Building a Community of Practice

1. Building a Community of Practice • Context • What we did • Lessons learnt • Where to from here Learning From Our Own Experience Paul Dowling

2. Context ACT KM Forum • Multi-organisation structure • Resources available • Purpose Paul Dowling

3. Research members needs Learning focus Public sector perspective Problem solving Practical emphasis Networking What We Did 1 Paul Dowling

4. Define purpose Community & practice Leverage existing organisational activities Monthly meetings Electronic mediums What We Did2 Paul Dowling

5. What We Did 3 Monthly Meetings • Identify suitable venue • Facilitate meetings • Ensure meetings are publicised • Engage membership to provide presenters • Link with the electronic medium Paul Dowling

6. EGroups Identify suitable electronic platform Tool for sharing information & discussion Customised interaction Archive information Publicise and provide initial impetus What We Did4 Paul Dowling

7. Membership of ACT KM forum has grown Meetings attendance growing Positive anecdotal feedback on meeting format OutcomesMonthly Meetings Paul Dowling

8. 200 messages in 4 months 25 % of members participated Core group (10) use frequently > 100 different bits of information forwarded One way flow of information Some positive feedback on using information provided Outcomes Egroups Paul Dowling

9. Focus on knowledge important to both the business and the people Results in competitive advantage Individual fulfillment Lessons Learnt1 Paul Dowling

10. Lessons Learnt2 Find a well-respected community member to act as coordinator • Key roles • Champion/Networker /Communicator • Administrator • Leaders =senior practitioners • Energy Paul Dowling

11. Lessons Learnt3 Make sure people have time and encouragement to participate • Time can be a serious limiting factor Paul Dowling

12. Lessons Learnt4 Build on a core value of the organisation • Match core cultural values rather than change them • Use KM to enable your people to pursue something that they already value Paul Dowling

13. Lessons Learnt5 Involve leaders • Use networks that already exist • Typically these networks have thought leaders and influential members Paul Dowling

14. Lessons Learnt6 Build energy through community contact • Live contact is key • Create a sense of history • Physical events Paul Dowling

15. Lessons Learnt7 Maintain personal contact among community members • Human connection lies at the core • One-to-one relationships Paul Dowling

16. Lessons Learnt8 Develop an active passionate core group • Participation in communities vary • High contributors • Observers • Peripheral members • Strategy: build an active core Paul Dowling

17. Lessons Learnt9 Make it easy to connect, contribute to and access the community • Ensure software integrates with peoples daily work • Familiar software reduces friction • Community space needs to be organised according to principles intuitive to the community Paul Dowling

18. Lessons Learnt10 Create real dialogue about issues in community forums Relationships happen in true discussion not reports on best practices Paul Dowling

19. Building a Community of Practice Identify Common Interest Trust Others Make Real Connections Care For The Thinking Of Others Paul Dowling

20. Where To From Here? • Are people finding solutions? • How could we improve our CoP? • Seminar • Executive changes Paul Dowling