Seek/Sense/Share: Strategies for sharing knowledge beyond CoP meetings

Peter Albion

In the past information changed slowly.

Moiry Glacier, Switzerland, Jul 2006

Now we have torrents of information.

Cave of the Winds, Niagara Falls, Sep 2012

In the past information was controlled.

Photo: rosefirerising CC (by) (nc) (nd)

Transmission via hierarchies made sense.

Microsoft ClipArt

Understanding of knowledge has evolved.

Photo: patriziasoliani CC (by) (nc)

Objectivism: Knowledge exists out there – it can be controlled and transmitted.

Photo: Thomas Hawk CC (by) (nc)

Constructivism: Knowledge exists in the learner – it is built from personal experience.

Microsoft ClipArt

Connectivism: Knowledge exists in the network – learning is making connections.

Microsoft ClipArt

Information is accessed from networked machines and people.

Photo: gtrwndr87 CC (by)(nc)(sa)

Information continues expanding.

40 exabytes (1019) of new information each year = more than in the previous 5000 years

Shift Happens

Information is not diminished by sharing.

We need to manage information flow.

Photo: ckchanwebCC (by) (nc)

We can hunt or manage knowledge.

Photos: mrshife & vredeseilanden CC (by)(nc)(sa)

Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)

http://www.jarche.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PKM-2013.pdf

A set of processes, individually constructed, to help each of us make sense of our world and work more effectively

PKM is curation for personal growth.

http://www.jarche.com/2012/07/pkm-as-pre-curation

/

Curating is not the same as collecting.

Mike Fisher, @fisher1000, Digigogy

Approach curating in 3 steps.

Jarche (2012) & Kanter (2011)

Seek Sense Share

Define topics and organise sources

Product: Writing with links, presentation

Credit sources and answer questions

Scan more than you capture

Annotate, archive, apply Feed your network a steady diet of good stuff

Don't capture unless high quality

Must add value to work or strategy

Comment on other people's stuff

Seekkeeping up to date

• Search– Search engines– Library

• Subscribe– Social media– Newsletters– RSS

• Scan• Select

Sensereflection & practice

• Read– Products of seeking

• Research– Related material

• Rehearse– Try out ideas

• Reflect– How did that go?

Shareconversations with networks

• Collate– Organise your ideas

• Condense– Distil the essence

• Connect• Contribute• Converse– Engage your

audience

Connect your personal learning network.

Annecy, France, Jul 2006

Share with tools that work for you.

Connection and contribution build reputation and trust.

Photo: Jean‐Francois Chenier CC (by) (nc)

What does that mean for our CoPs?

Communities of Practice at USQ

• CoP = defined space for sharing– Focused on specific interest or practice– Developing resources & identity

• Sharing passion for some practice• Reducing professional isolation• Building institutional memory

http://www.usq.edu.au/cops

A view from the field

• CoP is NOT– Substitute help desk– Work group or task

focused– Not management directed

• Characteristics of CoPs– People want to join– Have purpose beyond

what one member can do– Members feel affinity for

CoP– Have both strong & weak

social ties

You know you are in a community of practice when it changes your practice.

http://www.jarche.com/2012/07/communities-of-practice-enable-the-integration-of-work-and-learning

Work and learning are merging.

http://www.jarche.com/2011/05/fix-the-workplace

/

Networks are replacing artisans & hierarchies.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/02/social-learning-is-how-work-gets-redesigned-in-the-network-era/

Work practices are evolving.

http://www.jarche.com/2012/04/three-principles-for-net-work/

Value is created in complexity.

http://www.jarche.com/2011/05/the-networked-workplace/

We need loose hierarchies & strong networks.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/04/loose-hierarchies-for-knowledge-management/

Much 2013 workplace learning is informal.

http://c4lpt.co.uk/litw-results/

Chance favours the connected organisation.

http://www.jarche.com/2012/10/chance-favours-the-connected-company/

CoPs have strong & weak social ties.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/01/pkm-in-2013/

CoPs link networks to teams.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/03/from-hierarchies-to-wirearchies/

Work balances cooperation & collaboration.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/03/the-knowledge-sharing-paradox/

Emergent value is found at the edges.

http://www.jarche.com/2011/03/emergent-value

/

PKM facilitates flow through of ideas.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/03/the-knowledge-sharing-paradox/

Sense-making involves distillation.

http://www.jarche.com/2013/01/as-the-world-keeps-churning-work-today-is-all-about-learning/

PKM adds value.

http://www.jarche.com/2012/03/the-pkm-value-add

/

PKM & curation tools at USQ: Seek

• Internal web– Searchable, limited but

quality assured?

• External web– Searchable, variable

relevance & quality

• Library– Searchable in parts,

quality assured

• CoP Moodle sites– Limited access, not

searchable

• SharePoint– Limited access,

searchable with difficulty

• Email– Direct message only, no

subscribable lists

• Yammer– Limited user base &

activity

PKM & curation tools at USQ: Share

• Internal web– Very limited access for

publishing

• External web– Easy access, beyond

USQ approvals

• CoP Moodle sites– Limited access, not

designed for purpose, not searchable

• SharePoint– Limited access, USQ

lockin, searchable with difficulty

• Email– Direct message only,

no subscribable lists

• Yammer– Limited user base &

activity

What to do about it?

• Keep Calm & Carry On?– Use what works regardless of USQ

• Use limited USQ tools?–When & where they do the job–Mostly to alert people to real action

• Discuss what tools would work for USQ?

Over to you

Peter Albion19 April 2013