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Resources

This section contains all of the resources referenced throughout the CoP Resource Kit. The resources provided are intended to help you determine the current phase of your CoP, and provide you with downloadable, customizable templates to support you throughout your CoP’s lifecycle. To open a resource, click on the Resource Name in the following table.

If you have questions or suggestions about any of the Resources, please send an email to ostltsfeedback@cdc.gov.

Resource Name Summary Phase Audience

You Might Be A CoP If...[DOC - 145KB]

If you’re part of a group but not sure if it is functioning as a Community of Practice, this quiz may help you decide.

Quiz

Members of existing groups who may want to explore becoming a CoP

In What Phase Is My CoP? [DOC - 153KB]

This quiz will help you decide which sections of the Resource Kit are most useful to you. This quiz may also assist you in determining at which phase in the CoP lifecycle your community operates.

Quiz

Leaders of existing CoPs

Could It Be A CoP? {DOC - 135KB]

Have an idea for a new CoP? These questions will help you vet the idea with your peers and make sure you are on the right track.

Plan

Individuals that would like to start a new CoP

CoP Charter Template [DOC - 214KB]

CoP Charter Overview [DOC - 237KB]
 

CoP charters, developed by each CoP, include mission, scope, objectives, and other course-setting components needed. These resources give you ideas for the type of information you may want to include.

Plan

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Community Expectations [DOC - 137KB]

It is important to provide guidelines to members to ensure they follow expectations that allow your CoP to thrive. This resource provides examples of general guidelines for participating in a CoP and specific guidelines for participating in a CoP meeting.

Plan

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Case for Sponsorship Brief [DOC - 160KB]


Case For Sponsorship [PPT - 640KB]

Case for Sponsorship Brief [PDF - 218KB]

As a new CoP it is important to retain a sponsor to support the community. These resources provide examples on how to demonstrate the value of sponsoring a CoP.

Plan

Leaders of new and existing CoPs that need an executive sponsor

Facilitation Tip Sheet [DOC - 202KB]

Advanced Facilitation Guide [DOC - 235KB]

The facilitator is responsible for managing meetings, keeping conversations on track, and ensuring each member’s voice is heard. These resources provide suggestions for accomplishing these tasks.

Plan

Leaders and members acting as CoP Facilitators

Agenda Template [DOC - 138KB]

The facilitator may use a variety of tools to manage meetings. This template can be used to help you put together a CoP Meeting Agenda.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Facilitators

Discussion Log Template [DOC - 150KB]

The facilitator may use a variety of tools to manage meetings. This log can help you keep a running log of the discussion points during a CoP Meeting.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Facilitators

Scribe Template [DOC - 88KB]

The facilitator may use a variety of tools to manage meetings. This template can be used to note and report the outcomes of CoP Meeting Agenda.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Facilitators

Follow-up Item Log Template [DOC - 145KB]

The facilitator may use a variety of tools to manage meetings. This template can help you ensure that action items are assigned and appropriately monitored over time.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Facilitators

Meeting Feedback Form [DOC - 145KB]

The facilitator may use a variety of tools to help them manage meetings. This template can be used to solicit information from members about the meeting process and where there are opportunities to improve that process.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Facilitators

SME Tip Sheet [DOC - 157KB]

As a Subject Matter Expert for your community, your responsibilities include inviting experts to speak to your CoP, bringing in new ideas, identifying topics for meeting agendas, and maintaining the CoP focus. This tip sheet gives ideas for how to get all of this done.

Plan

Leaders and members who are CoP Subject Matter Experts

Technical Management Tip Sheet [DOC - 141KB]

Technology Tool Comparison [XLS - 84KB]

You’re technically savvy, but for your CoP you also need to help identify the right tools for your group, define account permissions and roles, and help develop collaboration rules to ensure everyone acts respectfully. These resources provide ideas on selecting and managing technology within your CoP.

Plan

Leaders and members serving as CoP Technical Managers

Formation Announcement Template [DOC - 145KB]

Your CoP has formed and now it is time to spread the word. This template offers boilerplate text for your use.

Launch

Leaders of new CoPs

Invitation Approach [DOC - 146KB]

After identifying people who may be interested in joining your CoP, you may want to reach out to them personally. This template offers dialogue and text ideas to get you started.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

E-mail Invitations [DOC - 129KB]

If you’d like to reach out to potential members by sending them an email invitation to join your CoP, this template offers general text as a starting point.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Membership Tracking Template [XLS - 176KB]

You’ll want to track both the people you invited to join your CoP, as well as those who have joined. This template makes it easy to log both in one central location.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Needs Assessment Template [DOC - 102KB]

Public health professionals who want to launch a community can use this tool with potential members to assess the need for and interest in the community.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Brainstorming Technique [DOC - 164KB]

Tap into the wisdom and experience of your Community of Practice and create a supportive environment where all ideas are welcome. Read this document for some ideas on how this process can work for your CoP.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Newsletter Template [DOC - 176KB]

As your CoP begins maturing, you may want to develop a CoP newsletter for your domain. This template gives you a great start.

Launch

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Case for Participation Reflection Guide [DOC - 148KB]

Members may need to obtain permission or organizational support to participate in a CoP. By sharing this completed guide, potential members can identify mutual or shared goals with the CoP and determine how practical it is for them to participate. This resource also allows potential members to create a plan for obtaining support from their managers and sharing information about the CoP.

Sustain & Evolve

Individuals who are interested in joining a CoPs and want to justify and explain their involvement in the CoP to their managers and peers

The Case For Participation [PDF - 640KB]

Case for Participation Brief [DOC - 84KB]

These resources aid potential members in sharing information about the CoP, as part of their plan to obtain support from their managers.

Sustain & Evolve

Individuals who are interested in joining a CoP and want to explain the concept to their peers or request permission to participate from their managers

Biographical Sketch Template [DOC - 195KB]

To help your CoP members get to know one another, you can ask each to share information about their personal and professional interests. This resource provides the framework for capturing this information.

Sustain & Evolve

Members of CoPs who would like to provide a brief biography of themselves to their community

Facilitating Distributed Groups [DOC - 158KB]

The Facilitator may want to explore the specific responsibilities of facilitators in this environment and to get tips on things to do before, during, and after an event or meeting.

Sustain & Evolve

Facilitators and other Leaders of CoPs

Storytelling Template [DOC - 172KB]

Your CoP can start to tell stories from its inception. You can use this Microsoft Word template to structure storytelling activities and as means to gather information and document best practices/lessons learned from the community.

Sustain & Evolve

Members of CoPswho are interested in sharing stories and creating Success Stories

Mentor-Protégé Agreement [DOC - 155KB]

If you set up a Mentor-Protégé program, it may be helpful to give participants guidelines for creating an agreement. This resource may also be used by community members who want to enter into a mentor/protégé relationship on their own. This resource can be used to ensure participants are considering concrete action items when making their arrangement.

Sustain & Evolve

Members of CoPs who are interested in forming a Mentor/Protégé relationship as either Mentor or Protégé

SWOT Analysis Tool [DOC - 131KB]

A SWOT analysis will help you identify internal and external factors in the environment (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) that can help with the development of your CoP's goals and objectives.

Evaluate

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

SMART Objectives Template [DOC - 87KB]

When you begin to define the goals and objectives of your CoP, this template will walk you through the process of developing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based objectives.

Evaluate

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Evaluation Interview Guide [DOC - 79KB]

This Guide helps you evaluate a community's impact on the individual members, their organizations, and the public health focus of the community. Questions enable you to assess CoP outcomes, success factors, and barriers that limit participation.

Evaluate

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

Innovation Tracking Tool [DOC - 226KB]

Creation and dissemination of new products and ideas are important outcomes of CoP collaborations. This template provides a means to record and track innovations from CoPs.

Evaluate

Leaders of new and existing CoPs

If you require assistance with accessing or using files found on this website, please contact ostltsfeedback@cdc.gov for further assistance.

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