Join or Create a Community of Practice
Are you interested in learning from peers and sharing your expertise on technology-related topics? Do you want to stay updated on the latest industry trends and best practices? If so, you might want to join or create a Community of Practice (CoP) at Northwestern.
These communities are groups of people who share a common interest or passion for a topic and collaborate regularly to exchange ideas, experiences, and solutions. Groups are often open to anyone in the University community who wants to participate, regardless of their role, department, or skill level.
At Northwestern, several active communities focus on areas such as cloud computing, information security, educational technology, collaboration tools, and more. Groups can meet online or in person to discuss current challenges, best practices, new developments, and emerging opportunities in respective fields. They also provide a platform for networking, mentoring, and professional development.
Below is a list of the current communities and contact information to get you started:
- Cloud: Contact Matthew Rich
- CrowdStrike: Contact the Information Security Office
- Educational Technology Fellows: Learn more about this group
- Generative Artificial Intelligence: Contact Victoria Getis
- Microsoft 365: Contact Dave Christensen
- Splunk: Contact Frank Wayne
- TalkDesk: Contact Kathi Dal Santo
- Tenable: Contact the Information Security Office
If you want to join any of these communities, contact the organizers and ask to be added to their mailing list or invited to the next meeting. You can also learn more about University-wide groups by visiting the Communities of Practice page on the Northwestern IT website.
Start a Community of Practice
If you are passionate about a topic and want to create a new community of practice, Northwestern IT can help. Creating and building a community is not formulaic; it is an organic process unique to each group. Because of this, Northwestern does not have a single method for creating a community. You will need to define your community’s scope, purpose, and audience and communicate it clearly to potential members.
Anyone interested in creating a Community of Practice can request a consultation with the Northwestern IT Service Desk at consultant@northwestern.edu.