Community of Practice (COP) Content Management

AuthorR.A. Dalton, MKMP, Master Facilitator

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Training Standards

• Understand what content is and why a COP needs it.• Understand the need for seed content.• Understand what kind of seed content a COP should start

with.• Understand examples of content COP members like almost

universally.• Understand examples of content COP members do not in

general like.• Understand techniques to use when displaying COP content

to members.• Understand the need to weed content.

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What Is Content And Why Do I Need It?

• Content are files that are uploaded to your COP by COP members or yourself

• Content is needed to attract people to your COP and keep them coming back. Discussions alone are often not enough in most cases!

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An Example Of A COP Content Item

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The Need For COP Seed Content

• Sufficient seed content is required to attract people to your COP, keep them coming back, and to tell their friends and co-workers about you so they come visit.

• How much seed content is required? Enough that it cannot be browsed through in a single online session of an hour or two. One to two hundred items of seed content is a good recommended start for a new COP.

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What Kind Of Seed Content Should I Start With?

• Content should specifically cover the focus of your COP and not be authoritative in nature (example: regulations, policies or other official organizational documentation) nor easily available elsewhere.

• The kind of content you would want if you were a member of the practice which your COP is focusing on.

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Examples Of Content Members Like Almost Universally• Example Standing Operation Procedures (SOPs) in Microsoft Word format that

can be easily modified and used by the member

• Example Microsoft PowerPoint briefings, presentation and training classes that can be easily modified and used by the member.

• Individual developed guides and cheat sheets.

• Podcast audio interviews that transfer knowledge or experience from other personnel of the organization.

• Digital video interviews that transfer knowledge or experience from other personnel of the organization.

• Digital video of real world field operations or training.

• Individual developed software tools and Excel worksheets.

• Anything that helps the individual member do their job or function better or faster.

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Examples Of Content Members Do Not In General Like

• Content aimed at job or function levels far above the average member.

• Content that has nothing to do specifically with the focus or practice of that community.

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Techniques To Use When Displaying Cop Content To Members

• Include a 50% scaled sample screen shot in JPG image format of the content item wherever appropriate. One color picture is truly worth ten thousand descriptive words!

• Ensure the subject/name field is descriptive enough that the member is given a sufficient idea of what the content item is about. You need to grab there attention with this field as often it is often the only field they may see initially and if it doesn’t seem interesting enough they will not explore it further!

• Keep the full description or benefit/value field text scannable and to the point with key bullets where appropriate. Remember the member must see just enough description to pique there interest to the point where they are willing to download it and engage with it. Don’t over describe or they will lose interest fast!

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Techniques To Use When Displaying Cop Content To Members (Cont.)

• Ask yourself what would I want to know about this content item if I were a member?

• Be sure to include the date of the document and any security restrictions, if known. Members often want to know up front how current this content item is and any distribution restrictions.

• Help members who contribute content by applying these techniques to what they contribute when the display of their content item is subpar. This will make what they contribute look highly professional and ensure other members actually look at the contribution and engage with it. You are helping them by doing this!

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Poor Content Display Example 1

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Re-designed Display Of Example 1

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Poor Content Display Example 2

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Re-designed Display Of Example 2

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The Need To Weed Content

• Quality and relevancy of content is more important then quantity to members. More content does not equal better content!

• When a content item is no longer relevant it should be archived or deleted.

• Content needs to be kept fresh and up-to-date. Out of date content leaves a negative impression of your COP.

• Constantly review content on an ongoing basis.• Suspect any content item that is more then three

years old.

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Author of this training presentation and license for use

R.A. Dalton, MKMP, Master FacilitatorOffice Phone (870) 365-7496 (Mon-Fri 9AM-4PM U.S. Central Time Zone)Email: bob@rdalton.bizWebsite: http://rdalton.bizLinkedIn public profile:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-dalton/46/634/836

This PowerPoint presentation is released for use under the following license:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Note: No classified or FOUO military information or images were used in this presentation.

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