Communities of Practice (CoP) terms of participation

By participating in a CxCOE (Constituent Experience Center of Excellence) Community of Practice (CoP), you agree to follow these guidelines.

In the Communities of Practice, people in similar roles come together to share knowledge, experiences, and challenges. We offer CoPs so members can continuously learn and in turn, improve experiences for constituents.

Our goal is to create a respectful, supportive learning environment where accessibility and inclusion are part of everything we do. 

These terms of participation help us maintain that environment. If you do not follow these guidelines, you may be removed from the community. 
 

Community expectations

We are building professional communities. We value collaboration, respect, and shared purpose. 

Please: 

1. Uphold our community norms. Engage with curiosity and professionalism. Support a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
2. Stay on topic. Keep discussions focused on the purpose of the community.
3. Remain nonpartisan. CoPs are not spaces for political advocacy or personal opinions about public policy.
4. Avoid conflicts of interest. CoPs are for learning and collaboration, not procurement or business. Partners or vendors who join a CoP will not get better or worse treatment in any state contracting or procurement process.
5. Avoid self-promotion. Do not advertise, sell, or solicit products or services among CoP members.
6. Be kind and inclusive. Treat all participants with respect and care. Do not use CoP spaces to criticize individuals or engage in personal attacks. Help create a space where everyone feels welcome and able to participate.
7. No spam. Avoid spam or excessive posting. Be considerate in how often and where you share messages.
8. Respect moderation. Community moderators may delete posts or remove participants who violate these guidelines or disrupt the group environment. 

Privacy and transparency

To help protect participants and comply with Massachusetts law, please keep the following in mind when participating in CoPs. 

Public record obligations

• CoP communications are subject to public records requests. Information shared in CoPs may be disclosed if required by law
• The Commonwealth will remove personal information whenever legally permissible. Relevant public records laws include M.G.L. chapter 66, §10 and M.G.L. chapter 4, §7, clause 26

Recordings and meeting materials

• Some meetings may be recorded for training or knowledge-sharing. We’ll always let you know in advance. If you don’t want to be in a recording, it’s fine to turn off your video
• All materials shared within CoPs are the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and may be used or shared to support CoP goals. This includes presentations, chat messages, and other contributions

Protecting personal information

• If you share data from research or user studies, remove any personally identifying information before posting
• Do not share sensitive information about constituents, partners, or colleagues

About Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice are supported by Massachusetts Digital Service. Mass Digital is part of the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS).

Together, we work to improve digital services across the Commonwealth. Communities of practice support agencies in delivering accessible, human-centered experiences.

Last updated:	February 10, 2026