Introduction
Discover how to create and manage successful peer networks and Communities of Practice using our handy canvas, perfect for both individuals and groups.
- Are you part of a peer network or network of practice, or do you aspire to set one up?
- Do you recognise the positive social impact you can have when individuals with practice-related goals work together?
- When they share, learn and grow together?
- Have you faced challenges of getting hundreds or thousands of individuals to contribute, share and lead in a distributed network setting?
- Do you understand the potential of peer networks or online communities, but don’t know how to scale and invigorate them?
If so, The Network Building Canvas is for you.
It’s a practical guide for setting up a successful peer network or getting an existing one to flourish.
It has been tested with network and community managers and membership-based organisations and start-ups. And it can be used at any time to explore network building ideas.
With this resource you’ll be able to:
- Create a community of practise or peer network
- Build and grow a membership based community
- Bring people together in an engaging and meaningful way
- Understand and explore what makes a network successful
Get Started
The Network Building Canvas and Prompt Cards are designed to help you, your team or your organisation design your network for maximum impact. Here are some tips for completing them:
- Download the Canvas and accompanying Prompt Cards.
- Feel free to doodle and scribble on the canvas. You could also print this out on large A3 or A2 paper for large for groups of people to stick post-its on (that’s what we like to do!)
- Start with your identity and shared purpose, then move around the canvas and answer as many of the accompanying prompt card questions as you can.
- You can do it alone, but it’s better with friends! We suggest you review the questions first, identify the colleagues, partners and collaborators who can help you answer them and facilitate discussions with them.
- Don’t worry if the answers don’t all come at once. There are some deep questions about values and control, for example, and opinions may differ. Reaching a consensus on these things will be key so it’s worth taking the time to achieve it. We can help with that.