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.
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 collaboration with Systems Engineering'
Explores how systems thinking frameworks apply to the complexities of modern program management — tackling interdependencies, feedback loops, and emergent behavior in large-scale initiatives. The sessions are designed to bridge the gap between Project/Program Managers and Systems Engineers by examining collaboration models, communication practices, and integrated delivery approaches across the program lifecycle.
Format: Instructional webinar followed by facilitated group discussion
*Upcoming Session: The next monthly PM-SE Integration community meeting is set for April 15, 2026.
Session: “Fundamentals and Application of Systems Thinking in Project Management" — April 23, 2025
Session: "Program and Project Management Collaboration with Systems Engineering — A PMIWDC Community of Practice, Session 1" — June 25, 2025
Session: "Tackling Complex Problems Through Systems Thinking" — July 9, 2025
Session: "Program and Project Management Collaboration with Systems Engineering — A PMIWDC Community of Practice, Session 1" — July 23, 2025
Session: “Navigating uncertainty through systems thinking”—July 29, 2025
Session: “Program and Project Management Collaboration with System Engineering-A
PMIWDC Community of Practice-Session 3”—September 10, 2025
Registration information: Coming soon!
AI in Program Management (AIPM)
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
Interest Event: Thursday, April 30, 2026 · Northeastern University, Arlington, VA
Address: 1300 17th Street North, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22209
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.