity is the kind that encourages members to renew.

That is why “we need more engagement” is often too broad. The more useful question is: What should your community focus on next?

The 5P Community Assessment will help you see where your community is strongest, where it may be getting stuck, and which area to improve next.

Take the 5P Community Assessment

Best,
The Sengii Team