I've lost count of the number of "community" events I've attended over the years. From local meetups to global conferences, I've flown across continents, chasing the promise of invaluable insights and game-changing connections — more often than not, I've found myself watching sales reps work the room with fake smiles..

Don't get me wrong 🤞 I'm all for networking and a good party. But when did we start confusing social events with genuine knowledge sharing and meaningful connections? It's time to rethink what we're calling "community" in tech, and more importantly, why it's falling short.

What Does "Community" Even Mean?

When I first entered tech & design "communities" I had visions of collaborative utopia, reality paints a different picture. Too often, these so-called community gatherings feel like elaborate marketing events disguised as knowledge-sharing spaces. Instead of deep dives into the craft challenges, we get surface-level presentations that barely scratch the surface of real issues where art and craft are.

The "community" as it's sold to us – this idea of an open, collaborative network of professionals genuinely invested in collective growth – often exists more in Linkedin Ads than in practice.

Let's break it down

1. Information Exchange: More often one-way than reciprocal

2. Networking: Feels transactional rather than relationship-building

3. Value: 💯 towards organizers and sponsors, not attendees

Information Goldmine: Community Knowledge

There's a truth I can't ignore: information is the lifeblood of any thriving community. It's the reason we show up, the value we seek, the essence of what makes a community work.

When was the last time you solved a coding problem thanks to a Stack Overflow thread? Or picked up a new design technique from a Twitter (i know it's x) post? That's community knowledge at work, and it's powerful.

However, while that goldmine exist, it's often buried under layers of noise, paywalls, or exclusive access. The challenge isn't just finding information; it's creating an ecosystem where knowledge flows collaboratively and reliably.

So, how do we build a community information system that actually works?

1. Encourage Collaboration: i.e. designers can drop their current challenges and get real-time, peer-reviewed solutions. That's the dream.

2. Verify & Validate: Systems to upvote reliable content and flag misinformation quickly.

3. Incentivize Quality Contributions: Recognition, opportunities, or even monetary rewards, it needs to make it worth people's time to share their best stuff.

4. Continuous Learning: Tech moves fast. Community platforms should evolve just as quickly, promoting the latest insights and techniques.

Information isn't just a part of the community – it IS the community. When we get this right, we create a space where everyone from newbies to veterans can learn, contribute, and grow together.

The Quest for Meaningful Interaction

Remember when I talked about information being the lifeblood of communities?

A few years back, I co-founded ScieNFT. On a mission to break the chokehold that traditional publishing has on scientific research. We wanted to create a platform where scientists could share their work freely, without the barriers of paywalls or institutional gatekeepers.

But here's the special ingredient in scientific publishing: Researchers are often bound by institutional policies, funding requirements, and the infamous "publish or perish" mentality. Their choices of where and how to communicate are heavily influenced by factors that have little to do with open knowledge sharing.

We're the wild animals of professional communities. No century-old institutions calling the shots. We're free to share, collaborate, and innovate

So why aren't we doing it better?

The truth is, our freedom is both a blessing and a curse. Without the structure (and, yes, the limitations) of traditional institutions, we're left to figure out how to create meaningful interactions on our own. And let's be honest, we're falling short.

Most of our community events and platforms aren't designed to incubate these types of interactions. We're stuck in a loop of superficial networking and polished presentations that barely scratch the surface.

How do we leverage our freedom in our community to create spaces for truly meaningful interaction? How do we move beyond PR and create communities that challenge, inspire, and drive us forward?

The Road Ahead

I've been thinking about this whole thing a lot for the past year

I believe building a genuine, valuable community isn't just about hosting events or creating platforms. At its core it's creating an ecosystem where knowledge flows freely, interactions go beyond small talk, where every member feels they're part of something bigger than themselves.

Looking ahead to 2025, it's clear that we need to radically rethink our approach to community building in design as an example of what a community can become.

I don't have all the answers, but I know this: if we want to create communities that deliver consistent value, drive innovation, and foster genuine connections, we need to ask harder questions and demand more than interactions.

So, I'll leave you with this: What does your ideal community look like? And more importantly, what are you willing to do to make it happen?