Community of Practice (CoP)
A flagship initiative of PMIWDC's Professional Development division, the Community of Practice program has been connecting members through collaborative learning, shared expertise, and real-world application across disciplines.
What is a Community of Practice?
A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a concern or passion for something they do — and learn how to do it better through regular interaction. It is more than a study group or a meeting series; it is a living network of practitioners committed to collective growth.
PMIWDC's CoP Program brings this concept to life across our diverse, multi-disciplinary, multi-generational membership. Each CoP focuses on a distinct professional domain, offering members structured webinars, facilitated discussions, problem-solving sessions, and peer mentoring.
Communities of practice are an important professional learning strategy because they connect people, provide a shared context for information exchange, stimulate ongoing learning, and help practitioners improve through exposure to common challenges and best practices.
Because PMIWDC draws members from across geographic regions and career stages, CoPs are designed with structured opportunities for participants to connect meaningfully — whether in person or virtually.
Three Defining Characteristics of Community of Practice
Domain
The defined area of shared interest that gives the community its identity, focus, and purpose — attracting practitioners with common goals.
Community
A cohort of practitioners who engage through joint activities, discussions, problem-solving, and relationship building. Members are actual doers in the field.
Practice
A shared repertoire of resources, tools, experiences, and approaches that members continuously develop and refine together over time.
Why Join A Community Of Practice?
Communities of Practice offer outcomes that traditional training and certification programs alone cannot replicate.
Peer Learning
Learn from professionals at different career stages and disciplines. CoPs create dialogue that textbooks and lectures cannot — authentic, experience-driven insight shared between practitioners.
Real-World Application
Bridge theory and practice. Members apply knowledge to genuine professional challenges, developing problem-solving capabilities that translate directly to their work.
Expanded Professional Network
Grow your professional connections across organizations, sectors, and career stages within the PMIWDC community. Relationships built in a CoP often define careers.
Continuous Professional Growth
Participate in an iterative learning environment that evolves with its members. Each session builds on the last, creating compounding professional development over time.
If you have insights that can help project professionals drive innovation and deliver successful outcomes in a rapidly changing environment, we encourage you to apply for the submission for the AI CoP Call for Speaker.
We are a community of practitioners and want to hear from those with hands-on experience, not product pitches. If you have used AI on a project, led AI adoption in your organization, or have a perspective on the profession's future, we welcome your proposal.
Thank you !
Call for Speakers for Community of Practice Meetings - Fall 2026
Today’s project professionals aren’t just delivering outcomes; they’re architects of the future. They envision possibilities, design transformative solutions, and lead complex initiatives that drive real impact across industries. As AI reshapes the profession, project managers are at the forefront: translating technology into outcomes, guiding organizations through change, and ensuring AI is adopted responsibly.
Communities of Practice connect professionals, facilitate information exchange, support ongoing learning, and help practitioners address common challenges and adopt best practices.
The PMI WDC chapter brings together professionals from government, technology, healthcare, consulting, finance, and other sectors to explore how we:
Innovate with purpose
Deliver measurable value
Lead organizations into the future
ACTIVE COMMUNITIES
Explore our current and forthcoming Communities of Practice. New domains are added as interest grows across the PMIWDC membership.
Project and Program Management and Systems Engineering Collaboration Community of Practice (PM-SE CoP)
Use this paragraph to describe what you do. This is a great place to let your visitors.
The PMI Washington DC (PMIWDC) chapter invites you to join the "Project Management and Systems Engineering (PM-SE) Collaboration" Community of Practice (CoP). This initiative is designed to enhance collaboration, align PM and SE disciplines, and minimize tensions to ensure overall project and program success. 'Systems Thinking in Project Management’ has merged with this one to form a unified initiative. You can join the CoP for free and earn Professional Development Units (PDUs)
Format: Instructional webinar followed by facilitated group discussion
Session:
PM-SE Working Group Monthly Meetings. You can join the monthly working group community meetings to receive status updates, contribute to ongoing activities, and support the collective momentum we’ve built in this joint effort between INCOSE, PMI, and DSM.
The monthly PM-SE Integration Working Group community meetings are scheduled on the 4th Wednesday of each month. This is a joint effort of INCOSE, PMI, and DSM to share status updates, contribute to ongoing activities, and support the collective momentum.
AI in Program Management (AIPM)
Use this paragraph to describe what you do. This is a great place to let your visitors.
This CoP, designed for PMIWDC members, is an in-person forum focused on AI in project management. It will focus on tools and resources for preparing for the CPMAI Certification, explore AI's growing role in the profession, and provide dedicated time for professional networking. Whether you are new to AI or an experienced professional in this area, this CoP provides a welcoming space for everyone interested in the intersection of AI and project management. CPMAI examines the growing role of artificial intelligence in project and program delivery — including AI tooling, the CPMAI certification pathway, prompt engineering for project managers, and responsible AI adoption in organizational contexts.
Format: Hybrid — in-person meetup events and virtual sessions
Upcoming Meeting Date: August 6, 2026
Register Now to secure your spot!
HOW OUR CoPs WORK
Each community follows a proven five-step framework — from domain definition through continuous improvement.
| Step 1 | Define the Domain & Recruit Moderators PMIWDC identifies a professional domain with sufficient member interest, then selects knowledgeable moderators with deep expertise who can guide discussions, organize sessions, and support participants throughout the lifecycle of the CoP. |
| Step 2 | Develop the Syllabus & Resource Plan A structured syllabus is developed in collaboration with subject matter experts, outlining webinar topics, discussion themes, curated resources, and a session timeline. Resource requirements — including speakers, materials, and platforms — are identified in advance. |
| Step 3 | Enlist Core Participants & Market to Membership A core group of committed practitioners is recruited first to seed early discussions and establish community norms. The CoP is then opened to the broader PMIWDC membership through chapter communications and targeted outreach. |
| Step 4 | Convene CoP Sessions Sessions blend instructional webinars with facilitated group discussions. Formats vary by CoP — some meet virtually, some in person, and many use a hybrid approach. All sessions are anchored in experiential learning principles that connect theory to real-world practice. |
| Step 5 | Collect Feedback & Evolve Structured feedback is gathered after each session. The CoP team uses this input to refine topics, improve facilitation, and adapt the community to member needs — ensuring the CoP remains relevant and genuinely valuable over time. |
COP ROLES & LEADERSHIP
A clear leadership structure ensures each CoP remains organized, purposeful, and responsive to its members.
LEADERSHIP
CoP Chair / Community Manager
Provides strategic direction and ensures the CoP remains active and focused. The Chair convenes the Steering Committee, delegates operational tasks, chairs sessions, and makes key decisions about the community's direction. Deep technical knowledge in the domain is essential. Chairs may serve rotating terms of two to three years.GOVERNANCE
Steering Committee
A small group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and technical expertise who work closely with the Chair to plan sessions, determine the direction of discussions, and identify guest speakers. The Steering Committee ensures smooth operations and brings domain credibility to the community.FACILITATION
Online Community Facilitator
Manages the digital platform — adding new members, moderating discussions, handling platform issues, and maintaining an active communication channel between scheduled sessions. Essential for CoPs with robust asynchronous engagement between meetings.MEMBERSHIP
Members
The heart of every CoP. Members are practitioners who actively share lessons learned, best practices, and professional experiences. They attend sessions, engage with resources, and contribute to the collective knowledge base. All PMIWDC members in good standing are eligible to join any active CoP.LEARNING PHILOSOPHY
Core Experiential Learning Principles
Direct Experience & Reflection
Each session encourages active engagement followed by structured reflection — turning lived experience into transferable professional knowledge.
Real-World Application
Theoretical frameworks are connected to authentic professional challenges, enhancing problem-solving capacity and practical impact.
Community Building & Collaboration
Members share knowledge, experiences, and insights in a supportive environment where all participants are practitioners with common interests.
Iterative Process
Learning compounds across sessions. Members engage, reflect, apply, and return with new experience to contribute to the community.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Real-world challenges are brought into the forum, requiring members to think critically and collaborate on solutions together.
Best Practices for Communities of Practice
The following principles guide the design and operation of successful CoPs at PMIWDC and reflect established knowledge management best practices.
A. Establishing your CoP
• Have a clear purpose: Define the community's goals and value statement to attract and retain members.
• Focus on a specific topic: Keep members motivated by choosing a domain that is not too broad to sustain meaningful conversation.
• Communicate expectations: Share the community's norms, meeting cadence, and participation expectations with all members at the outset.
• Measure success: Establish metrics at the beginning to assess the community's impact and guide continuous improvement.
B. Running a healthy CoP
• Promote participation: Actively encourage members to contribute, ask questions, and build relationships — especially in the early sessions.
• Share resources: Develop and distribute tools, templates, and reference materials that strengthen members' practice between sessions.
• Provide professional development: Promote peer mentoring and ongoing learning as a core program benefit.
• Share success stories: Highlight case studies and real-world examples from members to demonstrate the community's value and inspire ongoing participation.
• Provide networking opportunities: Create structured time for members to connect across organizations, disciplines, and career levels.