Online Community

The Online Community Task Force within WIAA's Publications & Communications Committee focuses on building and nurturing vibrant digital spaces where information architecture professionals can connect, collaborate, and grow together.

Core Responsibilities

• Community Building: Create and maintain welcoming online spaces (particularly Discord) where IA practitioners can form meaningful connections across geographical boundaries.

• Engagement Facilitation: Develop strategies to encourage active participation, including discussion prompts, AMAs, themed conversations, and virtual events.

• Moderation: Establish and enforce community guidelines that promote respectful, inclusive, and productive interactions among members.

• Onboarding: Design processes to welcome new members, help them navigate community resources, and integrate them into the existing community.

• Knowledge Exchange: Create structured opportunities for members to share expertise, ask questions, and collaborate on challenges they face in their work.

• Professional Development: Organize mentorship programs, skill-sharing initiatives, and career development discussions within the online community.

• Cross-Platform Integration: Ensure cohesion between Discord and other WIAA platforms, directing members to relevant resources across the organization.

• Feedback Collection: Gather insights from community members about their needs and preferences to continuously improve the online experience.

• Special Interest Facilitation: Support the formation and growth of sub-communities focused on specific aspects of information architecture.

• Metrics and Reporting: Track engagement metrics and community health indicators to assess effectiveness and guide strategic decisions.

The Online Community Task Force essentially serves as the digital equivalent of hosts at a professional gathering—creating spaces where meaningful connections happen, ensuring everyone feels welcome, and fostering the conversations that advance both individual careers and the discipline as a whole.

• LinkedIn group moderation and management

• Discord channel moderation and management

• Discussion facilitation and prompts

• Community support and onboarding

• Community guidelines enforcement

• Special interest group coordination

Note that Slack is no longer active as of July 2020