alumni_lookup

Sub-Phase 5.1: User State Experience Alignment

Status: ✅ Complete
Priority: Critical (Pre-MVP)
Estimated Effort: 2-3 weeks
Prerequisites: Phase 4 Complete
Completed: January 2026

Related Documents:

Completion Summary

Completed: January 2026
Tests: 2372 runs, 0 failures, 0 errors

What Was Implemented

5.1a: Anonymous Landing Page ✅

5.1b: Bug Fixes ✅

5.1c: Community Show Page Messaging ✅

Files Created

| File | Purpose | |——|———| | app/controllers/cp/landing_controller.rb | Landing page controller | | app/views/cp/landing/show.html.erb | Landing page view | | test/controllers/cp/landing_controller_test.rb | Landing page tests |

Files Modified

| File | Changes | |——|———| | config/routes.rb | Added unauthenticated root for landing page | | app/controllers/cp/community_suggestions_controller.rb | Added verification guard | | app/controllers/cp/dashboard_controller.rb | Conditional community suggestions loading | | app/views/cp/dashboard/show.html.erb | Verification-aware community widgets | | app/views/layouts/champions/_header.html.erb | Access strategy navigation | | app/views/layouts/champions/_mobile_nav.html.erb | Access strategy navigation | | app/views/cp/communities/show.html.erb | Overhauled eligibility messaging | | app/helpers/cp/communities_helper.rb | Added standardized copy helpers | | docs/planning/champion-portal/development/LANGUAGE_STYLE_GUIDE.md | Community eligibility copy rules |

Access Strategy: “Browse vs Act” Framework ✅ Defined

Date: January 2026

Strategic Decision: Rather than locking email-verified users out of all content (which creates a dead end and leads to disengagement), we implement a “browse vs act” framework:

Rationale:

Updated Access Rules by Feature:

Feature Browse (email_verified) Act (champion_verified only)
Communities ✅ Index/Show (stats, descriptions) ❌ Join/Leave
Discussions ⚠️ Titles only (content gated with “After verification” note) ❌ Post, Comment, React
Events ✅ Index/Show (details, location, time) ❌ RSVP
News ✅ Full access (no actions)
Directory ❌ Locked ✅ Full access
Messages ❌ Locked ✅ Full access
Community Suggestions ❌ Hidden ✅ Full access

5.1b: Bug Fixes ✅ Complete

Date: January 2026

What Was Fixed:

  1. Bug 1: Community Suggestions visible to email-verified users
    • Added require_champion_verified! to CommunitySuggestionsController
    • Updated load_community_suggestions in dashboard controller to check verification
    • Added view guard in dashboard: if current_cp_champion.status_champion_verified? && @pending_community_suggestions.any?
  2. Bug 2: Navigation updates for access strategy
    • Updated desktop header (_header.html.erb): Communities accessible to ALL authenticated users
    • Updated mobile nav (_mobile_nav.html.erb): Communities accessible, Directory/Messages locked
    • Added comments explaining access strategy

Files Changed:

Tests: 15 runs, 0 failures (community_suggestions_controller_test.rb)

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. User States Defined
  3. State 1: Non-Logged-In (Anonymous)
  4. State 2: Email Verified (Awaiting Champion Verification)
  5. State 3: Champion Verified
  6. Cross-Cutting Concerns
  7. Known Bugs to Fix
  8. Implementation Checklist
  9. Success Criteria

1. Overview

Purpose

This document ensures every screen, message, CTA, and interaction is intentionally designed for the user’s current verification state. The Champion Portal currently has gaps where users see content or can take actions that don’t match their access level.

The Problem

Today’s implementation has inconsistencies:

The Goal

Create three distinct, intentional experiences:

  1. Anonymous → Inspire. Explain the value. Invite to join.
  2. Email Verified → Welcome. Set expectations. Build anticipation.
  3. Champion Verified → Engage. Connect. Contribute.

Guiding Principles

From LANGUAGE_STYLE_GUIDE.md:

2. User States Defined

State Matrix

State Auth Status Verification Can Access
Anonymous Not logged in N/A Public landing, event/community previews, login/signup
Email Verified Logged in email_verified Dashboard (limited), own profile edit, Help, Settings
Champion Verified Logged in champion_verified Full portal: Directory, Communities, Messaging, Events, Discussions

How to Detect Each State

# In controllers/views:
# Anonymous
!cp_champion_signed_in?

# Email Verified (awaiting verification)
cp_champion_signed_in? && current_cp_champion.status_email_verified? && !current_cp_champion.status_champion_verified?

# Champion Verified
cp_champion_signed_in? && current_cp_champion.status_champion_verified?

State Transitions

Anonymous ─────────────────> Email Verified ─────────────────> Champion Verified
           (signup + email                    (staff links to
            confirmation)                      alumni record)

3. State 1: Non-Logged-In (Anonymous)

3.1 Desired Outcome

Anonymous visitors should:

3.2 Current State vs. Desired State

Screen Current Desired
Root URL Login form Inspiring landing page THEN login option
Public Events Event details visible ✅ Good (public events work)
Public Communities Community preview visible ✅ Good (community invite flow works)
Directory Redirects to login Soft teaser → “Log in to find your people”

3.3 Landing Page Requirements

Route: alumnichampions.com (root, unauthenticated)

URL Change:

# config/routes.rb — update root for anonymous users
unauthenticated :cp_champion do
  root to: 'cp/landing#show', as: :cp_unauthenticated_root
end

Hero Section:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                 │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │               [Belmont campus or alumni photo]           │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  │   "Your people are waiting."                             │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  │   Connect with fellow Bruins in your city.               │   │
│  │   Host events. Share stories. Belong.                    │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  │   [Sign Up — It's Free]    [I Already Have an Account]   │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What Is a Champion Section:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  What is an Alumni Champion?                                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Champions are Belmont alumni who stay connected and help       │
│  others do the same. Whether you're hosting a coffee meetup,    │
│  mentoring a student, or just catching up with fellow Bruins,   │
│  being a Champion means showing up for your community.          │
│                                                                 │
│  ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐                │
│  │ 🤝          │ │ 🎉          │ │ 💬          │                │
│  │ Connect     │ │ Host Events │ │ Share       │                │
│  │ Find alumni │ │ Bring       │ │ Stories     │                │
│  │ in your     │ │ Bruins      │ │ Celebrate   │                │
│  │ city        │ │ together    │ │ wins        │                │
│  └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘                │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Social Proof Section:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  "[Count] Champions in [Count] cities"                          │
│                                                                 │
│  [Nashville] [Atlanta] [Dallas] [Chicago] [Los Angeles] ...     │
│                                                                 │
│  Maybe show a few actual Champion photos (with permission)      │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Final CTA:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                 │
│           Ready to find your people?                            │
│                                                                 │
│              [Join the Community]                               │
│                                                                 │
│         Already have an account? [Log In]                       │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Implemented in Phase 3.9. These are key “first impression” pages that Champions share externally.

When existing Champions share links via social media, email, or messaging, anonymous visitors land on these pages. They must be inspiring, informative, and drive signups — not feel like locked-out screens.

Reference Implementation:

3.4.1 Public Event Pages

Route: alumnichampions.com/events/:id (when show_globally: true or in public community)

What Anonymous Visitors See:

CTA Pattern:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  🎟️ Interested in attending?                                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Join Alumni Champions to RSVP and connect with attendees.     │
│                                                                 │
│  [Sign Up — It's Free]    [Already have an account? Log in]    │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Post-Login Flow: After signup/login, user is returned to this event page (via stored_return_path).

3.4.2 Public Community Pages

Route: alumnichampions.com/communities/:slug (public communities or via ?ref= invite link)

What Anonymous Visitors See:

Public Stats Pattern (from controller):

@public_stats = {
  member_count: @total_member_count,
  post_count: @community.board_posts.visible.count,
  event_count: @community.events.published.upcoming.count
}

CTA Pattern (Invite Flow):

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Photo] [Inviter Name] invited you to this community!          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Join to connect with fellow Bruins who share your interests.  │
│                                                                 │
│  [Sign Up to Join]                                              │
│                                                                 │
│  Already a member? [Log in]                                     │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Post-Login Flow: After signup/login, user is returned to this community page and can immediately join.

3.4.3 Public Discussion Posts

Route: alumnichampions.com/discussions/:id (posts in public communities only)

What Anonymous Visitors See:

CTA Pattern:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  💬 Want to join the conversation?                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Sign up to comment, react, and connect with fellow Bruins.    │
│                                                                 │
│  [Sign Up — It's Free]    [Log in]                              │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

3.4.4 Social Sharing Meta Tags

All public pages include rich previews via MetaTagsHelper:

<% set_event_meta_tags(@event) %>      # Events
<% set_community_meta_tags(@community, @inviter) %>  # Communities
<% set_discussion_meta_tags(@post) %>   # Discussions

These generate Open Graph (Facebook/LinkedIn) and Twitter Card meta tags for beautiful link previews.

3.5 Anonymous Access Rules

Page/Feature Allowed? Behavior
Landing page ✅ Yes Full access
Login/Signup ✅ Yes Full access
Public event (via link) ✅ Yes View event + “Join to RSVP” CTA
Public community (via link/invite) ✅ Yes View stats + “Join” CTA
Public discussion (via link) ✅ Yes View post + “Join to comment” CTA
Directory ❌ No Redirect to login with message
Dashboard ❌ No Redirect to login
Messages ❌ No Redirect to login
Discussions (index) ❌ No Redirect to login

3.5 Copy Patterns (Anonymous)

Primary messaging theme: “Belonging starts here”

Context Copy
Hero headline “Your people are waiting.”
Subhead “Connect with fellow Bruins in your city.”
Value prop “Find alumni. Host events. Share stories. Belong.”
CTA (primary) “Join the Community” or “Sign Up — It’s Free”
CTA (secondary) “I Already Have an Account” → Log In
Directory tease “Log in to find Belmont alumni near you”
Event tease “Join to RSVP and connect with attendees”

4. State 2: Email Verified (Awaiting Champion Verification)

4.1 Desired Outcome

Email-verified users should:

4.2 Current State vs. Desired State

⚠️ UPDATED January 2026: Desired state updated to implement “Browse vs Act” framework.

Screen/Feature Current Desired
Dashboard Shows community suggestions Hide community suggestions, show browse options
Community Suggestions Visible and actionable Hidden entirely
Directory May be accessible Locked with explanation
Messages May be accessible Locked with explanation
Communities May show browse option ✅ Browse OK — can see index/show, NO join/leave
Discussions May be accessible ⚠️ Titles only — content gated with verification teaser
Events May be accessible ✅ Browse OK — can see all, NO RSVP
News ✅ Accessible ✅ Keep (read-only by nature)
Profile Edit ✅ Accessible ✅ Keep (encourage completion)
Settings ✅ Accessible ✅ Keep
Help/FAQ ✅ Accessible ✅ Keep

4.3 Dashboard Experience (Email Verified)

The dashboard should feel welcoming and productive, not locked-down.

Hero:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                 │
│   Welcome, [FirstName]! 👋                                      │
│                                                                 │
│   You're almost there. Our team is reviewing your account       │
│   to confirm your Belmont connection.                           │
│                                                                 │
│   While you wait, complete your profile so other Champions      │
│   can find you once you're verified.                            │
│                                                                 │
│   [ Complete Your Profile ]                                     │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Visible Sections:

Hidden Sections:

“What’s Coming” Teaser Card:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  🔐 After Verification                                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Once verified, you'll be able to:                              │
│                                                                 │
│  ✓ Find Champions in your city                                  │
│  ✓ Join communities based on your interests                     │
│  ✓ Message fellow alumni                                        │
│  ✓ RSVP to events                                               │
│                                                                 │
│  Verification usually takes 1-2 business days.                  │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

4.4 Access Rules (Email Verified) — “Browse vs Act” Framework

⚠️ UPDATED January 2026: This section has been updated to implement the “Browse vs Act” framework. See Completion Summary for rationale.

Page/Feature Allowed? Behavior
Dashboard ✅ Limited Verification-aware version
Profile Edit ✅ Yes Encourage completion
Settings ✅ Yes Full access
Help/FAQ ✅ Yes Full access
Directory ❌ No “Available after verification”
Communities Index ✅ Browse View communities, stats, descriptions — NO join/leave
Community Show ✅ Browse View community details — NO join/leave
Community Suggestions ❌ No Hide entirely (not just disable)
Messages ❌ No “Available after verification”
Discussions Index ✅ Browse View titles + excerpt only — NOT full content
Discussion Show ⚠️ Teaser Show title + “Unlock full discussion after verification”
Discussion Actions ❌ No No post/comment/react until verified
Events Index ✅ Browse View all events (details visible)
Event Show ✅ Browse View event details — NO RSVP
News ✅ Yes Full access (read-only by nature)

4.5 Locked Feature Messaging

When a user tries to access a locked feature, show a warm, informative message — not a cold error.

Pattern:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                 │
│   🔐 Directory access coming soon                               │
│                                                                 │
│   Once your account is verified, you'll be able to browse       │
│   the full directory and find Champions near you.               │
│                                                                 │
│   Verification usually takes 1-2 business days.                 │
│                                                                 │
│   In the meantime, [complete your profile] so others can        │
│   find you.                                                     │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Copy by Feature:

Feature Message
Directory “Directory access coming soon. Once verified, you’ll find Champions near you.”
Communities “Communities unlock after verification. You’ll be able to join based on your college, interests, and location.”
Messages “Direct messaging opens after verification. You’ll be able to connect one-on-one with fellow Champions.”
Discussions “Community discussions are available after verification. You’ll be able to join conversations with your communities.”

4.6 Copy Patterns (Email Verified)

Primary messaging theme: “Almost there — let’s get you ready”

Context Copy
Dashboard greeting “Welcome, [Name]! 👋 You’re almost there.”
Verification status “Our team is reviewing your account to confirm your Belmont connection.”
Timeline “Verification usually takes 1-2 business days.”
Profile CTA “Complete your profile while you wait”
Locked feature “Available after verification”
What’s coming “Once verified, you’ll be able to…”

5. State 3: Champion Verified

5.1 Desired Outcome

Verified Champions should:

5.2 Dashboard Experience (Champion Verified)

Hero (Returning User):

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                 │
│   Good [morning/afternoon/evening], [FirstName]! 👋             │
│                                                                 │
│   You're part of a community of [X] Champions in [Y] cities.    │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Full Dashboard Sections:

5.3 Access Rules (Champion Verified)

Page/Feature Allowed? Notes
Dashboard ✅ Full All widgets visible
Directory ✅ Full Search, filter, view profiles
Communities ✅ Full Browse, join, participate
Community Suggestions ✅ Full Accept/decline
Messages ✅ Full Send, receive, mute
Discussions ✅ Full Post, comment, react
Events ✅ Full View, RSVP, create (if enabled)
Profile ✅ Full Edit all sections
Settings ✅ Full All settings

5.4 Engagement Nudges

For verified Champions who haven’t engaged recently, show gentle nudges:

Community Join Nudge:

"You haven't joined any communities yet. Find one that fits →"

Profile Completion Nudge:

"Your profile is 75% complete. Add a photo so others can recognize you."

First Message Nudge:

"Say hello! Send your first message to a fellow Champion."

5.5 Empty State Patterns

Every empty state should encourage action, not leave the user stranded.

Section Empty State
Messages “Your inbox is empty. Find a Champion and start a conversation!”
My Communities “You haven’t joined any communities yet. Browse communities →”
Discussions “No discussions yet. Join a community to see what people are talking about.”
District Preview “No Champions in your area yet. Could you be the first?”

5.6 Copy Patterns (Champion Verified)

Primary messaging theme: “Welcome home — your community is here”

Context Copy
Dashboard greeting “Good [time], [Name]! 👋”
Community context “You’re part of [X] Champions in [Y] cities”
Empty inbox “Your inbox is empty — start a conversation!”
Empty communities “Join a community to connect with Champions who share your interests”
Profile nudge “Add a photo so others can recognize you”

5A. Sub-State: Champion Verified, Not Community Member

5A.1 Overview

This is a sub-state of Champion Verified. The user has full portal access but is viewing a community they haven’t joined yet. This is a critical moment — we want them to feel welcomed and understand the value of joining.

Scenarios:

5A.2 Community Page Experience (Non-Member)

When a verified Champion views a community they’re not a member of, they see:

What’s Visible:

Eligibility Status Messaging:

Situation Icon Message CTA
Can join directly ✅ Green checkmark “You’re eligible to join!” + eligibility reason [Join Community]
Pending request ⏳ Clock “Your request is being reviewed” + submission time None (waiting)
Needs approval 🔐 Lock “This is a private community” + eligibility reason [Request to Join]
Not eligible ℹ️ Info “This community has specific eligibility requirements” + reason None

Example: Can Join Directly

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ✅ You're eligible to join!                                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  This community is for Music Business majors.                   │
│                                                                 │
│         [Join Community]                                        │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Example: Private Community (Needs Approval)

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  🔐 This is a private community                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  This community is for Nashville-area Champions.                │
│  Request to join and we'll review your request.                 │
│                                                                 │
│         [Request to Join]                                       │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

5A.3 Invite Flow Experience

When a verified Champion follows an invite link (?ref=INVITE_CODE):

Enhanced Welcome Banner:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Inviter Photo] [Inviter Name] invited you to this community! │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Join to connect with fellow Bruins who share your interests.  │
│                                                                 │
│         [Join Community]                                        │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Tracking: Joining via invite link is tracked for the inviter’s metrics.

5A.4 Gated Content Patterns

When a non-member tries to see gated content:

Members List:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  🔐 Join to see members                                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │  Members are visible only to fellow members.            │    │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘    │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Discussions (in sidebar): Show a teaser that encourages joining:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  💬 Discussions                                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  This community has active discussions.                         │
│  Join to see what members are talking about.                    │
│                                                                 │
│  📊 [X] posts this month                                        │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

5A.5 Controller Logic Reference

# app/controllers/cp/communities_controller.rb (existing)
# In show action for non-members:

@is_member = false
@is_community_leader = false
@can_join = can_join_community?(@community)
@requires_approval = @community.requires_approval?
@pending_request = current_cp_champion.join_requests.pending.find_by(community: @community)

@public_stats = {
  member_count: @total_member_count,
  post_count: @community.board_posts.visible.count,
  event_count: @community.events.published.upcoming.count
}

5A.6 Copy Patterns (Non-Member)

Primary messaging theme: “You’re welcome here — join to get the full experience”

Context Copy
Eligible to join “You’re eligible to join!”
Private community “This is a private community — request to join”
Not eligible “This community has specific eligibility requirements”
Members gated “Members are visible only to fellow members”
Discussions gated “Join to see what members are talking about”
Invite banner “[Name] invited you to this community!”
Post-join welcome “Welcome to [Community]! 🎉”

6. Cross-Cutting Concerns

6.0 Activity-Based Engagement Tracking

Related: Phase 5.4 (Milestone Celebrations) depends on tracking which actions Champions have completed.

We track 55+ activity event types via Cp::ActivityEvent. This enables us to:

  1. Identify which features a Champion hasn’t used yet
  2. Surface gentle nudges to encourage “full experience” completion
  3. Celebrate milestones (first message sent, first event attended, etc.)

6.0.1 Full Experience Milestones

Category Event Type What It Means Milestone Prompt
Profile profile_edit Edited profile at least once “Complete your profile”
Profile photo_uploaded Added a profile photo “Add a photo so others recognize you”
Discovery directory_search Used the directory search “Find Champions near you”
Discovery profile_view Viewed another Champion’s profile “See who’s in your community”
Social message_thread_started Started a conversation “Say hello to someone”
Social message_sent Sent at least one message “Start a conversation”
Communities community_joined Joined at least one community “Join a community”
Communities community_viewed Explored a community page “Explore communities”
Events event_viewed Viewed an event “Check out upcoming events”
Events event_rsvp_clicked RSVP’d to an event “RSVP to an event”
Discussions board_view Viewed a discussion board “See what people are talking about”
Discussions post_view Read a discussion post “Read a discussion”
Discussions post_created Started a discussion “Start a conversation”
Discussions comment_created Commented on a post “Join the conversation”
Discussions reaction_added Reacted to content “Show some love”

6.0.2 Engagement Completion Concept

Similar to profile_completion_percentage, we can calculate engagement completion:

# Proposed: app/models/cp/champion.rb
def engagement_completion_percentage
  milestones = [
    activity_events.exists?(event_type: 'profile_edit'),
    photo.attached?,
    activity_events.exists?(event_type: 'directory_search'),
    activity_events.exists?(event_type: 'message_thread_started'),
    communities.exists?,
    activity_events.exists?(event_type: 'event_viewed'),
    activity_events.exists?(event_type: 'post_view'),
  ]
  
  completed = milestones.count(true)
  (completed.to_f / milestones.count * 100).round
end

6.0.3 Nudge Strategy

Dashboard Nudges (for verified Champions):

Show a “Getting Started” or “Try This” card for Champions who haven’t hit key milestones:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ✨ Make the most of your Champion Portal                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  ☐ Complete your profile                                        │
│  ☐ Find Champions near you                                      │
│  ☐ Join a community                                             │
│  ☑ View an event (done!)                                        │
│  ☐ Start a conversation                                         │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Inline Nudges:

Show contextual suggestions based on what’s missing:

Missing Milestone Where to Show Nudge
No photo Profile card “Add a photo so others recognize you”
No communities Dashboard “Join a community to connect with Champions who share your interests”
No messages sent Dashboard messages section “Your inbox is empty — start a conversation!”
No event views Dashboard events section “See what’s happening near you →”
No reactions Discussion view “💡 React to show you were here”

6.0.4 Celebration Triggers (Phase 5.4)

When a Champion completes a milestone for the first time, celebrate:

First-Time Action Celebration
First message sent “🎉 You sent your first message!”
First community joined “🎉 Welcome to [Community]!”
First event RSVP “🎉 See you at [Event]!”
First discussion post “🎉 Your first post is live!”
First reaction given “💙 Spread the love!”
All milestones complete “🏆 You’ve unlocked the full Champion experience!”

6.0.5 Activity Events Reference

Full list from app/models/cp/activity_event.rb:

Profile & Account:

Discovery:

Messaging:

Communities:

Events:

Discussions:

Social:

Moderation:

Admin:

6.1 Navigation Updates

The navigation should adapt based on user state:

Anonymous:

Email Verified:

Champion Verified:

6.2 Global Permission Helpers

# app/controllers/cp/base_controller.rb

# Helper to check verification state for views
helper_method :can_access_verified_features?

def can_access_verified_features?
  cp_champion_signed_in? && current_cp_champion.status_champion_verified?
end

# Redirect with warm messaging
def require_champion_verified_with_message!(feature_name)
  return if current_cp_champion.status_champion_verified?
  
  message = verification_message_for(feature_name)
  redirect_to cp_dashboard_path, alert: message
end

private

def verification_message_for(feature)
  case feature
  when :directory
    "Directory access opens after verification — usually 1-2 business days."
  when :communities
    "Communities unlock after your account is verified."
  when :messages
    "Direct messaging is available once you're verified."
  else
    "This feature is available after verification."
  end
end

6.3 Consistent Flash Messages

All flash messages should use warm language:

Type Style Example
Success Celebratory “Welcome to Nashville Champions! 🎉”
Info Helpful “Verification usually takes 1-2 business days.”
Warning Gentle “Your session will expire in 5 minutes.”
Error Supportive “Something went wrong — we’re looking into it.”

6.4 Mobile Considerations

All state-specific UI must work on mobile:

7. Known Bugs to Fix

✅ Bug 1: Community Suggestions Visible to Email-Verified Users — FIXED

Location: Dashboard view + CommunitySuggestionsController

Problem: Email-verified users can see the “Suggested Communities” widget and interact with accept/decline buttons.

Fix Applied (January 2026):

  1. ✅ Dashboard Controller: Conditionally load suggestions
  2. ✅ Dashboard View: Wrapped in verification check
  3. ✅ CommunitySuggestionsController: Added require_champion_verified!
  4. ✅ Tests: Added 2 new tests for email-verified user restrictions

✅ Bug 2: Navigation Shows All Features to Email-Verified Users — FIXED

Location: Navigation partial

Problem: Full navigation may show communities, messages, etc. to email-verified users.

Fix Applied (January 2026):

🐛 Bug 3: Direct URL Access to Locked Features — VERIFY

Location: Various controllers

Problem: Email-verified users may be able to access features by typing URLs directly.

Status: Need to audit all Champion Portal controllers:

Controller Required Guard Status
Cp::DirectoryController require_champion_verified! ⏳ Verify
Cp::CommunitiesController require_champion_verified! (except public show) ⏳ Verify
Cp::MessageThreadsController require_champion_verified! ⏳ Verify
Cp::DiscussionsController require_champion_verified! ⏳ Verify
Cp::CommunitySuggestionsController require_champion_verified! ✅ Fixed

8. Implementation Checklist

Phase 5.1a: Anonymous Experience

Phase 5.1b: Email-Verified Experience

Phase 5.1c: Champion-Verified Experience

Phase 5.1d: Cross-Cutting

9. Success Criteria

Functional

User Experience

Technical

New Files to Create

File Purpose
app/controllers/cp/landing_controller.rb Landing page for anonymous users
app/views/cp/landing/show.html.erb Landing page view
app/views/cp/shared/_verification_pending.html.erb Reusable “waiting for verification” partial
app/views/cp/shared/_locked_feature.html.erb Reusable “feature locked” partial

Files to Modify

File Changes
config/routes.rb Update unauthenticated root
app/controllers/cp/dashboard_controller.rb Verification-aware widget loading
app/controllers/cp/community_suggestions_controller.rb Add verification guard
app/views/cp/dashboard/show.html.erb Verification-aware sections
app/views/layouts/cp/_navigation.html.erb State-aware navigation
Various controllers Audit before_action guards

This document should be updated as implementation progresses. Mark checklist items as complete and note any deviations from the plan.