In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, communities need robust tools and strategies to manage their operations, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful outcomes. At CommunityInter.net, we’re building a platform cooperative designed to empower communities by providing the tools, training, and support they need to take ownership of their broadband infrastructure and broader community initiatives. A key component of our offering is our developing freemium model for Community Management as a Service (CMaaS), which mirrors the successful freemium strategies used by the very software tools that power our operations.

The Freemium Approach: Tools That Scale With Your Needs

Our platform cooperative, CommunityInter.net, is built on a foundation of leading digital tools that provide a blend of free and premium features, allowing users to scale their operations as their needs evolve. This approach not only reduces the barrier to entry but also ensures that communities can access essential tools without significant upfront costs.

Miro is our go-to tool for brainstorming and initial planning. With its visual collaboration capabilities, Miro allows community members to engage in breadth-first planning, exploring a wide array of ideas and perspectives before honing in on specific strategies

Once the brainstorming phase is complete, we transition to Trello for depth-first project management. Trello’s premium calendar management features enable us to assign tasks, set due dates, and track progress with precision, ensuring that all project details are meticulously managed.

Our WordPress website, enhanced by BuddyBoss, serves as the central hub for community interaction. BuddyBoss allows us to create public, private, or hidden groups, which can be categorized by geographic location or issue focus. This structure facilitates targeted discussions and collaboration, ensuring that members engage with the topics most relevant to them. Moreover, BuddyBoss offers an instant messaging feature that stands out for its ability to create focused conversation threads. Unlike the cluttered experience of managing multiple emails in an inbox, this messaging system keeps discussions organized and easily accessible, enhancing real-time communication and decision-making.

To further support community growth, we integrate LearnDash as our learning management system (LMS). With LearnDash we offer comprehensive training courses that are essential for workforce development within a community. These courses and Community defined “certifications” are designed to upskill members, enabling them to contribute more effectively to their community’s broadband initiatives.

Twilio offers a trial to all customers who sign up, which includes a free balance for you to experiment with. Twilio can be leveraged by Community Owned Internet Networks to streamline communication between network operations and the businesses or homes connected within the community. By utilizing Twilio’s messaging and voice APIs, these networks can send real-time updates, service alerts, and support notifications, ensuring that all are informed and connected efficiently. This enhances customer service and fosters a stronger sense of community engagement. It is inexpensive to purchase a unique phone number. We purchased the number DAO-COM-MONS.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Community Management

In addition to these tools, we also utilize cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to streamline our operations. Our AI-powered chatbot can upload and process documents, making it easier to manage and retrieve important information. Additionally, we use AI to record and summarize online meetings, capturing key elements and outlining next steps for action plans. This not only saves time but also ensures that all members are aligned and informed, regardless of their availability during the live session.

The Value of Focused Communication

Streamlined communication is crucial for immediate requests and responses, making it easier for community members to stay on task and reduce the cognitive load associated with managing disparate email threads.

Applying Cognitive Psychology to Train-the-Trainer Models

We are based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our team includes interns and graduates from the University of Michigan with funding from the Michigan Economic Development Council. At the heart of our CMaaS offering is a train-the-trainer approach designed to build capacity within communities. As I have been training members of my team in the application of advanced tools, we are applying our lessons learned to our train the trainer model, that we will extend to our members and help them extend to others in their respective communities. My background, with a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Michigan and extensive experience teaching at the college level, has been instrumental in developing this model. By applying an analytical approach to understanding how people learn, we’ve been able to design training programs that are not only effective but also adaptable to the varying needs of different communities. This approach ensures that community leaders are equipped with the skills and knowledge to train others, creating a sustainable model for community-driven development.

Conclusion

CommunityInter.net is more than just a platform cooperative; it’s a movement toward empowering communities to manage their own destinies. By offering a freemium model for Community Management as a Service, we ensure that every community, regardless of size or resources, has access to the tools and training they need to thrive. With a focus on streamlined communication, AI integration, and a deep understanding of the learning process, we are paving the way for a new era of community-led innovation and development.

Join us at CommunityInter.net, and let’s build stronger, more connected communities together.

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