Framework Overview

Phase 1: Define Objectives and Scope

· Clearly articulate the objectives and desired outcomes of the community.

· Define the scope of the community, including the target audience, geographic boundaries and or specific community characteristics.

Phase 2: Conduct a Needs Assessment

· Assess the current state of the community, including its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

· Gather input from community members, other stakeholders and relevant experts through surveys, interviews, focus groups and other data collection methods.

· Identify key issues or areas for improvement that the community building plan aims to address.

Phase 3: Incorporate the 40 Tenets

· Use the P=ENTS methodology's Ideals, i.e. its  three values, twelve principles, four pillars, 40 tenents and a community specific adaptation of the seven stages in the life of a community member to serve as the basis for the community building plan.

Phase 4: Design the Community Building Plan

· Develop a structured framework that outlines the activities, tasks and stages involved in the community building plan.

· Determine the sequence and interdependencies of these activities to ensure a logical flow.

· Incorporate the P=ENTS methodology's three transcendental values, its twelve principles, its four pillars, their 40 tenents and a community specific adaptation of the seven stages in the life of a community member into the plan.

Phase 5: Create Implementation Plan

· Break down the community building plan into actionable steps or phases.

· Define the roles, rankings (stages) and responsibilities of individuals or teams involved in each step.

· Establish timelines, milestones and measurable targets to track progress and ensure accountability.

Phase 6: Resource Allocation

· Identify and allocate the necessary resources, such as personnel, budget, tools and materials for implementing the community building plan.

· Ensure that resources are appropriately distributed across different activities and stages.

Phase 7: Collaboration and Partnerships

· Accelerate the process of seeking opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with other organisations, institutions or community groups that share similar goals or can contribute to the community building efforts.

· Leverage collective expertise, resources and networks to enhance the impact of the plan.

Phase 8: Implementation and Execution

· Execute the community building plan according to the timelines defined.

· Engage community members and stakeholders in the implementation process, fostering their active participation and ownership.

· Regularly communicate progress, share updates and involve the community in decision-making processes, where possible.

Phase 9: Monitoring and Evaluation

· Establish evaluation criteria and metrics to measure the effectiveness and impact of the community building plan.

· Monitor progress, collect data and assess outcomes against benchmarked KPIs.

· Seek feedback from community members and stakeholders to continuously improve the plan.

· Seek feedback from the P=ENTS community to continuously improve the plan, but only if those parts of the plan are not subject to confidentiality restrictions.

Phase 10: Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

· Use the evaluation findings, feedback and lessons learned to refine and adapt the community building plan as needed.

· Report back to P=ENTS methodology community on GitHub so that the methodology can be improved or otherwise refined, if required.

· Foster a culture of continuous learning, experimentation and adaptation within the community.

· Regularly review and update the plan to ensure its relevance and effectiveness over time.

Phase 11: Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

· Document the community building plan, including its components, processes and outcomes.

· Share the documentation with community members, stakeholders and wider audiences to facilitate learning, replication and adoption by other communities.

· Share the documentation with the P=ENTS community administrators so it can be used to improve or otherwise refine the P=ENTS methodology, if required.

Phase 12: Sustainability and Legacy

· Develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability and legacy of the community building plan you have created.

· Cultivate leadership, capacity and succession plans to sustain the community's growth and development beyond the implementation of the plan, including a culture of decentralisation and self-replication.

Understand the Purpose and Context

1. Identify the purpose of your community building efforts and the specific goals you aim to achieve. For example, is it to address a social issue, support a specific industry or enhance knowledge sharing?

2. Consider the broader context and external factors that may influence the objectives and scope. This includes cultural, social and economic factors that could impact the community building process.

3. Compare the community’s objectives against the Objectives and Values of the P=ENTS methodology. Are they in harmony? If not, you would need to raise this issue with the community’s core team.

Articulate Objectives and Outcomes

1. Clearly define the objectives of the community building efforts. These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). For example, "Increase collaboration among industry professionals by facilitating regular knowledge-sharing events."

2. Identify desired outcomes that reflect the impact you want to achieve. These outcomes should be aligned with the objectives and provide a clear vision of success. For example, "Create a supportive community where members actively collaborate, exchange ideas and collectively solve industry challenges”.

3. If you encounter any dilemmas or difficult choices on which path to take, refer to the P=ENTS Principles, which will help guide you.

Define the Scope

1. Identify the target audience or community members you intend to engage. Consider demographics, professional backgrounds, interests or any specific characteristics that define the community's boundaries.

2. Determine the geographic scope of the community. This may include local, regional, national or global reach, depending on the nature of the community and its objectives.

3. Consider any specific characteristics or criteria relevant to the community building plan. For example, if it's an industry-specific community, you may focus on professionals within a certain field or organisation type.

Assess Resource Availability

1. Approach the core team to evaluate the resources available for community building efforts, such as funding, personnel, technology platforms and infrastructure. Use the Resources section of the P=ENTS methodology to guide you in this assessment.

2. Using tact and common sense where necessary, determine the level of support and commitment available from the core team, community members and other stakeholders, sponsors or partners who can contribute to the community building process

Refine and Validate

1. Review and refine the defined objectives and scope based on feedback from key stakeholders and community members.

2. Validate the objectives and scope against the feasibility and practicality of implementation. Ensure that they align with the available resources and timeframes.

Document the Objectives and Scope

1. Open your community building plan with the defined objectives and scope of the community building efforts.

2. Once this is done, clearly communicate the objectives and scope to the core team, existing community members and other relevant stakeholders. This will help set expectations and ensure alignment among all parties involved and give you an opportunity to make any necessary adjustments. You need to establish this clarity right at the outset because this will be the foundation of your commmunity building plan and so must be rock solid.

Continuously Adapt and Improve

1. Community building is an iterative process, and the objectives and scope are certain to evolve over time. That means you will have to revisit this section, perhaps more than once. When that happens, start again at the beginning of this section and follow the sequence.

2. Set up regular evaluation and feedback mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of the community building efforts and make necessary adjustments to meet the objectives and scope of the community as they evolve – and they will. Use the Evaluation & Feedback section of the P=ENTS methodology to guide you.

Values and Principles

Are the contents of this stage truthful, beautiful and good? Provide detailed reasoning, using the P=ENTS Values and Principles as a basis, on why this is the case. If not, consider how you can rectify this and implement those changes.

Select Data Collection Methods

1. Determine the most appropriate data collection methods to gather information about the current state of the community.

2. Consider using surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation and existing data analysis, depending on the community's size and nature. You will find the resources in the Evaluation & Feedback section useful.

Assess the Current State of the Community

1. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the community's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Check the Techniques section of this site on how to start.

2. Use data collection methods such as surveys to gather quantitative data and interviews or focus groups to gather qualitative insights.

3. Explore existing resources, community demographics, infrastructure, social dynamics and engagement levels.

Gather Input from Community Members, Stakeholders and TENs

1. Engage with community members, stakeholders, relevant experts and P=ENTS TENs to understand their needs, expectations and concerns.

2. Conduct surveys or questionnaires to collect input from a representative sample of community members.

3. Conduct interviews or focus groups to gather in-depth qualitative insights and foster dialogue.

Analyse and Interpret Data

1. Organise and analyse the collected data to identify patterns, trends and themes.

2. Look for common needs, recurring issues and areas for improvement.

3. Consider using data visualisation techniques to facilitate understanding and communication of the findings.

Identify Key Issues or Areas for Improvement

1. Synthesise the findings from the data analysis and input gathered from community members and stakeholders.

2. Identify key issues or areas for improvement that the community building plan aims to address.

3. Prioritise the identified issues based on their significance, urgency and alignment with the community's goals.

Document the Needs Assessment Findings

1. Prepare a comprehensive report that outlines the findings of the needs assessment process.

2. Include a summary of the current state of the community, identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

3. Clearly articulate the key issues or areas for improvement, supported by data and input from community members and other stakeholders.

Validate Findings with the Community

1. Share the needs assessment findings with the core team, community members and other stakeholders.

2. Seek feedback and validation to ensure accuracy and alignment with their perspectives.

3. Encourage open dialogue and discussion to gather additional insights and refine the identified issues.

Values and Principles

Are the contents of this stage truthful, beautiful and good? Provide detailed reasoning, using the P=ENTS Values and Principles as a basis, on why this is the case. If not, consider how you can rectify this and implement those changes.

Implementing the 40 tenets of the P=ENTS community building framework, the brickwork itself, requires careful planning and execution. Here are some guidelines on practical ways to implement these tenets:

Familiarisation with the Tenets

1. Remind yourself of each of the 40 P=ENTS tenets you studied as a Scholar. These are the building blocks of the 4 pillars: education, narrative, transparency and structure.

2. Take the time to consider their meaning, significance and potential impact on your community building efforts.

3. Spend time considering how each of these 4 pillars interrelates to create community progress.

4. Provide training and educational opportunities to community members to enhance their understanding of the P=ENTS framework and the importance of each tenet. This can include workshops, webinars or online resources. They may have feedback, including the addition/removal of some of the tenets. If so, report this to the P=ENTS community.

Assess Their Relevance and Prioritise Them

1. Evaluate the relevance of each tenet to your specific community context. Consider the goals, values and vision of your community and determine which tenets align with your objectives.

2. Based on the relevance assessment, prioritise the tenets that are most critical to the success and growth of your community. Identify the key areas where you believe the implementation of these tenets will have the most significant impact.

Incorporate Each into the Community Building Plan

1. Incorporate specific actions and strategies for each prioritised tenet into your community building plan. Your plan should include clear objectives, timelines, responsible parties and measurable outcomes for each.

2. Clearly articulate the objectives and desired outcomes associated with each tenet. For example, for the tenet "Provide Evidence for Claims," the objective could be to promote evidence-based discussions and decision-making within the community.

Create Collaboration and Mentorship Programs

1. Establish platforms, such as online forums or social media groups, where community members prefer to collaborate, discuss ideas and share knowledge. Encourage active participation and provide guidance on how to engage in constructive discussions.

2. Implement mentorship programs within the community to promote learning, personal growth and knowledge sharing. Pair more experienced members with the less experienced to strengthen community bonds, and facilitate guidance, support and personalised assistance.

Foster a Culture of Learning and Intellectual Honesty

1. Create guidelines and norms that promote humility, respect and intellectual honesty within the community. Encourage participants to challenge their biases, engage in objective dialogue and prioritise collaborative problem-solving.

2. Establish a ranking or recognition system that celebrates community members who contribute to education and knowledge sharing. Follow the "Divide to Grow" Structure Tenet, giving engaged and productive community members grater access, insights, privileges and responsibilities. Recognise their efforts publicly and ask them what other incentives they would like to motivate further engagement.

3. Offer training sessions or resources to help community members understand logical fallacies and how to recognise and address them in discussions. Foster critical thinking and rational discourse.

4. Emphasise the value of practical experience and hands-on learning within the community. Encourage community members to share their practical knowledge and provide opportunities for applying theoretical concepts in real-world situations.

5. Promote a culture of self-education by encouraging community members to take ownership of their learning journey. Ensure that sufficient resources, recommendations and support are available for self-directed learning.

Monitor, Evaluate and Embrace Diverse Perspectives

1. Set up a systematic process to monitor and evaluate the educational progress and effectiveness of your community initiatives. Collect feedback from all stakeholders, track outcomes and use the data to refine and improve educational programs.

2. Encourage community members to seek and embrace the truth, even when it challenges existing beliefs or narratives. Foster an environment where diverse perspectives and conflicting ideas are welcomed and explored with an open mind.

3. Promote the practice of peer review within the community. Encourage members to provide constructive feedback on each other's work, ideas and arguments. This helps to strengthen the quality of information shared and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and community interaction.

Encourage Collaboration and Accessible Learning

1. Create opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning and collaboration within the community. Encourage members from different fields and areas of expertise to interact and share knowledge, fostering a broader understanding of various subjects.

2. Invite TENs, external experts and the community's own thought leaders to contribute to the community's educational initiatives. Organise guest lectures, webinars or Q&A sessions where these experts can share their insights and perspectives with community members.

3. Ensure that relevant learning materials, resources and discussions are accessible to community members with diverse backgrounds, abilities and learning styles. Use inclusive language, provide captions or transcripts for audiovisual content and consider different formats for presenting information.

4. If appropriate, establish partnerships or collaborations with academic institutions, such as universities or research organisations, to leverage their expertise and resources. This can include joint projects, research collaborations or access to academic publications.

Promote Ethical Behaviour and Continuous Improvement

1. Emphasise the importance of lifelong learning within the community. You would need to set the example by showing that you are doing this yourself. In this way, you can encourage community members to continuously expand their knowledge, explore new ideas and stay updated with the latest developments in their respective fields.

2. Emphasise the importance of ethical behaviour in knowledge sharing and community interactions. Set clear guidelines regarding plagiarism, attribution and intellectual property rights to ensure that members uphold ethical standards. Communities have reputational risk to consider and this practice mitigates that.

3. Identify and empower community leaders who can champion the implementation of the P=ENTS framework and its tenets. Provide them with the necessary support, resources and training to effectively lead educational initiatives within the community.

4. Conduct regular assessments to identify knowledge gaps within the community. This can be achieved through engaging surveys, quizzes or evaluations. Use the findings to develop targeted educational programs and address areas where further learning is needed.

5. Foster a culture of research and experimentation within the community. Encourage members to conduct independent research, share their findings and engage in evidence-based experimentation to contribute to the collective knowledge.

6. Create channels for community members to provide feedback on educational programs, resources and initiatives. Regularly seek input from the community to understand their needs, preferences and areas for improvement.

7. Celebrate learning achievements within the community. Establish a system for recognising and rewarding members who demonstrate exceptional growth, contributions or mastery of specific subjects or skills.

Foster Collaboration and Open Access

1. Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange between community members from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Celebrate community members who are able to bridge these cultural and linguistic gaps. Promote the idea of an inclusive and globally connected community that transcends geographical boundaries.

2. Organise learning challenges, competitions or hackathons within the community to promote active learning and problem-solving. These initiatives can provide opportunities for members to apply their knowledge and skills in practical scenarios.

3. Advocate for open access to information and resources within the community. Share open-access publications, promote open-source resources and encourage members to contribute to open knowledge platforms.

4. Continuously iterate and improve the implementation of the P=ENTS framework based on feedback, insights and the changing needs of the community. Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of educational initiatives and make necessary adjustments.

Values and Principles

Are the contents of this stage truthful, beautiful and good? Provide detailed reasoning, using the P=ENTS Values and Principles as a basis, on why this is the case. If not, consider how you can rectify this and implement those changes.

Despite being vital for community growth, the process of self-replication can be fraught with difficulties. Here are some and solutions are suggested to overcome these obstacles.

No Suitable Replacement 

1. Work with the community leader to establish a succession plan. 

2. Encourage a culture of mentoring and knowledge-sharing to ensure that knowledge is transferred to others. 

3. Look outside your community to find natural fits (TENs and NETs) who can fill gaps in expertise.

Fear of Losing Control 

1. Develop trust in others by delegating small tasks and gradually increasing responsibilities. 

2. Create a clear plan for power transition with defined roles and timelines. 

3. Focus on the benefits of sharing decision-making and a positive impact on the community.

Perceived Loss of Status 

1. Discuss new roles and opportunities with the community leader. 

2. Explain how and why the situation is an opportunity for personal and professional growth. 

3. Arrange support from trusted peers and mentors.

Attachment to power 

1. Practice self-reflection and mindfulness to recognise the impact of attachment to power. 

2. Seek feedback from others and actively work to cultivate humility. 

3. Focus on the long-term goals of the community rather than individual power.

Lack of Trust 

1. Build relationships of trust with those will be taking on more responsibility. 

2. Provide training and support to those who will be taking on new roles. 

3. Reassure the community member by exploring new community roles that the community member wants.

Uncertainty about the Future 

1. Develop a clear vision for the community member’s future in the community and communicate it openly, providing reassurance. 

2. Involve others in the planning process and seek their input. 

3. Develop contingency plans to address potential challenges and rebuild resilience.