Collaboration Futures: Reflections from the Dgroups Foundation Knowledge and Learning Exchange 2025
In late 2025, the Dgroups Foundation hosted a virtual Knowledge and Learning Exchange with practitioners to reflect on online collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community practice. The session was co-hosted by Dgroups Foundation Associates Jessica Ball and Pier Andrea Pirani, with contributions from Rocío Sanz, Davide Piga, Simon Hearn, and Ivan Piseta, alongside participants joining from …
From data collection to shared learning: MEL systems that bridge research and practice
Our work on MEL tools and approaches with several IDRC research for development programmes was featured in a presentation at the KM Triversary Forum on “From Data Collection to Shared Learning: Designing MEL Systems that Serve Both Research and Practice.” The session explored how Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems can move beyond compliance and …
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Dgroups Foundation Knowledge and Learning Exchange 2025 – Collaboration Futures: Strengthening online communities and practices
The Dgroups Foundation Knowledge and Learning Exchange 2025 will take place online on Thursday 20 November from 14:00 to 15:30 CET (13:00-14:30 UTC). This 90-minute interactive session will bring together online facilitators, knowledge managers, and practitioners from across international development, humanitarian, and social justice networks to explore how online collaboration can become more effective and …
Bridging Communities and content: Dgroups Foundation at the KM Triversary Forum
At the recent KM Triversary Forum (14-15 October 2025), we delivered a presentation together with IDRC colleagues on our experiences in building and supporting a KM and collaboration platform for the CLimate Adaptation and REsilience (CLARE) programme. The presentation, “Bridging Communities and Content: Integrated KM for Climate Research Collaboration”, showcased how the Dgroups Foundation supported …
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How we collaborate online: Insights from a Dgroups Foundation survey
As digital collaboration continues to evolve, in late 2024, the Dgroups Foundation conducted a short online survey to better understand how professionals across the development and humanitarian sectors are engaging, sharing, and working together online. Here we summarize what we heard from the 43 respondents from a wide range of organizations – including INGOs, UN …
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D4Ag: Driving dialogue and knowledge exchange in digital agriculture
This post draws from an interview conducted by Dgroups Associate Jessica Ball with Giacomo Rambaldi, an experienced facilitator of online communities of practice. A long-time supporter of the Dgroups Foundation, Giacomo previously served on its Board while working with CTA. He is now one of the lead moderators of the D4Ag online community, a thriving …
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Integrating MEL systems with knowledge management platforms
Over the past 18 months, we’ve seen a growing demand from partners to integrate support for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) alongside their Knowledge Management (KM) platforms. In this post, we share insights from two recent projects where we developed monitoring systems for the CLARE and AQUADAPT initiatives. Key requirements, commonalities, and unique needs The …
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Mapping success together: How a card game helped AQUADAPT projects define success
Throughout 2024, the Dgroups Foundation has been partnering with AQUADAPT (Nature-based Climate Solutions in Aquaculture in Asia-Pacific) on the scoping and design of a knowledge management platform that fosters peer learning, interaction across projects, and streamlined monitoring data collection and analysis. As part of an extensive user-needs consultation, Dgroups Associate Jessica Ball was invited to …
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Practical steps for engaging communities of practice
There are numerous resources and guidance available online on Community of Practice (CoP) engagement planning. For instance, the World Bank’s Community of Practice Toolkit offers practical tools for designing, developing, and managing impactful CoPs. This resource includes articles, worksheets, templates, and other materials to support community leaders. Similarly, USAID’s Guide on Supporting Communities of Practice …
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Online collaboration use cases in-depth – a talk show
As part of a recent virtual discussion around online collaboration use cases, Saskia Harmsen hosted a talk show in which five Dgroups Foundation partners introduced their groups as examples of different collaboration use cases encountered online. IFAD Innovation Network Gladys Morales presented the IFAD innovation network as an example of using online groups to discuss an issue in …
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