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Resource Kit
Sustain a PHIN CoP
Develop Membership
In the Sustaining phase of CoP development, it is important to consider strategies for maintaining and increasing membership, as well as achieving the goals of the Community. Unlike a work
group or team, your members participate voluntarily; they have a passion for the subject matter and
are interested in increasing their own understanding of the domain and contributing to innovation
in the field.4 You have the advantage of active, enthusiastic
members who are willing to seek and share knowledge and build trusting relationships with other people.
Just Remember....
Membership is Voluntary. People will participate in a community of practice because they want to, not because they are made to. By seeking out passionate voluntary members, you’ll ensure that you have enthusiastic participants who willingly seek and share information, which will produce greater results than if members had simply been assigned another task.
“If participation is compulsory, it may become perfunctory.”
The challenge you face is to help members
recognize their commitment to the domain and provide the infrastructure for members to share capabilities and build knowledge in a safe
and; rewarding forum.9 To accomplish this task, you need to:
Membership is Voluntary. People will participate in a community of practice because they want to, not because they are made to. By seeking out passionate voluntary members, you’ll ensure that you have enthusiastic participants who willingly seek and share information, which will produce greater results than if members had simply been assigned another task.
“If participation is compulsory, it may become perfunctory.”
- Provide new and seasoned members an easy means of participation.
- Ensure that the value of the membership is clearly articulated.
- Create abundant opportunities for members to become engaged in the community.
Make it Easy!
You have already identified passionate people who will voluntarily focus on building knowledge within your domain. It will be equally important to tend to ongoing membership needs. As a leader, may help community members relate their participation in their the CoP to professional and personal work goals. By defining a domain focus that has practical utility for individuals and organizations, you create a tangible, explicit value for potential members.10Members may need to obtain permission or organizational support to participate in your Community of Practice. Benefits of CoPs to members, organizations, and the public health community are outlined in the Introduction to Communities of Practice section. CoPs provide tremendous value through sharing experiences, promoting best and emerging practices, and providing a forum in which issues and problems can be raised and resolved.11 It may be important to help members make a case to their managers to demonstrate that an individual who participates also has the potential to devise better solutions and make better decisions by:
- Developing an enhanced professional identity
- Networking with peers and increasing his/her visibility among those peers
- Gaining access to subject matter experts who may be able to help focus and articulate developing ideas
- Participating in learning and development events and activities
Organizations also benefit when their representatives participate in a CoP. When an organization allows its personnel to join, it is potentially increasing:
- Employee efficiency, in terms of time and cost, in retrieving information and a reduced learning curve
- Industry benchmarking capacity
- Involvement in key industry and national initiatives
- Organizational reputation as a contributor in building new capabilities
While there are numerous benefits to be gained in CoP participation, it is not always easy for members to communicate these benefits to others. The “Case for Participation Reflection Guide,” “Case for
Participation Brief,” and “Case for Participation”, located in the Resources
section, are designed to allow potential members (individual or organizational) to identify mutual or
shared goals with a domain CoP and the logistical practicality of participation. These
resources also allow potential members to plot out an information-sharing plan.
Just Remember....
Make it Matter - Create Value for Potential Members. New and potential members need to be excited about the domain-focus of the Community of Practice, but they also need to know that they will get a return on their investment. Work with potential members to help them determine not only what they can contribute, but also what they can expect in return.
“Value is the key to community vitality. When members are clear about the value for themselves and others, they often become more active and committed.” —Richard McDermott
In a community where members come from diverse locations, agencies, and jurisdictions, the need to demonstrate the value of
community
participation will be even greater.1 Leaders and managers may not be directly involved in functional work performed by
various employees and will most likely be concerned with ensuring the employees’ work contributes to the organization’s goals. However, if you can
help potential members demonstrate how CoP activities relate to organizational goals, members are more
likely to successfully develop a case for participation. For example, consider Stanley, a potential member
who is an epidemiologist with a county health department. Stanley has a professional interest in electronic
messaging standards and would like to participate in the PHIN Public Health Vocabulary and Messaging CoP, but his supervisor is not sold on the idea. After all, won’t this just be another series of meetings that
puts more on Stanley’s already full plate? Stanley can assure his supervisor that participating in a community
that develops HL7 standard messages for case reporting will contribute to the health department’s mission
by keeping him current on the vocabulary and messaging standards that enable
clarity in data transmission and more efficient analysis. Stanley can develop his case by using the
“Case for Participation Reflection Guide”,
located in the Resources section, then use a presentation template (PowerPoint Template,
Word Template) to present the
information to his manager.
Make it Matter - Create Value for Potential Members. New and potential members need to be excited about the domain-focus of the Community of Practice, but they also need to know that they will get a return on their investment. Work with potential members to help them determine not only what they can contribute, but also what they can expect in return.
“Value is the key to community vitality. When members are clear about the value for themselves and others, they often become more active and committed.” —Richard McDermott
When members are connected to a resource that connects the interests of the community to individual, organizational, and public health priorities, they are able to highlight common interests and reconcile disparities that may exist.3 By translating and connecting personal/professional strategic imperatives with the focus of the CoP, you accord the domain CoP a legitimacy that can build a foundation of confidence and trust.
Provide Additional Motivations and Graduated Opportunities
CoP leadership responsibilities are described in How to Identify Leaders in Your CoP. However, leadership in a Community of Practice can evolve when members play various roles at different times. It is important for community growth that multiple individuals play several roles as the community coalesces and matures. Ask new members to take leadership in one or more of these roles to strengthen the core of the CoP and ensure proper development. Identify additional volunteer opportunities to broaden the scope and depth of membership.
Develop Leadership—Share the Work
As your community continues to coalesce, leaders and active core members will need to determine both the length of time members will serve in a role and the process for alternating roles. Once determined, the roles and responsibilities procedure should be formalized and added to the charter. The topic How to Identify Leaders in Your CoP reviews a list of community leadership responsibilities related to facilitation, knowledge management, and other areas. These responsibilities can be translated into specific roles or positions core members may want to assume in the community. In addition to the Community Leader, Community Sponsor, and Communities of Practice Council (CoPC) Representative there are six specific roles that your community may want to fill. In the early stages of a CoP’s formation, one member commonly holds several roles. As the community grows and engages in many activities, each role can be held by multiple CoP members. Common attributes of the people who best fit into these roles include:
Knowledge Manager: Organizes a community’s knowledge—Sometimes known as Librarians, Knowledge Managers are detail-oriented, well organized, enjoy structuring content from disparate sources, and understand the technology resources employed by the community. The person(s) in this role will work closely with Technical Specialists.
Facilitator: Handles the event management of the community—The Facilitator manages meetings by ensuring that meeting agendas are followed, conversations stay on domain-related topics, and each member’s voice is heard. For additional information and tips regarding facilitation, please refer to the “Facilitation Tip Sheet”, located in the Resources section.
People Connector: Assists community interaction—Also known as the community greeter, the People Connector assists new members in connecting with current members and works to ensure new members feel comfortable expressing concerns and voicing suggestions.
Subject Matter Expert: Drives innovation as domain thought leader—Known as the expert in the domain area and generally experienced in the field, the Subject Matter Expert frequently publishes papers, speaks at conferences, and may teach related courses. For additional information, please refer to the “SME Tip Sheet”, located in the Resources section.
Technical Specialist: Manages the technology requirements and corresponding community tool —The Technical Specialist understands the technology used by the community, assists in managing tools, training users as needed, and ensures the community adheres to the rules. For additional information, please refer to the “Technical Management Tip Sheet”. Both resources are located in the Resources section.
Communication Specialist: Manages the internal and external communication—The Communication Specialist is skilled in written and oral communications, pays close attention to detail, and is creative and consistent.
Contact Us:
- Communities of Practice Program
- Public Health Information Network (PHIN)
- National Center for Public Health Informatics
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Atlanta, Georgia 30345
- 404-498-6455
- PHIN@cdc.gov
