An online community's initial launch often brings excitement for engaged users and improved information flow. But simply putting a community online isn't the finish line; it's just the start. Many organizations launch communities only to see them stagnate when the initial momentum fades. The idea that a community can run itself after launch is a common misconception, leading to underperformance.
This is where itD’s Center of Excellence (CoE) approach changes the game. It reframes community development not as a one-time project, but as an adaptive journey, building a robust, healthy, and continuously evolving online environment. At itD, we bring two decades of experience to optimizing user experiences. Our CoE approach provides a practical framework, integrated with leading platforms like Khoros, Microsoft, and more, ensuring your community grows into a vibrant, strategic asset.
Considering a platform shift? Our technology-agnostic approach means we're well-versed in all major community platforms. We understand that market changes often prompt organizations to explore new tools. Our CoE guides you through that evaluation and migration process efficiently, ensuring your community's continuity and future success, regardless of the technology.
Understanding the True Nature of an Enterprise Community
The teams at itD’s Centers of Excellence view community as a whole. It's not just about one specific function like support or sales; it's about the entire ecosystem. Think of it like a neighborhood. Just as neighborhoods have varying personalities—some with strict HOAs, others with none—enterprise communities also have diverse tolerances and goals.
Ultimately, it's your user base that drives who and what your community becomes. This highlights the organic, non-static nature of these environments. A CoE systematically considers both your business goals and the technical and management aspects of your community. This includes the chosen platform, desired interaction styles (forums, blogging, idea generation), and what the business truly aims to achieve from its community. Decisions are made based on the community's personality, ensuring that what works today can adapt for tomorrow.
The CoE's Role in Building and Sustaining Community Health
A core principle of our approach is that community development is never a "one and done" endeavor; it should always evolve. A CoE ensures continuous evolution. We start by assessing your existing community and identifying opportunities based on its unique personality and your strategic goals. Data is fundamental to this. Decisions begin with understanding metrics and analytics, laying the groundwork for continuous improvement. This data-driven perspective aligns with our capabilities in prescriptive and predictive analytics.
Beyond initial setup, our CoE also deploys engineering centers of excellence to create tailored solutions when needed. This isn't about shoehorning your community into an out-of-the-box product. It involves integrating platforms, automating processes, and implementing gamification elements like badging and ranking systems that can change over time to keep users engaged.
The CoE's Continuous Care: Beyond the Initial Launch
Many organizations focus heavily on the first 30 to 90 days after a community launch or a new feature introduction. While this initial monitoring is important, a CoE focuses on ensuring sustained community health well beyond this early period.
This means ongoing audits and optimization. We recommend conducting six-month or yearly audits to assess activity and pinpoint areas for improvement. For instance, if one general discussion board becomes overwhelmingly active, making it hard for users to find information, a CoE recognizes the need to split those apart to enhance the user experience.
Our approach also encourages iterative development and learning. It's fine to try new things, and sometimes you might find that an idea didn't work as expected. The key is to have the measures in place to follow up and look at what has happened once something was implemented. While we encourage experimentation, a CoE ensures a strong business case for new initiatives to avoid creating empty, underutilized areas within your community. Alongside these higher-level optimizations, a CoE handles essential core functions like spam management and user access, ensuring the foundational elements are always robust.
Partnering with itD for Perpetual Community Growth
A Center of Excellence isn't merely about setting up a community; it's about providing the expertise, the framework, and the ongoing support to ensure your enterprise community continually adapts and delivers superior business outcomes. Our CoE approach, combined with our full spectrum of capabilities—from community strategy and architecture to data insights, AI application for mass personalization, and robust DevOps—offers a truly holistic solution.
Ready to transform your enterprise community into a vibrant, continuously evolving ecosystem? Contact us and discover how itD's Center of Excellence approach can help you achieve next-level customer and employee engagement and drive significant ROI.
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