What are CoPs and how do they work?

How do CoPs work in practice?

Purpose

A group of people that share an interest and come together to fulfil shared goals

Membership

Voluntary: Colleagues self-select to participate and contribute

Organisation

CoPs can emerge or can be intentionally established.  They can be self organising or supported by the organisation. 

Activities

CoP identify priorities that are within/on the edge of the ‘sphere of influence’ of the community to progress and complete.  These might be project based (usually with support from the Sponsor) or activities (share good practice/new ideas e.g. lunch & learn)

Sponsorship

A CoP Sponsor enables alignment where appropriate; promotes and celebrates success and; values CoP autonomy (they do not direct activity)

Critical Success Factors

ODHE Research headlines and carried out in 2021, identified the following critical success factors for CoPs:

  • Executive sponsorship
  • Alignment with institutional strategic goals
  • Clarity of CoP purpose and vision
  • Commitment to the reciprocity of peer learning
  • Intention co-creation and nurturing values in the CoP
  • Diverse CoP membership
  • Regular CoP communications, meetings and calls to action

 

How are CoPs different from other groups?

 A CoP is different from a network in the sense that it is “about” something; it is not just a set of relationships.  It has an identity as a community, and as such. shapes the identities of its members.

A CoP exists because it produces a shared practice as members engage in a collective process of learning.  The network aspect refers to the set of relationships, personal interactions, and connections.

 

 

What's the purpose?Who belongs?What holds it together?How long does it last?
Community of practice To produce, extend and exchange knowledge and to develop members' capabilities Members who select themselves Passion, commitment and identification with the group's expertise As long as there is interest in maintaining the group, the subject and the learning
Formal work group To deliver a product or service Everyone who reports to the group's manager Job requirements and common goals Until the next organisation
Project team To accomplish a specific task Employees assigned by senior manager The project's milestones and goals Until the project has been completed
Informal network To collect and pass on business information Friends and business acquaintances Mutual needs As long as people have reason to connect

 

What are the benefits of participating in CoPs?

The following table highlights some of the for both members of the CoPs and the University:

Facilitate and enable non-directed personal & professional development
Enhance and align strategic capability across the University

  • Access additional knowledge, expertise and network.

  • Allow colleagues space in which to test the application of their learning and build confidence (“70-20-10” model).

  • Provide opportunities to share information, generate new knowledge, initiate projects that resolve issues and deliver tangible results.

  • Help establish cross-institutional synergies and learning.

  • Facilitate timely information sharing on policy and use collective knowledge of the community to create better practices.

  • Creating ‘meaning’ in work to improve employee engagement.

At the end of our first 'cycle' of CoP activity at the University, we sought feedback from members on their experience of participating in CoPs.  In both our Leadership & Management (L&M) Community and Project Management (PM) Community, 1 in 4 respondents said they had adapted or changed their practice after participating in learning events.

These experiences were also mirrored in research carried out around 'What works in CoPs': Two projects (UofG and ODHE) 

What are the different types of contribution and roles in CoPs?

Active participation

There are many different ways in which members engage in their CoP. An active participant is likely to attend events or contribute to projects, build relationships, supporting colleagues and sharing experiences.  Active participants usually represent 20% of the total membership. 

Core Group

Some members want to contribute in a more purposeful way, leading projects, learning activities or communications, or even the CoP.  These members are often passionate about the ‘domain’.  They have often experienced real benefits from participating and look to give something back.  These members form a Core Group who take responsibility for enabling the Community over a period time – usually a year.

Sponsorship

A CoP really benefits from Sponsorship. Critically the Sponsor respects the autonomy of the CoP so does not direct its work but helps to foster opportunities for strategic alignment and insight. They also play a critical role in championing the CoP and celebrating its success.

The following table describes the different elements of roles in a CoP.


 
Sponsor
Community Lead/s
Project/Activity Lead/s
Members 
(active or occasional)
Purpose
 Tie the CoP and the benefits to the University’s strategic objectives Lead CoP and enable CoP organisation, communication and information sharing Lead projects/ activities (objectives) to enhance practice around priorities identified by members Participate and share knowledge and experiences. Contribute to prioritisation of projects/activities
Delivering objectives
 Work with CoP Lead/s to support Project/Activity Lead/s and any other roles identified. Support Project Leads and members in delivering objectives Enable team approach to delivery of objectives through members and other colleagues Contribute to problem solving and ideas generation
Celebrating impact
 Advocate acceptance and recognition for the community – promote success! Manage links with Sponsor on behalf of the CoP Lead and promote impact and continuous improvement in CoP Promote and contribute to continuous improvement in the CoP
Reviewing & Renewing
 Measure and evaluate the community’s contributions to University objectives Evaluate CoP and renewal Support evaluation of projects/activities and contribute to CoP evaluation and renewal Identify ways to enhance CoP effectiveness e.g. ways of working, promotion.  
Resources
 Allocate budget and resources for the community Activities deployed by a Core Group

  

What are typical activities undertaken in a CoP?

There are three different groups of activities that a CoP needs to deliver if it is to effectively establish and sustain itself:

Delivery

  • Design & delivery of programme of learning e.g. lunch & learn

  • Design & delivery of projects/activities

  • Responding to opportunities

  • Evaluation of participation and impact

Decision making

  • CoP planning process

  • Enabling feedback and reporting back on decisions

  • Using evaluation data to enhance Community impact

  • Enabling alignment with Sponsor and other CoPs internally (& externally)

Communications

  • Informal and formal comms internally & externally to CoP

  • Launch event

  • Awareness raising

  • Promotion of activities

  • Celebrate success