KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENTAS A DOUGHNUT

SHAPING YOUR KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

ETIENNE WENGER

PRESENTED BYBRANDON CARTER, ROBB LEVIN, BOB TRAVIS

AND HOMER J. SIMPSON

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT?

• IT IS NOT A “TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONALASSET” OR INFORMATION

• EXCHANGING AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF A COMMUNITY– KNOWLEDGE FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE IS WHAT OUR

HUMAN COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCUMULATED OVER TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AND ACT EFFECTIVELY IN IT

• KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IS PRIMARILY THE BUSINESS OF THOSE WHO ACTUALLY MAKE THE DOUGH -- THE PRACTITIONERS.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITYOF PRACTICE?

“COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ARE GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO DO, AND WHO INTERACT REGULARLY IN ORDER TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT BETTER”

Strategy

Performance

Communities

Practices

Domains

Sharing

Learning

Stewarding

Strategy

Performance

Domains

DOMAINS: YOU NEED KNOWLEDGE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT

EVERY ORGANIZATION EXISTS TO ACHIEVE SOME GOAL.

• THE FIRST STEP IS TO TRANSLATE THE STRATEGY OF THE ORGANIZATION INTO A SET OF DOMAINS.

• A DOMAIN BREAKS DOWN THE PROBLEMS INTO CHUNKS THAT ARE MANAGEABLE BY THOSE WHO SHOULD BE MANAGING KNOWLEDGE, THE PRACTITIONERS.

Strategy

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Communities

Domains

COMMUNITIES: YOU NEED PEOPLE TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE

FIND THE PRACTITIONERS WHO CAN FORM A COMMUNITY THAT CAN TAKE CARE OFF THE KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR DOMAIN.

• COMPANY-WIDE COMMUNITIES LEARNING AVAILABLE TO ALL CONCERNED.

• THEY MAKE SURE THAT THE LEARNING FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONSWITHIN AND BEYOND THE ORGANIZATION IS SYNTHESIZED AND INTEGRATED, THEN REMEMBERED AND DISTRIBUTED.

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PRACTICE: YOU NEED EXPERIENCE TO PRODUCE USABLE KNOWLEDGE

• ENGAGE PRACTITIONERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR PRACTICE

• WHAT WILL BE PRODUCTIVE IS SPECIFIC TO EACH PRACTICE

• FEW THINGS ENERGIZE A COMMUNITY OF PRACTITIONERS MORE THAN GETTING INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE PRACTICE.

LEARNING: PRACTICES REVISITED:WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

• PRACTITIONERS LEARN CONSTANTLY ON THE JOB.

• THEY INVENT SOLUTIONS, REFINE SKILLS, AND LEARN FROM MISTAKES.

• THIS LEARNING NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED INTO

REFINED PRACTICES.

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SHARING: COMMUNITIES REVISITED:WHO SHOULD KNOW THIS?

• PROJECT-SPECIFIC LEARNING SHOULD NOT REMAIN LOCAL OR INCIDENTAL.

• PRACTITIONERS CANNOT BE KNOWLEDGE MANAGERS BY THEMSELVES.

• THE VOICE OF THE PRACTITIONER LENDS CREDIBILITY TO KNOWLEDGE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

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STEWARDING: DOMAINS REVISITED:WHERE DO WE GO NOW?

• THINK ABOUT KNOWLEDGE STRATEGICALLY.

• WATCH FOR GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPACT WORK AND PLAN TO GET IT.

• DUAL FOCUS ON KNOWLEDGE AND WORK GIVES A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.

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ROLLING THE DOUGHNUT:STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

• KNOWLEDGE IS THE PROPERTY OF THE PRACTITIONERS.

• MANAGEMENT’S ROLE IS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE MANAGERS OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

• COMBINED BOTTOM-UP ENTHUSIASM AND TOP-DOWN ENCOURAGEMENT MAKE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COPS.

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ENABLING STRUCTURES

SPONSORSHIP:– MANAGEMENT’S ROLE

RECOGNITION:– PEER– ORGANIZATIONAL

SUPPORT:– ORGANIZATIONAL

REFERENCES

GROENING, M. (CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER). (1989) THE SIMPSONS [TELEVISION SERIES]. LOS ANGELES: FOX BROADCASTING COMPANY.

WENGER, E. (2004, JANUARY-FEBRUARY). KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AS A DOUGHNUT: SHAPING YOUR KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE. IVEY BUSINESS JOURNAL ONLINE. RETRIEVED MARCH 27, 2009 FROM HTTP://WWW.IVEYBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/VIEW_ARTICLE.ASP?INTARTICLE_ID=465