Communities of Practice © Copyright Fred Nickols 2010.

Communities of Practice

© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010

Objectives

Distinguish CoPs from other groups Make a case for their potential value Touch on a couple of Do’s and Don’ts Answer whatever questions I can

2© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010

Two Different Worlds…

World A Formal organization Designed organization Hierarchy (Vertical) Authority of position Reporting relationships Defined processes Formal T&D Work as described Abstractions

World B Informal organization Emergent organization Network (Flat) Authority of

competence Working relationships Proven practices Situated learning Work as performed Experiences


What they’re N T

Organizational unit (OU)Ongoing operational team (OT)Project team (PT)Task force (TF)Social network (SN)Community of Interest (CI)Faux team (FT)


Purpose Membership Authority Allegiance Cohesion

Results from Resources

Assigned Positional UpwardLeadership & Relationships

Ongoing – Until

Reorganized

Ongoing Tasks

Assigned Positional UpwardTask

Dependencies

Ongoing – Until

Reengineered

Time-bound Tasks/Result

sAssigned Positional Upward

Leadership & Relationships

Inception to Completion

Appearances Assigned Non-ExistentFragmented

or Non-Existent

Management Pressure

Until Disbanded or Fades Away

Information Sharing

Invitation & Approach

Information NormsValue of the Information

Ongoing – Until It Dies

Out

Stay AbreastInvitation & Approach

Knowledge PeersLevel of Interest

Ongoing – Until It Dies

Out

Develop Expertise

Invitation & Approach

Expertise Practice IdentityOngoing – Until It Dies

Out

Duration

OU

CP

OT

TF

FT

SN

CI


What They ARE

Groups of people (network not hierarchy) that form to share knowledge about their work (a.k.a. their

“practice”), learn from one another about that work, and provide a social context for that work (i.e., to

establish and maintain their identity)


“Practice”

Practice versus process Three defining characteristics:

Joint Enterprise Mutual Engagement Shared Repertoire


Hierarchy

Williams

Cohen Cross Sen Stock Shapiro

Taylor O'Brien

Jones

Andrews Moore

Miller

Smith

Hughes

Ramirez

Bell

Cole

Hussain

Kelly

Paine

Exploration Drilling Production

C&G Petrophysical ReservoirProduction


Network

Williams

Cohen

Cross

Sen

Stock

Shapiro

Taylor

O'Brien

Jones

Andrews

Moore

Miller

Smith

Hughes

Ramirez

Bell

Cole

Hussain

Kelly

Paine


CoP - Examples

Xerox copier technicians Pharmaceutical reps (“drug detailers”) Software developers Chrysler corporation’s “tech clubs” Production line technicians Test item writers & psychometricians Research chemists Instructional staff at Navy’s IT School


Companies using CoPs


Why You Should Care

Financial returns far outweigh any investment Schlumberger’s oilfield engineers

$200 million in cost savings and new revenue 75% decrease in time to update modifications 95% decrease in time to solve difficult problems

Xerox field technicians $15-20 million in annual cost savings $100 million cumulative 50,000 “tips” in their database


Why You Should Care

CoPs are valuable organizational assets Decrease learning curves Handle unstructured problems Play a key role in developing and maintaining long-

term organizational memory Reduce rework and reinvention Increase innovation and speed Create social and intellectual capital Contribute to increased retention of talent Make change “stick”


Some Do’s & Don’ts

DO Nurture and support existing CoPs Cultivate and support new CoPs

DON’T Mandate CoPs Manage them in a heavy-handed way


Improve Consulting Skills

Task Force An assignment Time-bound Deliverables Finish up Get back to work Apart from me Non-sustainable

CoP A practice Open-ended Performance Continuous It is the work My identity Sustainable


Q&A


Contact Information

Fred Nickols 740.504.0000Managing Partner www.nickols.usDistance Consulting LLC [email protected] Coshocton Ave - 303Mount Vernon, OH 43050

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Communities of Practice © Copyright Fred Nickols 2010.

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