Publish a transparent monthly progress note

The opportunity

Keep a community informed about real work and unresolved issues.

Best for: Founders, creators and moderators building a relevant community

Goal: Retention

Gather your field kit

• Relevant community or channel
• Moderation guidelines
• Simple activity log

Make it happen

1. Collect completed work, current tasks and blockers
2. Check dates and claims with the responsible people
3. Separate shipped work from planned work
4. Explain what changed since the last note
5. Invite focused feedback on one decision
6. Archive the update for future comparison

A ready-to-adapt example

Illustrative template. Replace the details with your own verified information.

Start smaller than you think

Run one small version of “Publish a transparent monthly progress note” with five relevant participants or one limited publication. Record the questions, responses and completion of the intended next step before expanding.

What to measure

• Helpful replies
• Returning participants
• Useful next actions completed

Watch out for

• Treating every discussion as a sales opportunity
• Counting reactions without checking usefulness

Permissions & trust

Respect community rules and participant privacy. Disclose affiliations, incentives and commercial relationships; do not automate unsolicited engagement.

Your next action

Start with this first step: Collect completed work, current tasks and blockers. Set a review date before increasing the budget.