Finding Broken Circuits: Designing and Testing a Tool for Evaluating Internal Processes of Communities of Practice

Abstract

A well-functioning internal circuitry contributes to the effectiveness and durability of communities of practice. Information about the state of this circuitry could be useful to managers and facilitators of communities, yet there is no empirically tested tool for this. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a practical design-based research project aimed at developing an empirically tested tool for evaluating the factors that affect the internal circuitry of communities of practice. The tool designed was a quantitative survey based on a conceptual framework grounded in community of practice theory as well as theory from knowledge management, human resource development and workplace learning. Testing of the tool took place in four purposefully organized communities. The initial conclusion is that the tool is effectively designed and ready to be applied in practice for the evaluation and monitoring of internal processes of CoPs. The tool might also be used as a guide when organizing CoPs. Limitations are related to the lack of testing in regards to content and construct validity and the small sample size.