The Value Matrix of Communities of Practice:
a tool for prioritising your expected benefits from CoP
SHORT-TERM VALUE | LONG-TERM VALUE | |
Improve Organisational Performance | Develop Organisational Capabilities | |
Benefits to
Organisations |
A.1 Arena for problem solving | B.1 Ability to execute a strategic plan |
A.2 Quick answers to questions | B.2 More effective knowledge management | |
A.3 Unfettered flow of information and inspiration in and across communities of practice | B.3 Increased retention of talent | |
A.4 Improved quality of decisions | B.4 Forum for “benchmarking” against leading practice | |
A.5 Better coordination across teams | B.5 Breaking silos, departmental barriers | |
A.6 Decreasing the learning curve of new recruits | B.6 Responding more rapidly to new policy requirements | |
A.7 Reducing need for rework | B.7 Preventing waste due to “reinventing the wheel” | |
A.8 Highly increased employee engagement | B.8 Emergence of unplanned capabilities | |
A.9 People aligned with initiatives for implementing strategies | B.9 Capacity to develop new strategic options | |
A.10 Strengthened quality assurance | B.10 Ability to foresee technological developments that affect work | |
A.11 Better matching resources to tasks | B.11 Provide foundational know-how for building a Centre of Expertise in Communities of Practice | |
A.12 Experimenting with low-risk introduction of next-stage processes and structures | B.12 Bringing the “organisation of the future” into the present | |
A.13 Faster spread of practice worth replicating | B.13 Better structure for stewarding core organisational competences | |
A.14 Identifying emergent, high-potential leaders | B.14 Evidence-based succession planning | |
Improve Experience of Work | Foster Professional Development | |
Benefits to
Community Members |
C.1 Help with individual and teamwork challenges | D.1 Forum for expanding professional talents and expertise |
C.2 More curiosity for different perspectives | D.2 Inspiration to willingness to learn | |
C.3 Wider range of professional contacts and access to expertise | D.3 Enhance collaboration skills | |
C.4 Greater willingness to be challenged | D.4 Welcoming creative friction | |
C.5 Better able to contribute to team | D.5 Enhanced professional reputation | |
C.6 Increasing confidence in one’s approach to problems | D.6 Network for keeping abreast of a field | |
C.7 Becoming more creative by participating in cross-pollination of new ideas | D.7 Becoming more valuable to the organisation by co-developing new, better process tools | |
C.8 Fun of being with colleagues | D.8 Increased marketability and employability | |
C.9 More meaningful participation | D.9 Strong sense of professional identity | |
C.10 Sense of belonging | D.10 Enhanced reputation with colleagues | |
C.11 Reward by taking part in innovative, jointly-decided projects | D.11 Increased legitimacy in front of one’s manager and clients |
What are the top 5 benefits derived from communities of practice, of which you want to see more in your organisation?
What are the top 5 benefits derived from communities of practice, which you want to see the members of your organisation have a chance to enjoy more?
If you want to help with realizing some of them, please let us know, by including their label in your message.