© 2006, Etienne Wenger The art of learning together Etienne Wenger Learning for a small planet P.O. Box 810 North San Juan, CA 95960, U.S.A. Phone (530)

© 2006, Etienne Wenger

The art of learning togetherThe art of learning together

Etienne Wenger Learning for a small planet P.O. Box 810 North San Juan, CA 95960, U.S.A. Phone (530) 292-9222 E-mail [email protected] Website: www.ewenger.com



… … a group of practitioners, whoa group of practitioners, who

share similar challengesshare similar challenges

interact regularlyinteract regularly

learn from and with each otherlearn from and with each other

improve their ability to address their improve their ability to address their

challengeschallenges


From support to practiceFrom support to practice

Gaining a voice in research and policyGaining a voice in research and policy

practice and voice practice and voice


To help each solve problemsTo help each solve problems

To hear each other’s stories and avoid To hear each other’s stories and avoid local blindnesslocal blindness

To keep up with changeTo keep up with change

To reflect on their practice and improve itTo reflect on their practice and improve it

To push the boundaries of their fieldTo push the boundaries of their field

To find a voice and gain influenceTo find a voice and gain influence


Quantitative biologists develop a community of practice after an acquisition.They create a common identity, build trust, and develop a shared practice.

They learn to collaborate, avoid repeated tests, pool supply purchases, share equipment--saving frustration, time and money.


Key dimensionsKey dimensions

PracticePracticeCommunityCommunity

DomainDomain

ParticipationParticipationParticipationParticipation

SponsorshipSponsorshipSponsorshipSponsorship

NurturingNurturingNurturingNurturing

SupportSupportSupportSupport

LearningLearningtogethertogetherLearningLearningtogethertogether


At DaimlerChrysler, Tech Clubs cut across formal structures:

At DaimlerChrysler, Tech Clubs cut across formal structures:

They provide the connections that keep the platforms from diverging into islands.

They provide the connections that keep the platforms from diverging into islands.

Large cars

Trucks

Small cars

Minivans

Jeeps

Ad

vanced

Veh

icle En

gineerin

g

Ch

assis

Veh

icle develop

men

t

Interior

Pow

ertrain

Electrical/E

lectronics

Scien

tific Lab

s and

testing grou

nd

s

Bod

y


… two complementary paths to the same vision

CoP

Just when CoPs need a more strategic focus …

Just when the organization focuses on knowledge …

Rio Tinto is designing a new service organisation to focus on excellence in strategic domains

We already have a set of functioning communities of practice in key domains: informal infrastructure

-> some passionate coordinators


Australian Australian Security and Investment CommissionSecurity and Investment Commission

Australian Australian Security and Investment CommissionSecurity and Investment Commission

Seven directoratesSeven directoratesSeven directoratesSeven directorates

Seventeen communities of Seventeen communities of practicepractice

Seventeen communities of Seventeen communities of practicepractice

Execu

tive

Execu

tive

Execu

tive

Execu

tive

Op

era

tion

s

Op

era

tion

s

Op

era

tion

s

Op

era

tion

s

Com

plia

nc

Com

plia

nc

e

e

Com

plia

nc

Com

plia

nc

e

e

Con

su

mer

Con

su

mer

pro

tectio

n

pro

tectio

n

Con

su

mer

Con

su

mer

pro

tectio

n

pro

tectio

n

En

forc

em

eEn

forc

em

en

t n

t En

forc

em

eEn

forc

em

en

t n

t

Fin

an

ce

Fin

an

ce

Fin

an

ce

Fin

an

ce

Reg

ula

tion

Reg

ula

tion

s

s

Reg

ula

tion

Reg

ula

tion

s

s

DerivativesDerivativesDerivativesDerivativesInsuranceInsuranceInsuranceInsurance

InvestigatioInvestigationsns

InvestigatioInvestigationsns

InsolvencyInsolvencyInsolvencyInsolvency

LeadershipLeadershipLeadershipLeadership

Change Change managememanageme

ntnt

Change Change managememanageme

ntntInformationInformation managememanageme

ntnt

InformationInformation managememanageme

ntntASIC ASIC

graduatesgraduatesASIC ASIC

graduatesgraduates

Financial Financial instrument instrument managememanageme

ntnt

Financial Financial instrument instrument managememanageme

ntnt


Municipal cultural planningMunicipal cultural planning

OntarioOntario

leading municipalities leading municipalities

provincial provincial service service

organizationsorganizationsNGOsNGOs

government government departments departments

and agencies and agencies

downtown revitalizationdowntown revitalization

cultural tourismcultural tourism

heritage site preservation heritage site preservation

economic development economic development in local culturein local culture


Key dimensionsKey dimensions

PracticePracticeCommunityCommunity

DomainDomain

ParticipationParticipationParticipationParticipation

SponsorshipSponsorshipSponsorshipSponsorship

NurturingNurturingNurturingNurturing

SupportSupportSupportSupport

LearningLearningtogethertogetherLearningLearningtogethertogether


Each other

Advice Informal

Formal

WithFrom

Outsidesources

Models of practice

Projectreviews

Case clinics

Document sharing

Tool/asset developmen

t

Learningprojects

Hot topicdiscussions

Stories

Localpracticetransfer

VisitsInvited

speaker

Mutual benchmark

External benchmark

Specialized workshops

Broadcast inquiry

Readinggroup

Mentoring

Problem solving

News

Practice fair

Sharedresponse

Learningcollaboration

Trainingsessions

Pointers to resources

Distributedscan

GuestJoint

eventsDocumenting

practice

Expedition

Debatingsolutions


occasional

transactional

peripheral

active

coordinator

core group

lurkers

leaders

sponsors

experts

beginners

alumni

outsiders


Communities of practice are key to the strategy of becoming the knowledge bank.

Communities of practice are key to the strategy of becoming the knowledge bank.

Communities of practice are key to the strategy of becoming the “knowledge bank.”

More than 80 “thematic groups” cut acrossregions andsectors.

Now some communitiesare taking a strategic lead, applying the principles beyond the bank, to organize knowledge among client countries.


Negotiation of

mutual relevance

Negotiation of

mutual relevance

ProviderProvider

RecipientRecipient


For more information,go to

www.ewenger.comEtienne Wenger Learning for a small planet P.O. Box 810 North San Juan, CA 95960, U.S.A. Phone (530) 292-9222 E-mail [email protected] Website: www.ewenger.com


IssueIssue

IssueIssue IssueIssue

What are we about?What are we about?

IssueIssue

domaindomain

issuesissues fluid fluid participationparticipation

enduringenduringcommitmentcommitment

connectionsconnections

bigbigpicturepicture

IssueIssue focusfocus


initial listinitial list

Issue 1Issue 1 Issue 2Issue 2


for our issuefor our issue What are the key questions associated with this What are the key questions associated with this

issue?issue? What kind of knowledge do we need to share to What kind of knowledge do we need to share to

address these questions?address these questions? What knowledge do we have? What knowledge do we not have? Where could we find it?

Who needs to be involved?Who needs to be involved? Everyone? Subgroup? Others?

What kind of activities would help us make What kind of activities would help us make progress in practice?progress in practice?


On a scale of 0 to 4 On a scale of 0 to 4

Community activities

oriented to …

… general ftf meetings

… visits

… specialized ftf workshops

… input from experts

… project teams

… open-ended conversation

… content publishing

… training sessions

… regular videoconferences

© 2006 Wenger


Indicators of successIndicators of success

Where do we see ourselves …Where do we see ourselves …

… … in 6 monthsin 6 months




Who is going to do what ?Who is going to do what ?

By when?By when?

What resources are needed?What resources are needed?


on our workshopon our workshop

What did I expect?What did I expect?

What happened?What happened?

What did I learn? What did I learn?

What are my hopes now?What are my hopes now?


For more information,go to

www.ewenger.comEtienne Wenger Learning for a small planet P.O. Box 810 North San Juan, CA 95960, U.S.A. Phone (530) 292-9222 E-mail [email protected] Website: www.ewenger.com

Documents

© 2006, Etienne Wenger The art of learning together Etienne Wenger Learning for a small planet P.O. Box 810 North San Juan, CA 95960, U.S.A. Phone (530)