Exercise: Democratize Tribal Knowledge Using Copilot Spaces

[github-actions]

Democratize Tribal Knowledge Using Copilot Spaces

👋 Hey there @derrick-roach! Welcome to your Skills exercise!

Use Copilot Spaces to share, update, and add content for a central knowledge base

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✨ This is an interactive, hands-on GitHub Skills exercise!

As you complete each step, I’ll leave updates in the comments:

• ✅ Check your work and guide you forward
• 💡 Share helpful tips and resources
• 🚀 Celebrate your progress and completion

Let’s get started - good luck and have fun!

_{— Mona}

[github-actions]

Step 1: Create and prime your Copilot Space

In this step you will establish a Copilot Space and give it the minimum context it needs to act as a project management knowledge hub for OctoAcme.

What you will do now

1. Create a new Copilot Space (this is the container for all subsequent conversations).
2. Add high‑level Instructions (purpose, where process docs live, why the Space exists).
3. Attach (add as a Source) your cloned exercise repository so Copilot can index docs/ and issue templates.
4. Confirm the repository finishes indexing (appears in Sources).
5. Start a conversation in the Space to generate an issue that will track creating a README summarizing OctoAcme project management processes and linking every document in docs/.

Copilot usage requirements (apply to every conversation here)

• Model: GPT-4.1
• For pull request draft generation: include the phrase Using the github-coding-agent tool in your prompt (PR drafts use the GHCP coding agent).
• Keep prompts explicit about desired outputs (issues, summaries, links).

Readiness checklist before proceeding

• You can access https://github.com/copilot/spaces
• You have (or will fork) the exercise repository
• You know your GitHub handle to build the repository URL

Proceed to the activities below to execute each action.

Use Copilot Spaces

Important

In all conversations with Copilot Spaces, always be aware of the following:
Use the GPT-4.1 model
Pull request drafts utilizes GHCP coding agent, therefore your prompt should contain Using the github-coding-agent tool

⌨️ Activity: Create your OctoAcme Project Management Hub Copilot Space

1. Navigate to GitHub Copilot Spaces https://github.com/copilot/spaces (ensure you have access to this feature)
2. Click Create Space button
3. Name your Space:

   OctoAcme Project Management Hub
   

4. Click Save

Add a description:

Centralizing and democratizing project management knowledge for the OctoAcme organization    

⌨️ Activity: Add instructions to your Copilot Space

• In your newly created Copilot Space, look for the Instructions button

• Add the following instructions to provide context about the repository and its purpose
  

  

• Click Save

  ## Program process documents
  
  - Stored in `docs/`
  
  ### Purpose of this Copilot Space
  
  - Centralize scattered project management knowledge in Copilot Spaces
  - Convert tacit tribal insights into searchable, versioned artifacts
  - Give all team members equal access to processes, decisions, and rationale
  - Connect a repository as a structured knowledge source
  - Extract, refine, and standardize workflows collaboratively
  - Feed validated improvements back into living documentation
  - Accelerate onboarding and reduce single-person dependency risk
  - Enable consistent, repeatable project execution
  
  ## Issue templates for program process documents
  
  - Stored in `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`

⌨️ Activity: Add your cloned repository as a source repository to your Copilot Space

1. In your newly created Copilot Space, look for Add sources button

2. Add this exercise repository as a source:

   • Copy and paste your GitHub repository for this exercise called out below.

   • You can also type the name in the search and it will come up as well.

     derrick-roach/using-copilot-spaces
     

   • This gives Copilot access to the project management documentation and processes in the repository

3. Select the docs and the .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE folders

4. Verify the repository appears in your sources list

   

⌨️ Activity: Create an issue in the repository for a README for OctoAcme Project Management Docs

Important

Use the GPT-4.1 model for all conversations with Copilot Spaces.

• Open your Copilot Space you created above. https://github.com/copilot/spaces

• In the conversation interface prompt the following:

  

  Create an issue in the repository derrick-roach/using-copilot-spaces for a README for OctoAcme Project Management Docs
  that has links to all the docs in the docs folder.
  - The README should also contain a brief summary of the project management processes used by OctoAcme.
  - Make sure README, project management processes summary, and links are in the title of the issue.
  

You can then add this issue to your repository by clicking the Create button.

You can copy or open the link in a new tab to see the newly created issue

Having trouble? 🤷

• Make sure you have access to GitHub Copilot Spaces (currently in beta/limited access)
• The repository should be publicly accessible for Copilot to index it
• If you can't access Copilot Spaces, you can continue by manually exploring the repository structure and documentation
• Repository indexing can take seconds to minutes depending on size

[github-actions]

Please, follow the steps above.
I'll watch your progress in the background to provide feedback. 🧐