Social networks are emerging as a powerful tool in a variety of Internet and Intranet domains. Social networking web sites are a popular destination for teenage social groups (Myspace), online dating (Tickle), and business networking (Ryze). A less well-known application is the Community of Practice (CoP). These networks are groups of people with common professional interests who are linked with the intention to enhance their professional practice related to these interests. CoP are often supported through a company Intranet and can be very effective in linking geographically dispersed professionals within an organization. By providing a venue for engagement of like-minded professionals who can communicate, share best practices, and in some cases collaborate on specific activities, CoP can significantly increase the productivity of knowledge workers. Usability is essential to overcome limitations due to participant unfamiliarity with each other, geographic dispersion, the importance of context in the application of knowledge, the asynchronicity of the communication, and the challenges of reputation management in the workplace.
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