Pre-Work

Definition

In this stage teams are completely unfamiliar with working with contributors, do not understand the value of doing so, and have significant concerns or roadblocks to beginning the process.

Learning Stage

Unconsciously Incompetent

Measure of Success

We will know that the client is ready to move to the next phase when a dedicated staff resource has been appointed to work with us. This person is known as the community coordinator or activator.

Milestones

• Attend Getting Ready for Participation workshop. (This can be done in modules.)
• Understand each stage of the community building lifecycle and have clear expectations of how progression through each cycle works. *Has walked through storyboards of community lifecycle, as well as the lifecycle of community building.
• Understand the community building pillars and how their team’s work can connect to those pillars.
• Staff person from team commits to acting as community coordinator (activator) and agrees to work with their CBT partner.

Resources

• Getting Ready for Participation Workshop Modules
  • What’s possible?
  • Active vs Passive Transparency Exercise
  • Communication Channels, and how/when to use them
  • Action Plan for Next Steps
• Video on the impact of working with contributors-- we need this to be made-- can a contributor make it, possibly working through Dia and her video producers?
• Info on where they can go to ask questions/field concerns-- Consumable “contact us” documentation
• Get involved page tutorial, how it works, how to get connected (this is a part of a larger structure: not all pathways are on the Get Involved page)
  • Way to reach out to specific locales and skill sets to get the things your community needs.

Activator role in this stage

In this stage, the activators are identified. This staff member partner is committed to bootstrapping participation in their area of the project. This commitment should be reflected in the performance goals for the person taking on this role.

CBT Role

During the pre-work stage, the CBT partner does the following:

• Helps partner team to understand the the community building lifecycle and the community building pillars.
• Helps partner team connect with a Designing for Participation workshop.
• Works with team’s manager and other decision makers to support the appointment of a community coordinator (activator).

Risks

At this stage the risk is that they will remain resistant to inviting contributors into their part of the project.

Despite an activator being identified, that they are not empowered by their managers to take action, and they are not given resources or team support to be effective.

The Activator role is tacked on “ in addition” to other work, and can be de-prioritized.

Deliverables / Checklist