Understood correctly, communities of practice are therefore not just
web sites, databases and sets of best practices, although these constitute
the means by which the members interact. Rather, a community of practice
consists of members exchanging knowledge, and in the process they build
relationships and develop a sense of belonging and mutual commitment. To
some extent, a community of practice also helps develop a homogeneous
vision and common approach to solving problems, attaining a desired
objective, or designing a product. The members of a community have their
individual official and unofficial roles, they create reputations for themselves,
and they acquire status and spheres of influence as they actively participate in interactions. The communities of practice may therefore be viewed as
social entities in which views are ventilated and shared and where conflicts
and disagreements can sometimes appear but mechanisms are available to
handle tensions when required.