Intro to Threads

Loomio threads are where you can share information, discuss topics, and make decisions with your group. People participate by posting comments and replies.

• All info about a topic is in one easily accessible place.
• People can reply via email and their comments appear in the thread.
• You can see who has read the thread and who needs a nudge.
• There is a record of discussion you can easily find again.

Threads have a wide range of uses - from a general discussion forum to running specific work-flow and decision-making processes.

For example, you may frame a discussion on a particular topic, invite people to contribute their thoughts and share information, and facilitate progress towards an agreed outcome.

Or you may invite people to participate in a particular decision, using a consent or advice decision-making process.

Threads can also contain polls and proposals to help progress a discussion to an outcome. As people comment in the thread and vote in polls, a thread timeline builds so you can easily find key milestones.

Using threads

Here are some common uses of threads:

Boards and Governance

Prepare for a meeting - Build an agenda, post board papers and organize administrative matters so everyone is up to date, in context and prepared.

Pass a resolution - Post context and background information, respond to questions and raise a proposal to pass a resolution.

Discuss an agenda item on Loomio - Start discussion about an agenda item prior to your meeting. Or, if you run out of time in the meeting, move the discussion on to Loomio.

Approve minutes and track actions - Post minutes and assign actions. Use a poll to approve minutes.

Member participation

Share news (replace mailing list) - Post information for members, invite comments.

Organize an event - Work with your organizing team on details. Keep all discussion and info within the thread. Then announce the event to wider membership.

Develop a policy - Post a policy draft, seek member feedback and input, finalize and ratify the policy.

General Assembly - Organize, prepare and run a formal meeting including all members, to deliberate and make decisions on strategic matters.

Self-organizing working teams

Share information - Post information and reports of interest to your team, invite comment and discussion.

Progress work - Outline a work task and seek advice, input and feedback from team members through to completion.

Meeting notes and actions - Post meeting notes as a record of discussion, and follow up on tasks.

Explore ideas - Share thoughts and invite discussion about a concern you notice, or an improvement that can be made.

Advice, Consent and Generative decision making - Prepare, propose, clarify, respond to reactions and objections, agree and implement - all within a Loomio thread.

See Example threads if you're looking for inspiration.