APQC Logo Register Sign in Search Icon TOOLS GEAR ICON Menu Breadcrumb APQC EXPERTISE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Communities of Practice Communities of practice (CoPs) are designated networks of people who share information and knowledge either face-to-face or virtually. Each community is held together by a common purpose, which usually focuses on sharing experiences and insights related to a topic or discipline. CoPs perform a variety of knowledge-oriented tasks on behalf of organizations, including documenting and transferring best practices and lessons learned, providing access to expertise, supporting on-the-job learning, and coming up with new ideas and innovations. APQC’s Next-Generation Communities of Practice Best Practices Report This report summarizes the results of our research on communities of practice, including in-depth interviews with 10 organizations identified as having best-practice community programs and analysis of survey data from more than 200 Knowledge Management professionals. It focuses on new strategies, tools, processes, and approaches that have emerged over the past decade. Download the report Start here... Questions about communities of practice or other KM topics? CONTACT APQC How Communities of Practice Support Organizations The ultimate purpose of communities is to translate local information and know-how into collective knowledge and promote standardization across operations and regions. Communities are designed to transcend the boundaries created by projects, functions, workflows, and geographical locations, and foster the flow of knowledge across these boundaries. Communities also strengthen organizational culture and buy-in. They enable employees to converge around common business interests and form relationships that provide social support and personal validation. Which Type of Community is Right for Your Organization? Deciding which type of community to launch will depend on the tasks your community is meant to accomplish within your organization. The main types of communities include: Best-practice communities – focused on developing, validating, and disseminating best practices; Innovation communities – focused on generating new ideas, often by crossing disciplinary and/or geographic boundaries; and Knowledge-stewarding communities – focused on organizing, managing, and retaining the collective knowledge of the organization. These types are not mutually exclusive; a single CoP can innovate, develop best practices, and steward knowledge. Communities may also be tasked with ensuring employee questions get answered, supporting professional development, or advising on key business decisions. 5 Key Steps to Launching Your Community Here are the key steps to launch a new community: Identify a topic the community will focus on or a knowledge gap it will help fill. Articulate and document community goals and select a community leader. Create a virtual hub for community interaction. Enlist and engage members. Initiate regular activities such as webinars, summits, or meetings to bring community members together. LEARN MORE ABOUT STARTING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE ICON--ARROW--RIGHT 4 Essential Best Practices for Effective Communities Create a Single, Enterprise Approach to Communities Inconsistency can confuse employees and dilute the value of the program. Standardize your approach to guide community development and management. Your CoP program can then leverage economies of scale: you can apply new tools, approaches, and initiatives easily across all communities. Build Communities on the Foundation of Existing Networks Since communities are about connecting people to people, take advantage of established relationships where possible. Trust is a critical success factor, and community members are more likely to trust the knowledge and experience of people they know. Informal networks can also help identify areas of the business that have urgent collaboration needs. Focus Communities on Clear Business Objectives Communities are always more successful when knowledge sharing serves a clear and indispensable business purpose. Establish alignment between community and organizational goals during the design phase of your community, and then revisit your objectives throughout your community’s lifecycle. Actively Manage Your Portfolio of Communities and Networks Community growth is a good thing – as business needs evolve, new communities can and should form. However, unlimited growth can lead to redundancy and inactive groups. Regularly evaluate your roster of communities, consolidate where possible, and retire those that are no longer active. CONTACT US FOR HELP LAUNCHING OR SUSTAINING YOUR COMMUNITIES ICON--ARROW--RIGHT Get Expert Guidance to Optimize Your KM Initiatives CONTACT OUR ADVISORY SERVICES DIRECTOR APQC Advisory Services You might be in the early stages of developing your organization’s first ever KM program. Or maybe you already have a KM strategy, but need help evolving your KM capabilities. At any stage of your KM strategy implementation, our expert consultants can provide individualized support and customized on-site training to help you accelerate and optimize your KM initiatives. To learn more, contact our advisory services director: Jeff Varney, Director of Advisory Services Direct: +1-713-685-7253 Toll-free: (US and Canada) 1-800-776-9676 Contact via Email Related Resources ARTICLES Understanding Communities of Practice NOVEMBER 19, 2021 PODCASTS The Future of Communities and Knowledge Management with Rachel Happe OCTOBER 14, 2021 PODCASTS What’s Ahead for Knowledge Management with Steve Dale OCTOBER 04, 2021 PRESENTATION SLIDES Engaging Virtual Communities SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 WEBINARS & VIDEOS Engaging Virtual Communities SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 DATA AND MEASURES Fixing Process & Knowledge Productivity Problems Survey Report: Education AUGUST 31, 2021 ARTICLES Communities of Practice at Mercer AUGUST 20, 2021 ARTICLES Achieving Excellence with Communities of Practice NOVEMBER 18, 2020 ARTICLES Communities of Practice: Advice from KM Leaders OCTOBER 30, 2020 WEBINARS & VIDEOS An Interactive Conversation with 2020 Excellence in KM Recipients OCTOBER 23, 2020 PRESENTATION SLIDES An Interactive Conversation with 2020 Excellence in KM Recipients OCTOBER 23, 2020 CASE STUDY Focusing Knowledge Management on Business Results at Swagelok SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 icon-check-star Membership matters APQC membership provides you—and every employee in your organization—access to research-based best practices and business drivers, benchmarking tools and data, and expertise so you can discover, understand, and implement the most effective methods for process and performance improvement. Want to take the next step? Learn more about our membership icon--arrow--right Already have an account? Sign in. APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center) is the world’s foremost authority in benchmarking, best practices, process and performance improvement, and knowledge management (KM). With more than 550 member organizations worldwide, APQC provides the information, data, and insights organizations need to support decision-making and develop internal skills. Learn more. US: 1-800-776-9676 INTL: +1-713-681-4020 FAX: 713-681-8578 APQC 123 N. Post Oak Ln Houston, TX 77024 USA Footer LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS PRIVACY POLICY TERMS OF SERVICE BENCHMARKING CODE OF CONDUCT © 1994-2021 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED