NOTICE: There is an updated version of all these FAQs on our new website:
Should participation be voluntary or compulsory?
In general, it is much better to let participation be voluntary. This way, communities of practice live on because they create value for members, not because of an edict or a box to check. It does not mean that one cannot strongly encourage participation or even request that someone run an idea by the relevant community. But making participation compulsory more generally runs the risk that communities become just another meeting to go to and survive. This is likely to deflate the very social energy that makes healthy communities of practice places of meaningful learning.| << Institutionalize communities of practice? | What about tasks and expectations? >> |
For more information, click here:
For a bit more info, see our general (but brief) introduction to communities of practice and their use in various contexts:
For practical advice on cultivating communities of practice, see our new guidebook:
For workshops on cultivating communities of practice:
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