The need for faster, more flexible and less risky ways for organisations to expand their capabilities and competencies increasingly lead to the formation and proliferation of networking strategies and partners. Understanding the potential contribution that CoP memberhip can provide within these teams is a step towards developing and refining a strategy to support and enhance the speedy progression of the team towards a productive phase.The study shows that membership of researchers to the same or similar CoPs have some impact on the norming stage, and assist in reaching the performing/productive stage faster in team development. The paper also highlights emerging organisational and strategic Best Practices currently prevalent in R & D teams and collaborative projects