Communities

of Practice Guide
Knowledge Management Methodological Series,
Sharing Knowledge for Development Project
Knowledge Management Unit
UNDP Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean
Table of
contents
1
Preface of Sharing
Knowledge Series
2
Overview
3
What is a Community of
Practice?
4
What is the purpose of a
Community of Practice?
5
Basics Aspects of a
Community of Practice
6
How do you start a
Community of Practice?
7
Annexes
8
Recommended Readings
9
Knowledge Management
Unit
Author: Guillermina Martin
Reviewers: Lina Salazar, Octavio Aguirre, Jairo Matallana, Olga Robles,
Johanna Granados, Ana Linares, Inka Mattila, Carla Lecaros.
Graphic Design: Diana Ordez - Jos Luis Quintero
Translator: Melanie Taylor
1
Preface
Sharing Knowledge Series
4
The United Nations Development Programme aspires to be
consolidated as a knowledge based organization and a relevant
actor in political debates, projects and efective solutions, as
well as having an impact in diferent contexts
1
. Partners
in each country increasingly demand more technical
assistance and high quality policies, access to good
practices, regional experts and experts from other
regions, institutional strengthening, and feld tested
and efective programmes. Due to these demands, it is a
UNDP priority to strengthen its management capacities
and the efective use of knowledge through the
strengthening of its knowledge networks, the articulation
and coordination of other networks and members in
the United Nations System and, at the same time, a broad
collaboration with strategic external partners, civil society and
institutions to consolidate work for development under the
model One UN
2
.
The Regional Service Centre for Latin America and the
Caribbean (RSC-LAC) considers knowledge management as the
integrating axis of service provision to the Country Ofces and
1 UNDP, An Agenda for Organizational Change, April 2011.
2 UNDP, Strategic Plan 2008-2013.
5
programmes in the region. This role as an integrating axis manifests itself in
the methodological and technical support to the development of conceptual
frameworks in strategic thematic areas, systematization and difusion of good
practices, the development of tools for assistance in policies, programme execution
and capacity development. The Knowledge Management Unit (KMU) at the
RSC-LAC gives technical and methodological assistance to Country Ofces, UNS
agencies and other partners, to achieve these objectives. The midterm evaluation
of the regional programme in Latin America and the Caribbean emphasized the
knowledge management work developed by the RSC-LAC with the support of
KMU, considering it an asset for the regional programme and for UNDP
3
.
The Sharing Knowledge for Development Project started in 2009 in the
RSC-LAC implemented by the KMU, with two objectives: to systematize lessons
learned and knowledge generated in development projects supported by UNDP
in the region, and to establish links and agreements for horizontal cooperation
among countries to exchange and transfer this recorded knowledge
4
. After
completing the systematization of more than twelve (12) projects, ready for
knowledge transfer, the Sharing Knowledge for Development Project proposes a
new objective: to share with the region a set of guides that describe knowledge
management methods in order for teams to embed knowledge management in
the development of their initiatives.
3 UNDP, Mid-Term Evaluation of Regional Program in Latin America and The Caribbean, March 2011.
4 UNDP, Evaluation of UNDP Contribution at the Regional Level to Development and Corporate Results. November
2010.
Sharing Knowledge
proposes a new
objective: sharing
with the region a
set of guides that
describe knowledge
management methods,
in order for teams to
embed knowledge
management in the
development of their
initiatives.
6
These guides are, in principle, a result of the shared experience between the
KMU, UNDP Country Ofces and thematic areas, through the development of
knowledge management activities and are being promoted by new corporative tools
and contributions on these subjects. The frst methodological guides encompass the
following subjects: (i) Knowledge Management Strategies (ii) Communities of Practice
(iii) Knowledge Fairs, and (iv) Systematizations for transfer. We hope these guides are
helpful.
Knowledge Management Unit
Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean
2
Overview
8
One of the constant challenges of knowledge management for development
is to identify and administrate useful knowledge to support the achievement of
established objectives. Knowledge is a mixture of experience, values, information
and know-how that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new
experiences and information useful to turn into action
5
. Knowledge Management
can be understood as a set of methods, processes and technological tools that
facilitate the conditions in an organization so that its members can efectively
create, capture, exchange, adapt, and put into practice tacit and explicit knowledge
in order to successfully advance the institutional mandate and achieve a greater
impact on development. In this way, knowledge management facilitates the capture
and dissemination of existing knowledge, the creation of new knowledge, and the
communication and collaboration between those who possess it.
Knowledge management is not an additional activity parallel to project
management, but it is inherent to the project contributing to it in many ways:
creating an institutional memory, promoting learning and its continuous
improvement, generating evidence that can promote either the projects scaling-
up or its transfer to other contexts, elaborating products that support visibility, and
bringing capacity development and political incidence strategies, among other
contributions. Managing knowledge implies to stop and refect on how we capture
the knowledge that a project generate, on where the knowledge that project
implementation requires, and how knowledge is built and transferred.
5 Davenport and Prusak, (1998), Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know, Harvard Business
School Press.
This guide is aimed
at UNDP Country
Ofces and UNS
ofces, counterparts,
coordinators and
project ofcers, and to
all those that want to
mobilize a group to
dialogue, exchange
knowledge and carry
out actions towards a
shared purpose.
9
This series Methodological Guides on Knowledge Management seeks to
contribute to the strengthening of teams capacities in a number knowledge
management methods. This guide describes the design, promotion, facilitation
and monitoring of Communities of Practice (CoP) and provides recommendations
about how to facilitate the performance of such communities within the framework
of development initiatives. A CoP is a scheme that facilitates communication and
collaboration between people, and the exchange, refection and use of available
knowledge on a specifc subject. In UNDP, the fgure of CoPs has been active,
particularly since 2006, as an integral part of the institutional strategy on knowledge
exchange.
3
What is a
Community of Practice?
11
Explicit Knowledge: it is
formal, systemic, objective
and rational knowledge
that can be expressed with words,
numbers, formulas, etc, and can be easily
shared.
Tacit Knowledge: it is the knowledge
that a person, organization or country
has incorporated or stored in its mind, in
its culture, and it is difcult to explain to
others.
Nonaka y Takeuchi (1995)
There are as many defnitions of communities of practice as there are communities,
but we can basically understand them as: groups of people that get together with the
purpose of sharing ideas, fnding solutions and innovate, joining their eforts geared towards
the continuous development of an area of specialized knowledge. Where
they collaborate and learn from each other, face to face or virtually, held
together by a common goal and a desire to share experiences, knowledge
and better practices on a subject or discipline
1
.
A CoP is mainly a group of people that get together face to
face or in virtual spaces in order to exchange ideas and practical
experiences. The Cops performance and development are the
result of an ongoing participative process in which cooperative
and leadership strategies come into play simultaneously holding
diverse interests and incentives. By facilitating connection and
exchange between people, CoPs are spaces that enable the trade
of tacit and explicit knowledge.
2
1 Etienne Wenger.Communities of Practice: learning, meaning, and identity. APQC. Using Communities of Practice to
Drive Organizational Performance and Innovation. 2005.
2 See Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) and Polany, Michael (1969)in relation to tacit and explicit knowledge. Knowing and
Being, Chicago Press E.U.
4
What is the purpose of a
Community of Practice?
13
Communities of Practice are dynamic and fexible social networks. They are made
up by participants who shape the community each time they interact to share ideas and
common goals. At the same time, the benefts from a Community of Practice depend on
the groups needs, but what is the purpose of a CoP?
The analysis of a number of practices allows us to group the CoP main
objectives in three areas:
Continued learning. The members of a professional community have,
through a CoP, an interactive and informal mean to get updated with the latest
developments, news and opinions about what is happening in
their discipline. Within the Community,
theoretical, methodological and practical
knowledge is exchanged
allowing projects to be
fed by an interdisciplinary
approach which enhances
the expertise and
specialization areas of
group members
themselves.
14
Establishing alliances. CoPs are vehicles that facilitate knowledge fow and
enforce links between the members of a professional community. Participating
in a CoP adds a formal character to the links between professionals and forges
a road to cooperation by allowing face to face interaction or online knowledge
networks. These platforms encourage participants to carry out projects in
collaboration. CoPs enable the identifcation of strategic priorities
in a group that work towards the same goal or in the same
organization but whose activities require coordination.
Generation of new knowledge. A Community of Practice
is not only a platform where knowledge is shared, a reservoir of
experiences and resources. By its own nature, it is a space that
gives feedback and builds new knowledge as a result of debate
and refection. Participating in a CoP facilitates the implementation
of projects and programmes that require processes of knowledge
capture, analysis, exchange and transfer, organizes initiatives and
coordinates eforts between diferent actors committed to advance
human development and human rights principles.
For example, UNDPs Evaluation Regional
Community of Practice has assembled all
UNDP national specialists in this area to
pass on innovative tools and practices
with their colleagues in the region. While
this community shares a specifc subject,
it also shares a common challenge:
in many ofces they are still in the
formation process, carrying out a crucial
and cross-cutting role throughout all
development areas.

https://undp.unteamworks.org/
node/17347
5
Basic Aspects of a
Community of Practice
16
Some features that make Communities of Practice active, vibrant, and highly
participatory include:
Sense of belonging to the community. Adopting a common premise in a
consensual way, defning expectations and desired results are key to participating in
a CoP and to achieve a lively community. The success of a CoP depends partly on
the fact that, in spite of the diverse perspectives around the same subject, consensus
is achieved in terms of expectations and interests.
Another aspect to be considered is the personal attitude of the members
towards the CoP not only because of their interest on the subject, but also given
the amount of time that a person has been in the organization. It is also important
having a coordinated group that exchanges the desire of learning from others, with a
positive attitude towards collective work, the interests or motivations each individual
has to participate in a CoP, and the capacities and/or skills everyone can provide to
the group.
Athird characteristic of a CoP is the relational part of it, which explains how
people establish relationships, interact in diferent spaces, and how through joint
activities and actions, reciprocity and collaboration is encouraged to produce a more
efective and horizontal communication. The formation of networks of trust between
people and the empathy generated by being faced with common challenges
17
strengthens an environment that favors cooperation over competition. This
relational aspect is vital for the evolution of a CoP and is one of the elements that the
Cops facilitation can trigger through tools and activities.
Another central feature is the organizational culture in which the CoP is
embedded. This aspect considers formal and informal patterns and rules rooted in
the organization. The organizational culture and a management style can facilitate
or hinder peoples participation in a CoP. Open and horizontal organizations, with a
dynamic leadership can facilitate the development and continuity of a CoP. The CoP,
as a whole, can develop actions seeking to infuence the Management to give higher
importance to the subjects addressed by its members.
A CoP goes through stages that are enriched and strengthened if there is
a coordination and facilitation that promotes and leads a path to follow. The
activities carried out within a CoP can be agreed upon its members, but the space
for interaction, the invitation to participate, some rules of the game and, particularly,
the recognition of the importance that methodological elements have in facilitating
knowledge fow, is the responsibility of the facilitation team and the core of active
members. The facilitators role is, therefore, key to the Communitys success.
18
The last and more operative feature refers to the organizational
communication mechanisms and the organizational structure that the CoP
will have. In a community, there is constant interaction between people, processes
and technologies; for that reason, it is necessary to clearly establish the roles,
responsibilities, and a functional structure of a CoP. A CoP can gather online,
onsite or a combination of both, making tools change accordingly to the chosen
communication structure.
For example, for online communication, there can be used webs, blogs, emails,
webinars, videoconferences, exchange platforms such as Teamworks (see Box),
and other social networks.
Teamworks is the Corporate platform for collaboration and
exchange developed by UNDP for the entire United Nations
System. It was launched in the beginning of 2010 and up to
date, it has 12,000 users. One of the purposes of Teamworks is
to facilitate spaces for inter-agency CoPs and CoPs with external
partners, for project implementation, thematic debates,
consultations, etc. You can access this platform at: https://
one.unteamworks.org ( One UN domain) or https://undp.
unteamworks.org (UNDP domain). UNS entities that have a
domain in Teamworks are: UNV, MDG-F, UN-Energy, ONE UN,
UNECA
TEAMWORKS
19
For onsite communication, mechanisms such as workshops, meetings,
seminars, etc., can also be used. These elements can be crucial in the efectiveness of
a Community of Practice. The emphasis on the provision of these mechanisms and
arrangements are, mainly, the responsibility of the CoP coordination and facilitation
team depending on available resources.
6
How do you start a
Community of Practice?
21
Even though, as discussed earlier, the facilitation, attitude of each one of the
members, and the organizational culture are of vital importance for the liveliness
of a CoP, the examination of several of them, has made it possible to defne the
process of starting a community.
The stages of CoP can be described as follows:
A design stage in which the main goal is to defne the subject matter, the strategy,
the rationale of the CoP and its operative framework; in this stage the types of
participants are outlined, as well as the means of communication and the action
plan.
Secondly, a motivation stage in which the main goal is to call for participants,
to promote the exchange of knowledge and to establish communication and
collaboration channels. This stage also includes fnding consensus on the subject
and action plan, instrumental activities to trigger action among the CoP members.
Third, a development stage in which knowledge use, generation and
dissemination is encouraged.
A fourth stage of evolution in which the CoP acquires recognition and
becomes a reference point on the subject matter. Here, strategies are reviewed,
new goals are set and a new action plan is designed.
It is necessary to explain that these stages are not linear; rather they resemble
concentric circles of evolution.
22
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE IKNOWLEDGE INNOVATION GOAL
The CoP becomes a reference point on the subject
matter according to an external audience.
The strategy is reviewed, along with the objectives,
and a new plan is created.
Implementing the action plan.
Some participants take on coordination tasks.
A higher level of commitment and participation starts.
Knowledge is generated, and not only exchanged.
Knowledge from the CoP is disseminated to other people and networks.
Existing knowledge on the subject is analyzed and exchanged.
Utilization of online and onsite means of communication.
Members carry out the first joint activities.
New participants of the CoP are identified.
DEFINITION OF STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES GOAL
GOAL
KNOWLEDGE GENERATION AND UTILIZATION GOAL
Defining subject matter, objectives and strategies.
Outlining and inviting participants.
Choosing channels of communication.
Creating the firs action plan.
STAGES OF A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
DESIGN
MOTIVATION EVOLUTION
DEVELOPMENT
23
Stages of a Community of Practice
3

Design Stage:
In the design stage, coordination and facilitation have a major role in translating
the knowledge needs of the organization or project into an exchange strategy
through the CoP. In this design stage, the purpose is to establish the subject matter,
the objectives, expected results, the Cops strategy and the members profles. A
frst pool of participants is invited and a preliminary structure is established, with the
rules of the game while the mechanisms that the CoP will work under are selected.
These elements are a preface that will be open for debate and dialogue with the
participants. The following are a set of guidelines and questions that funnel the
Design stage of a CoP:
Selecting the subject matter: it is recommended to formulate the following
questions to narrow and clarify the Cops subject: Is the subject clear and specifc
enough to accomplish improvements on the CoP? Or should we generate an
umbrella CoP that includes several communities with sub topics? And, what sub-
topics will be approached in the CoP? For example, the platform Amrica Latina
Genera is a community for gender equality in the region in which UNDP ofces and
3 To structure the cycle of a CoP, the cycles proposed by E. Werner were taken in consideration by the APQC and the
UNDP practical experience on CoP, in particular those to which the KMU has given technical assistance.
24
UNS Agencies ofcials, organizations of the civil society and women organizations
participate. Even though these actors are gathered subject around gender equality
issues, the diversity of participants, of sub-topics and interests, led the UNDP Gender
Practice Area to design and facilitate a number of specifcs CoP under the Genera
platform, for example: A CoP composed by Gender focal poitnts in all UNDP Country
Ofces across the LAC region, A CoP composed by practitioners working under the
Gender Equity Seal project, and a CoP embodied by Gender Mainstreaming Network,
www.americalatinagenera.org.
Identifying the Cops goals and expected results: the strategic initiatives of
an organization as well as the development goals of a project or programme are
the starting point and the base on which a CoP is structured. A refection to identify
objectives and expected results can be initiated by the following question: What
is the purpose or purposes in creating a CoP? Is the CoP a demand from the promoting
organization? Is a CoP the best strategy to answer to the actual needs for knowledge
exchange, generation and use on the selected topic? What are the expected outcomes of
the CoP in the next 6 months? What strategies do we consider are more viable to achieve
these outcomes? For example, the Equity Seal Community of Practice, facilitated by
UNDP, started through a knowledge exchange process among fve countries
4
(Brazil,
Chile, Costa Rica, Mxico and Uruguay) to systematize results, achievements, and
methods, besides sharing lessons and transferring knowledge about the Certifcation
4 The articulation is particularly achieved through the Mechanisms or National Women Institutes that lead the
initiatives in the countries.
25
Programmes within Gender Equality Management Systems in private and public
enterprises. The systematization and analytical exercise made possible to put
together toolkit to transfer knowledge and implement more of such programmes in
other countries. Today, more than four countries in the region, besides the original
fve ones, are designing Equity Seals in private and public enterprises.
Identify the key participants: Once the goals and expected results are
defned, it is important to identify the key participants. Those individuals with
critical knowledge about the Cops subjects will be the ones with the potential to
foster changes or transformations, on top of inspiring interest in participating in the
CoP. For example, at UNDP RC-LAC it is usually said that knowledge management
is the integrating factor between subjects and transversal areas. In the same vein,
the communities promoted and facilitated by the Regional Centre are the essential
Graphic 1: Type of
actors that make up
the communities of the
UNDP Regional Centre.
S are the members
of the CoP inside the
spectrum of potential
actors.
Institutions and experts associated
Cluster
management
Advisors and
regional projects
Country ofces
Graphic 1. Citizen safety and coexistence
26
mechanism for interaction with the
projects, the regional ofces and
organizations, and experts. The
following scheme summarizes the
generic-type of actors that make
up the UNDP RC:
The participation of the CoP
members will depend on the interest in the
subject, the organizational incentives to increase
participation, the level of resources, the individuals assigned by the
organization to mobilize this type of knowledge exchange strategies
and the amount of time the organization invests on refection and dialogue spaces,
among others. Even though some roles and responsibilities are defned beforehand,
the dynamics and interaction itself lead some actors to take on certain roles and
higher degrees of responsibility. CoP members can engage via the following levels of
participation or neighborhoods
5
:
Coordinator or facilitator: is the individual responsible for creating the necessary
conditions for the exchange of knowledge to occur; s/he is in charge of organizing
the Community of Practice, preparing events, producing documents, reviewing
information, consolidating replies to queries and collaborating in the elaboration of
5 See Etienne Wenger and contributors in Cultivating Communities of Practice.
27
minutes on the Cops discussions to keep record of the ideas sharing. The coordinator
and/or facilitator, passes on news to spark debate, and, above everything else,
connects the community members and the community itself with other networks or
CoPs that address similar topics. S/He works as a host to help building a pleasant
environment, provide infrastructure, keeps the conversation interesting and
valuable, and adapt to the group dynamics. S/He is the communitys energizer and
spends around 20% to 50% of his/her time on this task, being exclusively fnanced
to that purpose. In some UNPD global CoPs, the facilitator dedicates 100% of his/her
time to this role; that is the case of UNDP Solutions Exchange, which has a full-time
facilitator for each thematic area. In the case of the UNDP regional CoPs, the practice
areas staf can fulfll the facilitator and energizer role or hire and/or assign a specifc
person for this position.
Active neighborhood: it is made up by the CoP members that participate regularly in
the community activities; it is also a relatively small group that encompasses 15%
to 20% of the community. In
the experiences of the UNDP
regional CoPs, the active
neighborhood is made up by
individuals that work in the
regional practice areas, by
Country Ofce focal points
(designated by the Country
28
Ofces to the Cops subject), and by some UNDP associate experts that specialize on
that particular topic.
Neighborhood of participants: it is made up by the majority of CoP members who
participate sporadically in CoP related events. Their activities are focused on
observing the interaction between active participants and the coordinator(s). Some
members in this level consider that their participation is not suitable or that they
do not have enough authority to be taken into consideration. Others believe that
they do not have enough time to participate in a more active way. In spite of all
that, their peripheral involvement is of great importance to the community because
thanks to their observations, the community harnesses knowledge that it can apply
in its own way. In UNDPs CoPs, the neighborhood of participants is usually made
up of Country Ofces focal points (outside the Active Neighborhood), other UNS
agencies, international cooperation organizations, UNDP associated experts, and
members of national institutions.
Occasional guests: they
are not participants in the
community, but do have
an interest in it because
they share concerns on
similar topics. Examples of
29
these kinds of participants are specialists that can provide
specifc information or a national institution that requests
to exchange knowledge about certain issues, problems or
specifc solution.
Identifying tools and mechanisms: Once the goals and actors are identifed,
the tools and mechanisms for Cops activities are defned. Based on UNDPs
experience, selecting the right mechanisms (online or onsite) makes a radical
diference; for example, using a web conference tool (such as Elluminate or Go to
Meeting) allowed UNDPs Regional Evaluation CoP to keep the debate fowing and
that shared solutions be reached. In order to defne what tools and mechanisms
are to be used, it is necessary to answer the following questions: Do we have
enough time and resources to facilitate a CoP? Do CoP members have easy access to
the internet? What online tools do we need to start a CoP?
Create the action plan: After going through the previous steps, an initial
action plan of the community is put together and ready to be validated by the CoP
participants. In line with the organizational objectives, the action plan includes
purposes and results, key actors, goals, and activities. It should also contain a
baseline, as well as a number of indicators to enable the CoPs monitoring and its
activities follow up.
30
To understand the steps to complete when creating an action plan, the
following analysis chain is suggested
6
:
6 See Guide about Strategies of Knowledge Management. Knowledge Management Unit of the UNDP Regional Centre of Latin
America and the Caribbean. 2011.
KM activities,
products and tools
Implementation:
deadlines, costs.
Monitoring and
evaluation
Identify key
initiatives
Purpose or
objective
Key
stakeholders
Expected
change by
stakeholders
Key knowledge
to promote
change
KM
strategies
A practical example of a CoP action plan in a development institution:
Community of Practice Action Plan
Goals Main Actors
Products
(Knowledge for these actors)
Activities (methods and tools)

1. To find and capture
practical experiences on
the selected subject.

2. To have direct access
to professionally active
individuals on the
selected subject.

3. To capture and
analyze information
about the state of affairs
on the selected subject
in the national, regional
and global level.

4. To advance on the
generation of
knowledge on the
selected subject.


1. Stakeholders
internal to the
organization.

2. National
partners
(governments).

3. Other
cooperation
agencies.

4. Civil society
Organizations.


Product:
The CoP members absorb, exchange and generate knowledge
about the subject and the CoP becomes a point of reference for
public institutions, organizations of the civil society and UNS
agencies.

Indicators
1. Amount of people active in the community.
2. Amount and diversity of networks that belong to the
community.
3. Number of relevant documents about the Cops subject that
have had incidence (Indicators for monitoring communication
media, indicators of papers presented).
4. Number of requests for technical assistance and advice from
other institutions/actors.
5. Number of documents resulting from the technical advice
given.
6. Number of agreements with relevant institutions on the subject.
7. Amount of interventions and comments of the participants on
the Teamwork site.
Baselines
1. There are X number of isolated interventions per year without
facilitation.
2. There are X number of documents that are shared per year
without participation in the network.
3. There are X number of bilateral interventions per year that are
carried out without intervention from the network.
Goals
1. X number of people per year actively participate in the CoP
(they participate in Teamworks, ask for advice, exchange
answers, etc.)
2. X number of documents are developed, shared and
disseminated.
3. X number of joint interventions are carried out.

1. To look up, review and analyze data,
information and knowledge (e.g. statistics,
mappings, observatories reports, news
reports, methodological handbooks,
concept and theoretical documents.)
2. To systematize experiences to provide an
array of good practices and lessons
learned on relevant subjects for the CoP.
3. To access libraries and make
them available to the CoP (including
concept notes).
4. To call for case studies (via web
conferences or e-discussions, with
facilitation and minutes).
5. To send out opinion surveys among
colleagues, members of other offices, etc.
6. To facilitate and prompt open debates
and reflections in the CoP.
7. To provide access to a database about the
members of the CoP.
8. To coordinate existent efforts and promote
future links with Country Offices.
9. To report on the state of the subject in the
region: an action matrix by office; list of
projects or initiatives by subject; success
stories).
10. To create and publish a quarterly bulletin.
11. To provide links to capacity building
spaces To develop and validate concept
notes, project documents and others, and
bring them to debate in the CoP.

Source: Matrix based on the planning method from Handbook on planning, monitoring and evaluating for development results. UNDP. 2009.
32
Motivation Stage
At this stage, stakeholders are called and mobilized; their expectations are
generated through collective action and joint refection while lines of cooperation
are established and the necessary knowledge is mapped (to fnd out the knowledge
the community possesses and what it lacks). Therefore, the goal is to promote and
exchange knowledge, reaching higher levels of interaction and sharing, through
diferent tools such as: mappings, reports, surveys, bulletins, others.
This is a stage in which the facilitator has a strong infuence on CoP members
for them to meet each other, share information and initiate an identifcation process
with the group. At this phase it is necessary to clearly present the added value of
belonging to this CoP, to make the case that many heads are better than one and
that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
For this, multiple online and onsite communication channels are used
and the coordinator proposes the frst joint activities. Below, we present a
series of recommendations about onsite meetings and mechanisms for online
communication:
33
Communities of Practices Onsite Meetings
An onsite meeting is a milestone for the CoP. It is often the starting point and
the ending, but for the community it is a process to maintain and promote. Onsite
meetings are important moments that help strengthening ties and signifcantly
increase participation in the CoP. It is advisable to design such meetings taking in
consideration three moments that help achieving desired results.
Weeks before
EXPLORING THE TERRYTORY
Carrying out consultations
to identify needs.
Logistic arrengements
Days before
BUILD THE BASES
Elaborate Concept note that
includes: defnition of objec-
tives and results, the strategy
and methodology, and the
agenda.

Conclude the logistic
arrangements.
Day of the event
SET THE SPACE
The coordination team
should arrive early to
welcome the members.
Become the host/ess of
the meeting.
Refecting afterwards
about the proposed
methodological design.
34
The agenda of the meeting can be modifed by CoP members dynamics,
participation, and interventions. In these cases, what is important is to clarify and
reiterate the purposes and desired results that were agreed-upon at the beginning of
the workshop and to energize the meetings, through the appropriate methodology, for
example:
An agenda can be set to establish activities that range from the particular
(experiences, comparative analysis, case studies) to the general (regional
strategies to collaborate in programme implementation) or the other way around.
To carry out activities that articulate the concepts (abstract) - theoretical debates,
conceptual framework, focus mainstreaming with the practice (tangible): country
experiences, diagnoses, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation tools, as
well as dialogues about communication, incidence and knowledge management
strategies in projects and programmes.
It is important to have sessions related to the common subject but also sessions
that are related to the communitys internal operation.
Some RSC-LAC CoP use creative dynamics, games, and personal refection
exercises which facilitate group integration and collective refection.
35
The necessary documents for a CoP onsite meeting are:
Concept Note: it contains the strategy, goals, the results, the dialogues topic,
how it will happen and which agreements will be reached during the CoP onsite
meeting.
Agenda of the meeting: establishes the methodologies that will be used, the
schedule, the pace, presenters, speakers, and facilitators.
Logistic Note: gives directions to places, hotels, contact information, and an
orientation to facilitate accommodations for people who do not know the place.
List of participants: it has the names, mail addresses, photos, short bios,
personal preferences and everything that may enrich relations and exchange.
Meetings evaluation: it is advisable to have an assessment survey assessing
objectives and results of the meeting, the methodology, facilitation, logistics, and
participation. It is also recommendable to have a round of joint evaluation and
refection at the end of the meeting.
Following, there are some dynamics that occur during the course of a CoP
onsite meeting
7
:
7 Source: Base on dynamics carried out by UNDP Knowledge Management Unit in CoP onsite meetings.
36
Presentation Exercises
Introduction, gift and expectations: Two color cards
are given to each participant. In one of them they
should write an expectation, and in the other one, a
message to the group. Each participant will stand up to
introduce him/herself, indicating his/her name, country,
organization, her expectations and contribution to the
discussion. Later on, the cards are posted for display on a
fipchart for everyone in the meeting to see it.
Everything you wanted to know and never
dared to ask: The group is divided into pairs
and each pair is invited to say their name
to each other, their organization, country
of origin and to ask each other a question
about something they always wanted to
know about his/her experience or institution
s/he represents but never dared to ask. Then
they give a presentation, introducing one
another.
Presentation-Experience: A person introduces him/
herself, his/her name, organization, country and in one
minute s/he has to describe: 1. the experience/institution/
job that s/he represents and 2. say something about
his personality, culture, traits or characteristics that will
facilitate the CoP teamwork.
Dynamics to exchange experiences
World Cafe: Participants are divided into groups
according the amount of people (it is convenient that
groups do not have over 10 participants). Four stations
are created relative to the particular experiences or
specifc topics.
All groups should from one station to the other, staying
in each one not more than 15 minutes. One person
per station should exert the facilitation role and
remain in the station (the host/ess) and take
note about the dialogue about:
(i) the context in which the experiences are
taking place.
(ii) the problems all experiences share
(iii) the activities carried out
(iv) major challenges.
The host/ess can initiate each round introducing to his
new visitors the group discussion set of in the previous
round. At the very end of the meeting, the assembled
puzzle of all experiences is presented and the common
points are analyzed.
37
Dynamics for problem solving
Case studies: The room is divided into four
tables according to the Cops sub-topics. Each
table has one person designated to facilitate the
discussion and another one in charge of taking
notes. According to the subtopic of each group,
a relevant national programme or project carried
by an ofce of one of the participants, should be
selected to be analyzed as a case study.
The person, whose experience was selected,
presents the case and describes the major
challenges it faces. The rest of the
participants listen to the presentation
and then make comments and
give recommendations based on
their practical experiences.
The facilitator directs the conversation
and tries to make everyone give their
recommendations and contributions. There is a
presentation to the plenary about the debate and
contributions.
Dynamics for planning
Role play: The group is divided into smaller groups no bigger
than 10 participants each. It is better to divide groups by
country so they can share the same context, or by sub-regions.
The following instruction is given: you have been selected as
responsible for X Ministry of Y country and you have to come up
with a new public policy about X to launch it to the public opinion
in two weeks. Consequently, the group is directed to debate and
organize around: (i) Main subjects to address (ii) Deciding who
are the actors (benefciaries and institutions) with whom
they will work to build the public policy (iii) Main
Activities to develop, and (iv) budget. Afterwards,
group results are presented to the plenary and a
discussion is conducted on the proposed policies.
Route of change: The objective of this dynamic is to help
participants build together a change sequence. Departing
from the common challenges, they are encouraged to dialogue
and defne the Strategic Plan of the CoP subject, identifying
relevant actors and previously addressed In order to elaborate
a Strategic Plan, participants should identify the root causes of
the challenges previously exposed and their efects. Then set
long and medium/short term goals to plan activities towards the
resolution of such problems. Through this exercise, it is sought
to establish a logical sequence of problems, to spot the actors
involved, to build a proposal containing actions that could
respond to the identifed problems, and to defne the role the
CoP could have in their resolution.
38
Communities of Practice Online Meetings
FOnline networks and communities of practice are essential in large and
geographically disperse organizations, particularly for those dealing with
development and international cooperation. These instruments can greatly facilitate
the fow and exchange of information, channel corporate messages, promote
new policies, and disseminate lessons from
successful projects and programs across
countries and regions. New technologies
have opened the door to a new range of
possibilities of access to novel knowledge,
pertinent to for development and rights
policies in the countries. The connectivity
between national, regional and global
knowledge networks made possible
through virtual spaces, enrich solutions to
development issues. In that sense, it is key
to clearly establish efective structures and
technological mechanisms to enhance the
communication between the members of
an online-based CoP.
The connectivity
between national,
regional and global
knowledge networks
made possible
through virtual spaces,
enrich solutions to
development issues.
39
Analyzing the formats and tools that an online community uses to
communicate, it is possible to notice that these have specifc features according to
the desired outcome. If the information transmitted does not require an immediate
response or it can be used throughout a long period of time, the CoP can recur to
the use of asynchronic media: emails, forums, distribution lists and/or repositories.
But if an agreement needs to be reached between CoP members,
and these need to provide tacit knowledge or share a space for
collective refection, synchronic media is more useful: chats,
webinars
8
, teleconferences, and Skype conferences.
UNDP regional CoPs have used a range of online strategies
to promote the exchange of experiences and development
practices; they have organized online good practices fairs
, experience contests
9
, experience contests
10
, invitations to
people outside the organization to talk about topics of interest,
or carrying out online meetings (via web conference) before
an onsite meeting to share common experiences, actions and
results from countries that will contribute inputs to the strategic
regional planning.
8 When carrying out a webinar or web conference it is also necessary to organize an agenda, a previous list of
participants, invitations that include an access link, a presenter and a moderator, and visual presentations (PPT, videos,
others) to exemplify the theme .Later on, participants will be given a summary of the web conference (See necessary
documents for onsite meetings).
9 http://www.americalatinagenera.org/es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2170:experiencias&catid
=752:centro-de-gobierno
10 https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125927
Using online media
for communities of
practice
In UNDP, webinars or web conferences,
such as Elluminate, Go To Meeting,
have become major virtual spaces for
refection between countries about
relevant themes in the region and
discussion about new lines of action or to
share new technologies.
40
In that sense, social networks
or platforms 2.0 combine in a single
space all communication tools. For
example
11
, Teamworks the corporative
platform includes forums, development
of themed spaces, documents sharing
and there can be dialogue at country level, and between
countries and regions.
There are also very important tools to edit content and information online. From
the very well known Word, PDF, Html, audios (mp3, others) and videos, and online
tools such as Google Docs and Knowledge Maps and other very useful programs for
collaborative work.
11 Ana Linaresrefections, facilitator of the UNDP RC-LAC Confict Prevention and Citizen Security Community of
Practice .
41
Development Stage
TThe objective at this stage is to implement the activities laid out during the
CoP meetings, achieve the expected products and reach the goals of the CoP in
accordance to its action plan. The major achievement on this stage is strengthening
the joint generation and dissemination of knowledge. Participants not only share
information, news and recent events, or produce mappings and exchange meetings,
but also embody a group that includes the most involved people and create
knowledge products based on the information captured. At this stage, papers,
concept notes, toolkits, bulletins, documents and guides start being developed.
During this process, the CoP coordination can be assumed by a number of
participants, who may propose activities to mobilize participation from all members.
During this phase a process of dissemination and difusion starts to give the
Cops actions and activities more visibility. At the same time, this stage also involves
a greater identifcation with the CoP objectives, vision and spirit; the CoP begins to
own its identity.

42
UNDP Disaster Risks Management in Latin America
CoP is possibly one of the oldest in the region.
Its onsite meetings, that happen once per year,
preserve, from it very beginnings, several constant
sessions, among them training and updates about
methodologies and work focus and moments for
exchanging experiences.
Even though this could be a common element with
other communities in the region, something that
makes it stand out and makes the link between its
members very strong, is the space dedicated each
year to listen to the accounts of the participants
about their experiences attending emergencies that
occurred since the last meeting.
You must be there, listening to colleagues involved
in emergencies in Chile or Haiti, for example, to
understand that the kinship in this group goes
beyond the fact they share the same job. The
empathy generated by listening and been heard by
people that share the technical and human aspect
of their work is one of the biggest strengths of this
community.
EXAMPLE: SHARED EXPERIENCES AS
AN INTEGRATING ELEMENT.
43
Stage of Evolution

During this stage, the community seeks to be innovative in its feld, bringing
the knowledge it has generated through the previous exchange activities. It looks
to develop new ways and views about the subjects it addresses. The community
becomes a point of reference on the subject or subtopics to an external audience.
Also, the organization promoting the CoP starts acquiring more relevance and
decides to include the community proposals in the organization strategic planning.
Also, in this stage there are greater challenges
and demands such as the stagnation of a number
of actions, the loss of interest of some participants,
little understanding of the beneft from participating
in the CoP, and/or the need of advancing collectively
to new challenges and goals of broader scope.
This process of challenge identifcation,
transformation and increase may produce a new cycle of
knowledge generation and the need of a new plan of action.
This joint exercise should be based on the evaluation of results,
lessons learned, and needs participants may have had during the previous stages.
44
Transference to Offces- Other type of Communities
Even though the experiences illustrated in this guide have been drawn from the
Communities of Practice developed inside the UNDP Regional Centre and from its
specifc Practice Areas, this systematized guide strives to contribute with key steps
for country ofces and their programme teams to structure their CoPs together with
specialized government units, the civil society, and other actors.v
The Cops experiences have been diverse. In some cases, they have been
instrumental to promote alliances; to make knowledge explicit and broader. In
others, however, the results have been less visible and the communities have shown
less dynamism than expected. It is always important to consider who the members
are, their attitudes, subjects and the interest on the subjects, the attitude of the
management towards the participation, how capable the leadership is to trigger
enthusiasm and keeping the group alive, but obviously a CoP is not necessarily a
group of dialogue only among experts from diferent countries. Local knowledge is
also object of debate, generator of knowledge and a call to refection.
With this document, the Knowledge Management Unit of the UNDP Regional
Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean not only aims at showing the key
ingredients to a Cops success, but to also advance the development of other
communities in alternative spheres.
7
Annexes
Regional and global Communities of Practice in Teamworks
46
Communities of Practice
Latin America and the Caribbean

Confict Prevention and Citizens Security
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/76181

LAC Risk of Disaster Reduction and Recovery
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/80577

Gender Equity
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/17164
http://www.americalatinagenera.org

Democratic Governability
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/118906

MDGs, Poverty and Human Development
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/112037

Environment and Energy
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/107221

Evaluation
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/17347
Capacity Development
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/17636 (closed)
Knowledge Management
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/76466
Global Communities of Practice
Crisis Prevention and Recovery
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/17854
Gender Equity
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16909
Democratic Governability
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16917
Democratic Governability
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16915
MDGs, Poverty and Human Development
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16915
Environment and Energy
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16913
HIV-AIDS
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16911
Evaluation
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16900
Capacity Development
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/16907
Knowledge Management
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/18084
8
Recommended Readings
APQC. Publications. Using Communities of Practice
to Drive Organizational Performance and Innovation.
2005. Fuente: http://www.apqc.org/pubs/summaries/
CMKMCOP.pdf
Hearn, Simon and Mendizabal, Enrique. Not
everything that connects is a network. ODI Overseas
Development Institute.2006
Linares, Ana. Aprendizajes sobre comunidades
de prctica de prevencin de conficto y seguridad
ciudadana. rea de Prctica de CPR del PNUD CR-ALC.
2010
Pelufo, Martha Beatriz, Contreras Edith.
Introduccin a la gestin del conocimiento y su
aplicacin al sector pblico. Serie Manuales 22.
Santiago de Chile: ILPES/CEPAL, 2002.
Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo
(PNUD). Manual de planifcacin, seguimiento y
evaluacin de los resultados de desarrollo. 2009.
Retolaza, Iigo. Teora de Cambio. Un enfoque de
pensamiento-accin para navegar en la complejidad
de los procesos de cambio social. Proyecto Regional
de Dilogo Democrtico. PNUD/HIVOS, 2010.
Weyrauch, Vanesa. Aprendices, hacedores y
maestros: manual para el monitoreo, la evaluacin y
la gestin de conocimiento de incidencia en polticas
pblicas. 1 ed. Buenos Aires: Fundacin CIPPEC,
2010.
Wenger Etienne. Communities of Practice: learning,
meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
1998
Wenger Etienne, McDermott Richard and Snyder
William. Cultivating Communities of Practice: a
guide to managing knowledge. A guide to managing
knowledge. Harvard Business School Press. 2002
World Bank. Communities of Practice. Questions and
Answers. 2005
9
Knowledge Management Unit
50
TThe UNDP Knowledge Management Unit (KMU) from the Regional Centre for Latin
America and the Caribbean supports the implementation of the UNDP regional
management strategy with its technical assistance services and training in the areas
of systematization, exchange, adaptation and transference of practical knowledge
about development subjects. KMU provides its assistance and training services to
Country Ofces, UNDP Practice Areas, and United Nations System agencies and to
other partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to design and implement these
experiences and initiatives, strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting
development in the region.
Knowledge Management Unit
UNDP Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean
Knowledge Management Unit
Visit our website:
http://www.regionalcentrelac-undp.org/es/gestion-de-conocimientos
And visit our space at Teamworks corporative platform:
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/76466