Knowledge Communities Management

Knowledge communities are one of the most well-developed areas in the field of knowledge management worldwide, as well as in Israel. Below are several guiding principles for managing a thriving knowledge community:

A. Voluntarism

Participation in the community must not be mandatory. Such a community is not effective. It is not enough for a particular sub-organization to volunteer to allow its members to participate in community activities; the partners themselves, in every community, must want to take part in the activities.

B. Community Leader

Selecting an appropriate community leader is a critical condition for success. There are several criteria for selecting a leader, and it is essential to note that the ongoing maintenance of website content does not necessarily have to be one of their characteristics or roles. If not, the leader is complemented by a supporting "content manager" function.

C. Human-Virtual Community

There is strong synergy in creating an integrated community: a community that meets face-to-face periodically, and between these periods continues to exist and meet through virtual means (using community software). The critical importance of human meetings is evident, particularly in cases where members do not know each other before forming a community.

Great importance attaches to virtual meetings and their enrichment when community members are dispersed across different physical locations.

Avoid establishing communities that contain only one component (human or virtual).

D. Content

It is difficult to maintain a community where its members do not "gain" knowledge and information that assists their ongoing work. Attention must be paid to both the content of meetings and the community website. It is recommended that the website not contain only a questions/answers forum (which relies on people's initiatives and their needs at a given time). Still, it should also contain documents and knowledge items that provide answers to information and knowledge that is difficult or time-consuming for people to obtain through alternative means. Always think about content from the user's perspective. Do not ask whether it is relevant to the subject of activity; ask: Is the community member interested and wants to receive this material? Does the knowledge learned help them perform their role more efficiently and effectively?

E. Persistence

It is easier to establish a community than to maintain an active community. Active communities must be accompanied, especially their community leaders (and content managers), to ensure continued regular activity. The frequency of accompaniment can decrease over time, but it is recommended to continue it regularly nonetheless. Such accompaniment helps control community activity and address problems that arise within it (such as non-attendance at meetings or non-participation on the website), as well as regulate its outputs (adding value to content is beneficial, but not necessary). This is the key to a persistent and renewing community.

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Want to learn more about communities of practice?

Here are some articles you might find interesting:

• Knowledge Communities in Japan

• Can Blog Sites Replace Communities?

• Knowledge Management in Large Organizations - A Multi-Dimensional Process