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DoD Corrosion Exchange Working Groups: An Overview

By Thomas Key

DoD Corrosion Exchange (DoDCE) Working Groups, abbreviated here as WG, are extremely flexible, virtual, and collaborative work environments that can be easily tailored to the needs of corrosion exchange members. Any member of the DoDCE may ask to join an existing WG, or create a new one using the Form a Working Group menu item located in the menu section of the General Membership Welcome Page.

Depending on the group needs, the WG may be a formal or informal arrangement-either short-term or long-term

Formal WG are built, operated, and evaluated much like the larger DoDCE communities described in detail in the Planning, Building, and Operating a Community section of the DoD Corrosion Exchange Community of Practice Implementation Guide, Version 2.4, January 2006.

Informal WG may also be short-term or long-term, but these groups usually lack a community structure—meaning, there are no community roles or formal operating procedures and guidelines other than those required for every WG operating on the DoDCE. The Corrosion Prevention and Control Integrated Product Team (CPC IPT) is a good example of an informal, long-term WG. An example of a short-term, informal WG might be one that is dedicated to a specific project with a definite start and end date. All WG operating today on the DoDCE are informal.

To learn more about DoDCE Working Groups, read the Working Group User Guide, Version 2.3, September 2006, that is available via the Member Help tab on the DoDCE.