The purpose of this
two-week
forum is to bring novices as well as veterans together to share
experiences and lessons learned in measuring the value and success of
virtual communities of practice (CoPs) for global health.
Number of participants: 371
Number of participants' countries: 56
Number of contributions: 142
% of contributions from developing countries: 28%
Number of countries contributing: 11
Contributing countries:
United Kingdom (4), Nigeria, Canada, Nepal (3), USA (8), Switzerland (3), France, Kenya, Belgium, Mauritana, UgandaPurpose:
Objectives
Questions:
Day 1 Summary:
Today we received 7 contributions from Canada, Nepal, Nigeria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Our contributors noted that success means reaching a large number of participants with key information, that discussion threads are clear and easily understood, and that it generates debate that is provocative, interesting and stimulating. Another measure of success for an organizer would be if the CoP encourages participants to discover new ways to tackle problems and to foster sustainable partnerships between participants and organizations.Question:
Day 2 Summary:
We received a total of 10 contributions from the US, France, Kenya, Belgium, Nepal, Mauritania, and Switzerland. Participants agreed that success should be defined before the community is launched or at least at the very beginning of forming the community. In addition, success should be informed by the community’s membership and an understanding of its needs. A number of other contributors noted the importance of usage statistics, such as “number of members, contributions, settings represented, organizations linked to those members (if they belong to NGOs and start to involve more colleagues or if they bring in institutional collaborations),” and outputs achieved by the community.Question:
Day 3 Summary:
We've received 5 contributions from the UK, Uganda, the US, and Nepal. Participants discuss different ways that they measure knowledge sharing. Participants agree that it is important to focus on specific deliverables and set targets at the outset and that both quantitative and qualitative methods are needed to measure success. Several participants noted that knowledge sharing in not an important enough goal in and of itself for a CoP. Overall, everyone agrees that measurement is a complex topic.Question:
Day 4 Summary:
We received one comment in which Jude Griffin discussed the unexpected outcomes as a result of her involvement in CoPs over the years.Question:
Day 5 Summary:
There are many different methodologies for facilitating CoPs, and there are also many different approaches to 'capturing' the experience and expertise of participants, and using this to further promote understanding and further dialogue. Guest expert, Dr. Neil Pakenham-Walsh describes the methods that HIFA-2015 is using.Question:
Day 6 Summary:
This digest reflects on key literature regarding what has been learned on the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of CoPs. Researchers tend to agree that M&E should seek to improve performance, impact, and knowledge sharing. Additionally, many feel it is important to know why and how to measure outputs and outcomes prior to designing an M&E plan. Authors also believe it is important to go beyond basic statistics in order to better understand whether or how knowledge was transferred or acquired by the user.Number of surveys completed 24
% who have passed content to others 64%
% who have or will use in their work 32%
% very satisfied with forum content 60%
Suggestions for improvement :
Click here for related resources and references in the community library
Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs/K4Health Project; World Health Organization/Department of Reproductive Health and Research; IBP Knowledge Gateway; and the US Agency for International Development, in collaboration with members of the IBP Knowledge Management Working Group, Management Sciences for Health, EngenderHealth/RESPOND Project, the Global Alliance for Nursing and Midwifery and Health Information for all by 2015 (HIFA 2015)
Dr. Patricia Abbott, Co-Director, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center on Nursing Knowledge Management at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Lisette Bernal-Cruz, Knowledge Management Coordinator for the RESPOND project at EngenderHealth
Peggy D’Adamo, Knowledge Management/IT Advisor at USAID
Jude Griffin, Team Leader, Knowledge Exchange, at Management Sciences for Health
Dr. Sandra Land, retired consultant, WHO/GANM
Lisa Mwaikambo, e-Learning Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs/K4Health Project
Kavitha Nallathambi, Communications Specialist at Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs/K4Health Project
Dr. Neil Pakenham-Walsh, Co-Director, Global Healthcare Information Network, Coordinator, HIFA2015
Ashley Spence, Communications Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs/K4Health Project
Maggie Usher-Patel, Scientist at WHO/RHR and IBP Secretariat
Ashley Isabelle Spence, JHU/CCP