case study 01

 

 

 

• constraint: London-only access no repeatable expansion method 
• intervention: partnership-led chapter model + event template
• result: 200+ new members + press coverage (Midlands + Scotland)

 

details anonymised where needed

 

 

 

 

context

a professional society’s “young members” community ran events in London only - leaving entire regions unable to access CPD, learning, and networking. 

my role

member + organiser (engineering professional). worked directly with senior leaders to design and implement expansion.

timeframe

12 months

the constraint

London-centric gravity + no repeatable model for regional expansion.

the coherence move

built a partnership-led chapter model using a repeatable event template designed to convert engaged attendees into members.

result

• 200+ new members (Midlands + Scotland)

• regional chapters established (Midlands first, then Scotland)

• press / online coverage

•public announcement at a national event

 

situation

the community was active, but access was geographically restricted. events were held in London, which meant engineers outside the city were effectively excluded - even when there was clear demand and benefit.

in my own region (the Midlands), this created a recurring problem:

• strong interest locally

• no local access

• no mechanism for replication

• no pathway for growth outside London

  

objective

create a way for the community to exist beyond London without relying on one-off effort - and do it in a way that could be repeated by others.

 

discovery: the constraint beneath the constraint

the visible issue was “events are in London”.

the deeper constraint was:

• no expansion architecture

• no partnership pathway

• no template for events, ownership, or membership conversion

• no proof that a regional model could work

so the question became:

what structure would make regional expansion inevitable, not heroic?

 

the coherence move

I tested expansion routes directly with senior leadership and identified the leverage point:

collaboration with an established institution would create immediate legitimacy, venues, and an audience channel.

that became the anchor:

a partnership-led chapter model + a repeatable event format built to move people from interest → attendance → membership.

 

the intervention

1. secure stakeholder alignment (society leadership)

2. establish partnership pathway (regional institution)

3. build repeatable event template

4. run events designed to convert engaged attendees into members

5. capture proof (membership growth + coverage)

6. package method so others can replicate

 

Implementation

step 1 - stakeholder alignment (London)

I attended a leadership meeting and used direct questioning to map what was possible, what was blocked, and what routes could work.

step 2 - regional partnership (Midlands)

I booked and led a meeting with a regional partner institution and established a joint-events pathway.

step 3 - build the repeating structure

I created a simple, repeatable format:

• event types (schools / companies / museums / colleges)

• how events were positioned

• how membership requirement was introduced

• how attendance converted into joining

step 4 - execute and scale in-region

I ran a sequence of events across the Midlands - consistently using the same structure - until the region had critical mass.

step 5 - package and replicate (Scotland)

I collaborated with an engineer in my company based in Scotland, taught him the method, and provided the template so the structure could replicate without me.

step 6 - legitimise publicly

results were visible enough that expansion was formally recognised and publicly announced at the society’s annual national event.

 

Results

Over 12 months:

• 100+ new members created in the Midlands through repeatable regional events

• 100+ additional members created in Scotland using the same template + handover method

• press / online articles documented the expansion

• the society publicly announced the establishment of regional chapters to a national audience

 

what this demonstrates

this was not “networking harder” - it was coherence:

• identifying the real constraint

• designing the minimum structure that removes friction

• creating a repeatable sequence (not an ad hoc push)

• enabling replication by another person

• turning complexity into clear movement

 

work with me

if your organisation is stuck in complexity - growth, priorities, structure, execution - I can help you find the root constraint and restore clear movement.