Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange Unit 5 of the Knowledge management in agriculture and rural development (KM4ARD) course Overview of Unit 5 Purpose: Understand how KM can help to create a more collaborative environment Understand how communities of practice can support knowledge exchange Understand facilitation basics and how four specific facilitated methods can support knowledge exchange Be able to identify some of the possibilities for web-based technologies to enable collaboration and knowledge exchange Why collaborate? Collaboration: “a process through which people who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible” (Anecdote White Paper, Callahan et al. ) This resource lists three types of collaboration: team, network and community Trainers notes Link from last slide:… first, let’s define what we mean by collaboration… This resource…: collaboration can mean different things depending on the types. We’ll go through each of these in more details in the next slides. Team collaboration Clear mandate, defined roles The members of the group are known Interdependencies between tasks are clear Expected reciprocity Leadership Explicit time lines and goals Participants cooperate on an equal footing and get equal recognition Trainers notes Link from last slide:… let’s start with team collaboration… By “team” we mean “a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project “(from businessdictionary.com) Expected reciprocity: “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”, an agreed mutual benefit. Network collaboration Steps beyond the relationship-centric nature of team and community collaboration What starts with individual action and self-interest builds the network as individuals contribute Membership and time-lines are open No explicit roles Mostly internet-based Trainers notes Link from last slide:… now the network collaboration is slightly different, it… In this type of collaboration, members most likely do not know all the other members. Community collaboration Shared domain or interest Goal is more focussed on learning rather than on task People share and build their knowledge rather than complete projects Members may go to their communities to help solve problems by asking questions and getting advice Trainers notes Link from last slide:… finally in community collaboration, the focus is on the shared interest, of belonging. In community collaboration, you can find individuals who are very passionate about the topic, who’s identity is wrapped up in this community. Specific aspects in collaboration types Trainers notes Link from last slide:… so each type of collaboration has some specificities.This table is to highlight that some aspects that are more likely to occur in some types of collaboration then in others. (Go through the left-hand column and relate to the specific type). Common success factors for all types of collaboration Common purpose or goal Topic that resonates Regular interactions to allow member bonding and develop trust Facilitation / leadership Basic resources Trainers notes Link from last slide:… so there are differences between collaboration types but all of them tend to be more successful if they enjoy these factors… Facilitation…: we will be talking about facilitation a little later Basic resources: collaboration doesn’t necessarily cost much but human and technology costs can be factors Link with KM Knowledge exchange, co-creation and learning are all intertwined in a truly collaborative environment Collaboration creates shared context which is crucial to KM Shared context: “common understanding of an organisation’s external and internal worlds and how these worlds are connected” (Fahey and Prusak) Trainers notes Link from last slide:… so how is collaboration linked with KM?... Shared context…: KM authors Fahey and Prusak argue that shared context is a fundamental purpose of “managing knowledge”. Communities of Practice (CoP) CoP: “Group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfil both individual and group goals” (Wenger, McDermott and Snyder) Common interest or domain Online and/or offline (mix of both) Internal to organisation, or external (or a mix of both) Usually learning-focused, solving problems or sharing good practices Informal in nature Trainers notes Link from last slide:… in KM literature, Communities of Practice is a term that comes up often, as it is seen by many to be the strongest mechanism for the exchange of tacit knowledge… Purpose of CoP Knowledge exchange: access to different experiences and knowledge Learning from others’ good practices Joint value creation/co-creation by members Dynamic repository of state of the art practice and knowledge around a topic Leverage and strengthen what members know individually Potentially support mobilization on a scale that is not feasible with individuals Trainers notes Link from last slide:… so why are CoP useful? What do they bring?... The strength of coming together is in all these points. Also, participating in a CoP can build capacity and skills in its members. Challenges of CoP Trust Participation / motivation Cultural factors (e.g. language, hierarchy) “Build it and they will come” fallacy Lack of resources Access and connectivity Trainers notes Link from last slide:… the flipside is that CoP can be challenging. There can be issues linked to… Build it and they will…: creating a nice platform for your CoP doesn’t mean people will use it or contribute to it. Lack of resources: again, this can be more human resources rather than financial. Access…: it is important to know the situation of your members, not everyone enjoys the same level of connectivity and access to computers. The first four points can actually be addressed with facilitation techniques, which we’ll discuss a bit later. Example of a CoP in development KM4Dev Over 2000 members Knowledge management for development issues discussed Mostly questions asked by CoP members Encourage them to summarize discussion Currently run and facilitated by a volunteer Core group Trainers notes Link from last slide:… here is an example of a CoP in international development… The main discussion happens on a mailing list (Dgroup) but there is also a website: www.km4dev.org. If you are interested in KM for development, you should sign up. Example in ARD E-agriculture community: Over 12,000 members from 170 countries Improving policies and processes around the use of ICT in agriculture and rural development, in order to have a positive impact on rural livelihoods Knowledge exchange through dialogue in the e-Agriculture Forum series Demand-driven topics, lead by partner institutions Trainers notes Link from last slide:… the E-agriculture community is also an open community with… You can join by going to www.e-agriculture.org Questions? Comments? Facilitating knowledge exchange Knowledge exchange: two-way process where individuals share ideas and experiences Facilitation: Adds structure and process to meet the needs of a group and helps them to accomplish their objectives or outcomes Is not the same as moderation, where interactions are controlled and limited, for e.g. presiding a meeting or assembly Trainers notes Link from last slide:… we are now going to look at knowledge exchange which is… Facilitation…: it is a very important but often overlooked function in knowledge exchange… Is not the same…: the terms “facilitator” and “moderator” are often used interchangeably but they relate to subtly different skill sets and applications. Moderation implies greater control and direction over content. Role of the facilitator in knowledge exchange Designs an interactive structure and process where there is space for discussion Engages participants so they actively participate Is neutral and does not try to influence the outcome towards a specific goal Ensures that the environment is “safe” and non-threatening Keeps things moving and sticks to structure Trainers notes Link from last slide:… so what is the role of the facilitator in knowledge exchange, then?... Is neutral…: It is often said that a facilitator needs to be well-versed in the topic or content of the exchange. But if a facilitator is also an “expert” on the subject, it makes it more difficult to be neutral. The best situation is when a facilitator has general knowledge of the topic, enough to understand the basics but not get involved in the details. Basic facilitation skills Active listening: staying focused to understand full meaning Drawing people out: encourage participation from more quiet people Paraphrasing: restating in your own words to clarify Summarizing: pull together main points Stacking: when many people want to talk at the same time Manage time: always be aware of the clock Herding: moving people around Problem solving: dealing with unforeseen issues Trainers notes Link from last slide:… let’s look at what are the basic facilitation skills in order to do all that… Active listening: for e.g. paying attention to what people are saying, look at people directly, nod occasionally and smile. Drawing…: asking open questions, address the fact that some people haven’t spoken and offer the possibility to do so. Paraphrasing: using “if I understand you correctly, you are saying …” when something may not be clear. Summarizing: wrapping up discussions with “here’s what I think has been said... have I captured most of the key points accurately?” Stacking: when many hands go up for questions, use the 1-2-3 technique for stacking: “first, I’ll take Mary’s question, then Joe’s, and then Alice’s”. Manage time: clarify the time available for an exercise or session to participants and remind them at the half-way mark or before the end. Herding: use gentle “force” or humour to get people to move around, use chimes or subtle sounds Problem solving: trying to stay positive, not defensive, dealing with situations calmly and with flexibility. Exercise: facilitation skills In table groups, we need volunteers to be: Facilitator: asks questions, helps clarify the ideas, etc. Observer: Just listen. Write down what you observe. At the end you will provide constructive feedback to the facilitator Participants: participate actively in the discussion. One of you will get secret cards with instructions. For 10 minutes, discuss at your table “Specifically, what is the role of a facilitator during a meeting or workshop?” Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… let’s see how we can put all of these skills to use in an exercise… See Unit 5 Exercise note Exercise: facilitation skills Table feedback time (10 minutes) Observer: You are setting an example Balanced list of what the facilitator did well and what you feel they could improve If you run out of feedback, others can give feedback too Facilitator: Try to listen (and not be defensive). Absorb what is being said. Trainers Notes See Unit 5 Exercise note Exercise: facilitation skills Now switch roles – participants get to be facilitator and observer (and vice versa) One of the participant get another secret card Second round (10 minutes): discuss at your table: “What are the main challenges faced by facilitators? What can they do to overcome them?” Trainers Notes See Unit 5 Exercise note Exercise: facilitation skills Table feedback time (10 minutes) Observer: You are setting an example Balanced list of what the facilitator did well and what you feel they could improve If you run out of feedback, others can give feedback too Facilitator: Try to listen (and not be defensive). Absorb what is being said. Trainers Notes See Unit 5 Exercise note Exercise: facilitation skills Popcorn plenary debrief (10 minutes): What did you think of the exercise? What was easy? What was hard? Questions or comments? Trainers Notes (Take a few spontaneous reactions to the exercise). Knowledge exchange methods Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… now we will be looking at specific knowledge exchange (also often called knowledge sharing) methods. (Go through the photos, start from top left (World Café), bottom left (Open Space), top right (Knowledge Fair) and bottom right (fishbowl)). Before using these methods Need to have clarity on: Purpose: What are you doing this for? Define session objectives and make sure the method fits Context: What is most appropriate for the group? Think of culture, language, politics, diversity, etc. before picking a method Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… these methods are really great but before using them, you need to be clear on two things, first… Purpose: if your objective is to get a decision on something during a session, you wouldn’t use a World Café because it is best for conversations and brainstorming, not decision-making. Context: if there are issues of politics in your culture and people will not speak out in the presence of others, a fishbowl might not be the best method. But if you know that people really want to put issues on the table, even if this might be somewhat conflictual, a fishbowl WOULD be a good method to use. When to use these methods When we want to: Create a space for dialogue Share experiences Tackle collective problems World Café Open Space Knowledge Fair Fishbowl Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… so when should you use these methods then? The methods can be used for different purposes (often more than one) but these are the best uses for each of them, i.e. create a space for dialogue (World Café and Open Space), share experiences (K Fair) and tackle collective problems (fishbowl). World Café method For convening conversations around a subject matter through questions  Creative process used for collaborative dialogue and sharing knowledge People sit 4 to 6 to a table and hold a series of conversational rounds about one or more questions At the end of each round, one person remains at each table as the host, while the others travel to other tables By moving in several rounds of conversation, ideas and themes begin to link and connect Those ideas and links are visualized on a paper tablecloth Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… so first, let’s start with World Café, we already did a version of the World Café in Unit 2. It is used for… Three rounds of World Café is usually sufficient and the time allotted really depends on the questions being discussed. There are many debriefing methods, such as the “walkabout”, where people go look at each individual tablecloths (with the host providing a commentary) or “art gallery walk”, where the tablecloth are hung on the walls and people go look at them (more ideas on www.theworldcafe.com). Open Space method For convening groups around a specific question and giving participants responsibility for creating both their own agenda and experience The facilitator lays out the Open Space principles and rules, make sure the room is set up but the participants decide what they want to talk about and self-organize in small groups to discuss those topics Can be challenging for organizations used to controlling interactions Usually lasts 1-3 days Small group report and action plans (individual or team) are the main outputs Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… another method to create a space for dialogue is Open Space, which is good for… We will be doing a mini-Open Space tomorrow so you will see how it works. Knowledge Fair Face-to-face event designed to allow numerous individuals to share their experience at a common venue with the help of visual aids and displays (e.g. posters, videos, etc.) Everyone has a booth or space to share resources and good practice The “Fair” concept is open and people move about freely Usually over the course of 1 day but can be longer Social media can be used to inform and report back Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… the next method is useful to provide spaces to exchange experiences. A Knowledge Fair is a… If there isn’t a lot of people, a knowledge fair can also be done with people walking about as a group and giving each “booth” a certain amount of time to present (for e.g. 5-10 minutes). Fishbowl method (open variation) Involves 3-4 people seated in a circle, having a conversation in full view of a larger group of (silent) listeners around them The smaller group are the fish, the larger group represents the bowl One person acts as a facilitator One or more chairs are open to "visitors" who want to ask questions or make comments Outside circle participants can stand behind a current speaker as a non verbal request to take their place Useful to raise issues or controversies Length depends on topic and number of participants but usually less than 45 min Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… the last method that we’ll explore is the fishbowl. It… Only the people inside the fishbowl can speak, the others listen, or come to the center and stand behind someone seated (or gently taps them on the shoulder). The facilitator needs to make sure the situation doesn’t get out of hand, especially if the topic is very controversial. Exercise: Fishbowl Move chairs around: Small interior circle of 4 chairs Rest of chairs around in a bigger circle around them Fishbowl discussion topic (15 minutes): Facilitation tips and tricks: what works, what doesn’t? Plenary debrief (10 minutes) What did you think of the method? Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… let’s experience a fishbowl right now, I will need you to help move the chairs around… See Unit 5 Exercise note Questions? Comments? A word on online facilitation Uses the same skills a face-to-face facilitation Added challenge that can’t see faces or body language Bad behaviour is easier so establish online guidelines or etiquette Take people offline or off-list to have a discussion if there is a problem Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… we’ve talked mainly about face-to-face facilitation now let’s briefly look at online facilitation. Bad behaviour…: People can be very different online. Some very quiet people, when met in person, can be loud and obnoxious online! If you are going to have online interactions, always create some guidelines for behaviour and validate them with members. Take people…: If someone is being rude or disruptive, don’t seek them out “in front” of others, do it in a personal email, or in a Skype call. Technologies for knowledge exchange A plethora of tools for collaboration and knowledge exchange What are you trying to do? Share, store and access documents Exchange with colleagues working on the same project or externally Have a web meeting or conference Create an online space for a community of practice Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… we will now take a look at some of the technology available for knowledge exchange. There is… What are you trying…: This is the same as with the knowledge exchange methods, there are many to choose from so you need to be clear on the purpose. Not all of the tools are necessarily good for everything. So here are four of the things that you may be wanting to do. Groupware: bringing the tools together Multi-purpose software application that enable group members to share documents, synchronize information and communicate with each other Standard features: Document repository with version management Shared calendars and task management Message boards/wikis/blogs Web conferencing/instant messaging Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… first, there is a type of tool that tries to address all these purposes, which is called groupware. Groupware which offers a lot of functionalities in one package. It is a … Groupware : bringing the tools together Mostly internal uses in large organisations (i.e. intranet) Can be challenging with limited connectivity for external communications Examples: Microsoft SharePoint (cost – lower rates for non-profit organisations) Google Drive (free – for basic storage plan) Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… continuing on groupware, it is mostly used… Can be challenging…: you need to have IT people who know how to set this up and adapt it to the needs of the organisation. (You can ask participants if anyone is familiar with either examples and what they think of their usefulness.) Exchange with colleagues Simple platform for exchange Mailing list, calendar and document repository functionalities Works well with limited bandwidth Example: Dgroups: non-commercial platform for international development organisations only (free – but through a Dgroups partner) Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… one of the purposes for using a tool might be to exchange with colleagues or partners. And you might need something light and easy to use, a simple… Example: Dgroups is such a tool but the disadvantage is that you need to find a Dgroups partner in order to get an online space (you can find the list of partners on Dgroups.org). (You can ask participants if anyone has used a Dgroup before.) Web meeting/conferencing tools Downloadable software that allows events to be shared with remote locations, for individuals or groups Voice, video as well as text-based messages can be shared simultaneously, across geographically dispersed areas Applications include meetings, training events and webinars Examples: Skype and Google Hangout (free – voice, video and text) Blue Jeans and Web Ex (cost – voice, video, text and other content) Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… another things that you may be wanting to do is a meeting or conference online, to bring in people from different locations. (You can ask participants who has used Skype? What about other web conferencing tools?) Online space for CoP: social networks Platform to build social networks among people who share interests or exchange space for community of practice Typical features: Construct a public/semi-public profile where text, links, photos can be posted, by yourself or others “Befriending” or connecting with other users View their list of connections Examples: LinkedIn (free – professional use) Facebook (free – both personal and professional use) Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… or you might be wanting to create an online space for a community of practice. Social network platforms are often used because they were built for CoP type of activities. (You can ask participants if anyone uses Facebook?) Group discussion: web tools for knowledge exchange At your table, discuss (15 minutes): In my context, which of these technologies would most appropriate for knowledge exchange? Why? Would some of these technologies not work at all in my context? Why is that? Popcorn report back to plenary (5 minutes) Trainers Notes Link from last slide:… let’s do a short group reflection on the use of technology, at your table… (Do a quick, spontaneous report back to hear what works best and what doesn’t.) Questions? Comments? Credits This learning material was prepared by Lucie Lamoureux for CTA. The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU). CTA operates under the framework of the Cotonou Agreement and is funded by the EU. For more information on CTA, visit www.cta.int   Disclaimer This work has been made with the financial assistance of CTA. However, it remains under the sole responsibility of its author and never reflects CTA's nor the European Union's opinions or statements whatsoever. The user should make his/her own evaluation as to the appropriateness of any statements, argumentations, experimental technique or methods as described herein.   Copyright notice Reproduction and the dissemination of these modules and supporting materials is encouraged under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode), provided that appropriate acknowledgement is made: – of CTA's copyright, in accordance with the license Creative Commons 4.0, by including the name and the title of the article or chapter, – and that CTA's or the EU's endorsement of authors' views, products or services is not implied in any way, by including the disclaimer. March 2015