Getting Value from Communities of Practice

Communities of practice (CoPs) are designated networks of people who share information and knowledge face-to-face and/or virtually. Each community is held together by a common goal of sharing experiences and insights related to a topic or discipline. 

CoPs benefit organizations in many ways and 90% of surveyed organizations use CoPs as a KM approach.

This article summarizes a roundtable discussion facilitated by Lynda Braksiek (Principal Research Lead, Knowledge Management at APQC) where KM leaders and practitioners discussed how CoPs add business value, highlighted proven practices for CoPs, and explored the role that technology plays in these communities.