By Janae Langreck, MA
Every community manager remembers their first truly unfamiliar situation: the dispute nobody trained you for, the financial report whose implications aren’t immediately clear, responding to an unexpected maintenance item. CAMICB is developing a resource built for exactly those moments.
The Body of Knowledge (BOK – working title) is a comprehensive reference for CMCAs, written especially for early-career managers who want practical, real-world guidance they can consult on the job. Built on the CMCA content outline, it complements CAI’s educational resources by clarifying the knowledge and competencies expected of a CMCA-level manager and showing how effective practices play out in real situations.
Because it’s drafted around the CMCA exam content outline, it does double duty. It’s a study companion for those preparing for the credential and a reference guide to keep within reach afterward. It will also strengthen the source content behind the CMCA examination itself.
Where the project stands
The BOK team has just completed second drafts. Next comes final editing and work to weave in additional international perspectives, while design begins at the same time. The goal is an official launch at the 2027 CAI annual event, CommUNITY: CAI World Conference & Expo,
May 5-8.
Built by the people who do the work
The BOK grew out of a board-approved initiative and a two-year effort by volunteers from across the profession.
A Steering Committee of highly experienced subject matter experts guides the project. It includes managers, developers, and attorneys, many of them recognized leaders in the field and several of them past CAI presidents. The Steering Committee confirmed the project’s principles and content framework, and helped reconcile differing views of “standard practice” where they arose.
Content creators, often working in small teams, wrote the guide in topical sections, that reflect the CMCA exam domains. Most contributors are practicing managers, and all hold a CMCA, AMS, and/or PCAM. A handful of business partners from insurance, development, banking, and law, plus a CMCA who is also a board member, round out the group, so the guide reflects the perspectives managers encounter every day.
Tested by early-career managers
Once first drafts were in, a team of peer reviewers checked each section against the CMCA content outline and for effective practice, and their notes shaped the second drafts. Since the BOK is written for managers in their first years on the job, those managers’ feedback was essential. The 20 reviewers represent every career stage:
- Six managers with 1-3 years of experience
- Five with 4-7 years
- Five with 8-14 years
- Four with 15 or more years
Reviewers came from at least 22 U.S. states, along with the UAE, South Africa, and Australia. The team will keep working with these international reviewers to add global perspective to the final publication.
The Steering Committee and Board will soon finalize a formal title for the BOK. Watch camicb.org for updates as the BOK moves toward its 2027 debut.
Janae Langreck is CAMICB’s Project and Volunteer Manager.
