Evolving a new community through Tuckman model and WhatsApp messaging platform

Tuckman's model identified forming, storming, norming and performing as four fundamental stages of group development; a new community like an extended group will not achieve optimal effectiveness unless it attains the stage of performing and interdependence [1]; therein lies one of the challenges of metropolitan housing schemes in developing countries [2]. Concerted efforts by governments of Lagos state, Nigeria at meeting deficiency in housing needs has yielded little returns in the long-run because of inability of homeowners and residents of new housing estates to take responsibilities for shared facilities; especially when estates were built by government and sold out in mortgage schemes. This exploratory study looks into how a new community of 144 new apartments evolved over 18 months with WhatsApp as a collaborative messaging tool for 180days and its impact on shared facilities maintenance. Group WhatsApp conversation was extracted and analysed for themes consistent with Tuckman's model. The research outcome shows significant usefulness of WhatsApp towards establishing a performing community - a community with common focus where resources are allocated efficiently, communicates effectively with processes in place to ensure final objectives are achieved; a community with common sense of responsibilities towards sustaining shared facilities.