Strengthening and Coordinating Communities of Practice

Spaghetti Bowl of CoPs in Asia• Asia Pacific Adaptation

Network (APAN);• Low Carbon Research

Network (LoCarNet);• Sustainable Mekong Research

Network (Sumernet);• Asian Environmental

Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN);

• Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research (ProSPER.Net)

GMS Working Group on Environment

PEMSEA; COBSEA; ERIA etc. etc.

What Works?

• A dedicated CoP Coordinator, with abundant energy (and plenty of caffeine);

• A clearly defined community – relatively narrow interests in common; and

• Regular (daily?) contact and easy lines of communication.

What Doesn’t Work

• Assuming that the Secretariat knows what the CoP really needs;

• Blogs and passively feeding information, no matter how relevant;

• Inconsistent contact – allowing time to forget; and

• Never meeting face-to-face.

What Can SDplanNet Do?

• Conduct regular surveys (using SurveyMonkey) on CoP user needs/interests;

• Start online debates for short duration on topics of interest, with a synthesis at the end; and

• Highlight a member of the CoP and their achievements.

Better Coordination?

• Continuous mapping of the key actors in related CoPs;• Avoiding creating new networks and new website every

time a new project starts;• Providing core funding to CoP secretariats, so they are not

constantly searching for project funds;• Increased face-to-face meetings where personal

relationships can be developed and coordination issues openly discussed; and

• Constant feedback from CoP members and user communities on coordination problems as they arise – knowing there is a problem is key to solving it.

How Will We Know If a CoP Works?

• Use Google Analytics;• Conduct phone

interviews of members;• Conduct face-to-face

meetings at least once a year; and

• Ask for examples of CoP members using the highlighted tools.

Thank you for your attention!

Peter KingSDplanNet-AP

king@iges.or.jp