The Communities of Practice
Playbook

User Experience

In the context of a community (of practice), we understand user experience to be members’ and the community ecosystem’s experience of/with the community’s operational model. This includes:

• the community processes and practices,
• the community’s methods for organisation,
• the digital tools used and the way community members use them.

All of the above have a profound impact on the community’s success. A user can be a community member, community leader, sponsor or anyone else within or outside the community who benefits from the community. Mature, advanced communities are much more than a support forum. They thrive because they engage people and encourage them to share knowledge, experiences and resources.

When you care about community members’ experience and acquire feedback on the quality of the community’s online and ‘in real life’ environments, you ensure community engagement. Integrating all of the discovered elements of the users’ experiences and avoiding confusion are key to designing user-centric experiences. This ensures that users experience the right flow of support and information, and increases online interoperability.

This section and the accompanying visual board will guide you on how to design a thriving user-centric experience for your community.