Nurturing networks of practice

What is a network of practice? A group of people coming together to share learnings about their professional work. Can be around any topics: capacity building, etc.

Small group discussion breakaways

• Sharing struggles issues and learnings.

Examples of shared issues and solutions that particpants came up with

• Challenges
  • Resourcing
  • Losing momentum, communities are hyper engaged then resurface
  • How big is too big? Pressure to scale up

• Solutions
  • Usability vs particpation. Requires labor to make it accessible
  • Changing attitudes around "lurking" -- "lurking" is okay

Sharing examples of experiences of challenges and solutions.

• Big international NGO, had developed and funding a thriving community of practice. An outside consultant was brought in to help transition the community to become self sustaining since NGO was going to step back.

Differences between community and network

• People's community is their priority -- related to place.
  • "Community of practice" should be thought of as 'Networks of Practice'.
  • The network should feed and support the community
  • The networks of practice should however be framed as a "community"
  • Resourcing
    • There needs to be someone who can support and facilitate the network

Ease and usability of participation

• Should be light on time
  • Make it very easy for people to onboard; use simple templates and organizing structures for meetings

Losing and sustaining momentum

• Small network example. Just because people don't respond quickly to emails don't assume that the network is dead.

• Don't work on their own just building it won't make it work. Needs a kind of 'router' / 'benevelont dictator'
  • However just because the router isn't active don't assume that when a call is made out to the network that people won't come together.

• Some folks shy away from using the term "Network" since it's too professionalized.
  • Trust building is key
  • Don't need to necessarily get people to agree on tactics, but building initial trust

• Understand what is a benefit to folks. Big benefit of a network is opporunity for people to be able to talk about their work -- challenges, methodology.