Communication Pattern Analysis in Communities of Practice

Currently, it is very hard for communities of practice to select and configure appropriate communication services, since their communicative requirements are hard to specify using technology-focused web service modelling and specification approaches. We outline the communication analysis-stage of a proposed methodology for communication service specification in such communities. Communication patterns modelled with the Extended Workflow Loop (XWL) formalism can be the basis for such analysis. These patterns define the communicative workflows and norms that describe acceptable and desired communicative interactions within a community. The ideas are illustrated by applying them to ePortfolio communities.