Basic Network Coordination Protocols

Coordination protocols offer frameworks and practices for building networks of mutual care and coordinated action. Practicing them speeds up response time when facing crisis or rapid change. They help build long-term community resilience. Every network is unique, and your context will define what social protocols work best to keep in sync across network activities. Use them to balance dynamic tensions such as:

• purpose alignment and diversity of voices
• speed and trust building
• structure and flexibility
• expertise and accessibility
• working out loud while maintaining appropriate security

In our view, protocols for self-organizing networks should support people in reclaiming agency after being conditioned to hierarchy. Centralize the coordination necessary to support decentralized action but beware of creating new power bottlenecks. Adapt coordination protocols based on local context, cultural wisdom, existing relationships, and specific challenges. Remember that less organized groups with strong relationships are more resilient than groups with many laws but low trust. Foster trust, then layer in practical coordination approaches to support short-term efforts like disaster response as well as and long-term aims like justice and liberation.

Create protocols as guidelines, not rigid rules, that:

• Evolve as living practices that enable groups to adjust coordination based on changing circumstances
• Are offered with templates for different coordination modes (e.g., tight alignment, loose coupling, ad-hoc collaboration)
• Emerge from the community

Sharing and modeling basic protocols for coordination across groups will speed up orientation, help members more easily step into leadership, establish rhythms and practices that not only help healthy communication flows, but also foster a sense of stability and safety. This helps people find belonging, the heartbeat of networks.