Define the key member types your community is designed to support.
SECTION 1: Identify Different Types of Members
Not all community members are at the same stage.
Some members:
- are new to the product
- are experienced users
- actively participate in communities
- rarely engage at all
Understanding these differences helps you design more effective community experiences.
For this exercise, think about members across two areas:
- Product Maturity → How comfortable are they with the product or topic?
- Community Maturity → How comfortable are they engaging in the community?
What types of members commonly exist in your audience today?
Consider:
- new users
- experienced users
- active contributors
- passive consumers
- advocates
- learners
- experts
Member Type | Product Maturity (Low/Medium/High) | Community Maturity |
|---|
New customer | Low | Low |
SECTION 2: Build Your Core Personas
Persona 1
Persona Name: ____________________________________________________
(Example: Newbie Nora)
Product Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
Community Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
What are they trying to accomplish?
What support or guidance do they need?
What motivates them to participate?
What barriers or frustrations might prevent engagement?
What type of community experience would help them most?
Examples:
- onboarding support
- peer discussion
- best practices
- networking
- recognition
- advanced education
Persona 2
Persona Name: ____________________________________________________
(Example: Newbie Nora)
Product Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
Community Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
What are they trying to accomplish?
What support or guidance do they need?
What motivates them to participate?
What barriers or frustrations might prevent engagement?
What type of community experience would help them most?
Examples:
- onboarding support
- peer discussion
- best practices
- networking
- recognition
- advanced education
Persona 3
Persona Name: ____________________________________________________
(Example: Newbie Nora)
Product Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
Community Maturity
☐ Low☐ Medium☐ High
What are they trying to accomplish?
What support or guidance do they need?
What motivates them to participate?
What barriers or frustrations might prevent engagement?
What type of community experience would help them most?
Examples:
- onboarding support
- peer discussion
- best practices
- networking
- recognition
- advanced education
SECTION 4: Identify Gaps Between Product & Community Experience
A member may successfully use the product without feeling connected to the community.
Review your personas and identify where the experience may feel disconnected.
Persona | Potential Experience Gap | What Could Help Bridge It? |
|---|
Newbie Nora | Confusion about what to do first | Onboarding hub, guided discussions |
SECTION 5: Reflection & Prioritization
Which persona feels most important to support first?
Which persona is currently underserved?
Are there any important audiences missing from your current strategy?
Which persona would create the greatest community impact if better supported?
What assumptions about your members were challenged during this exercise?
SECTION 6: Strategy Meeting Preparation
Review:
- Are these personas realistic?
- Are they based on real behavior?
- Are we designing for the right people?
- Are any personas too broad or unclear?
Download the worksheet and get started!