Communities of Practice - are they working for your people?

At Propel, our teams work on different opportunities for different clients, so finding a way to connect our product managers, engineers and designers with their peers to build knowledge and share insights requires us to be more intentional than is probably the case for teams who are all working together on the same product.

We have tried a bunch of approaches to Communities of Practice (COP) with different approaches working for different teams at different times.

Here are 4 of the approaches we have tested with some key take outs:

1. Formalised Learning Sessions

Structured sessions where team members present on relevant topics, often with a set agenda and Q&A.

Pros:

• High-quality knowledge sharing from experts

• Clear objectives and takeaways

• Useful for upskilling on technical or complex topics

Cons:

• Requires significant preparation

• Can be difficult to maintain momentum

• Scheduling challenges

Hot take: It's really hard to keep this going! Test and learn score: 2/5

2. Collaborative Working Sessions

Smaller groups tackling shared problems, meeting regularly to collaborate and co-create.

Pros:

• Practical, hands-on learning

• Builds strong cross-functional relationships

• Participants feel ownership of the outcomes

Cons:

• Requires ongoing commitment from participants

• Can be difficult to maintain momentum

• Risk of becoming another ‘meeting’ without clear value

Hot take: This works for us ad hoc, with product managers or engineers supporting each other through feedback and fresh perspectives. Test and learn score: 3/5

3. Asynchronous Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge is shared via Slack (or your message tool of choice) allowing everyone to engage at their convenience.

Pros:

• No time constraints; flexible participation

• Creates an ongoing knowledge repository

• Reduces meeting fatigue

Cons:

• Hard to gauge engagement

• Lacks the real-time connection of discussions

• Contributions can taper off without regular prompts

Hot take: Easy, interesting and in the moment. Test and learn score: 4/5

4. Casual, Time-Boxed Knowledge Shares

Short, informal sessions where anyone can share insights, experiences, or learnings with minimal prep. Having a roster helps keep it going.

Pros:

• Easy to maintain with low commitment

• Encourages diverse contributions

• Builds a sense of community without becoming a burden

Cons:

• Can lack structure or depth

• May require facilitation to keep conversations valuable

• Participation can fluctuate

Hot take: This is a winner! We time ours at the end of the week to combine quick learning with fun connection and "almost the weekend" vibes. Test and learn score: 5/5

By keeping it simple and structured around shared learning, our casual, time boxed check ins have become a routine people actually want to participate in. We've removed the barriers of traditional Communities of Practice while still creating connection and knowledge exchange.