<b>The Channel Architecture SOP</b>

<b>The Channel Architecture SOP</b>
Too many channels kills more communities than too few. Use a fixed rule for when a channel earns its existence.

☐ Start with exactly 3: announcements, general, help
☐ Add a channel only when one topic generates 20+ messages a week in general
☐ Every channel needs a one-line purpose pinned at the top
☐ Any channel with under 5 messages a week for a month → archive it
☐ Re-run this audit quarterly, on the calendar

The SOP principle: channels follow proven traffic, they don't create it. Splitting a small community across many rooms makes each room feel dead, which reads as the whole place being dead. Fewer, fuller channels beat many empty ones every time.

Keep an archive log so you can resurrect a channel if demand returns.

Save this for your next launch.