Meaning, Learning and Identity

1. Meaning, Learning and Identity Self-Directed Management for Communities of Practice Seminar 23rd October 2007 Dr Ann Wales Programme Director for Knowledge Management ann.wales@nes.scot.nhs.uk

2. Overview • Diversity in communities • Commonality in communities • Roles and responsibilities • Example • Developing your communities

3. Definition • “ A Community of Practice is a group of people with a common sense of purpose who agree to work together to share information, build knowledge, develop expertise and solve problems.”

4. Diversity in Communities

5. Structure Profession-based Cross-cutting Time-bound Umbrellas Set-up Endorsing / Formalising existing groups Generating new communities through common cause Diversity (1)

6. Diversity (2): Connecting and Communicating Hierarchy “Isolate” Monologue-Dialogue Dialogue-Conversation Conversation-Dialogue Conversation-Conversation Linked groups Integrated Community Managing across diverse networks of care Goodwin et al 2004

7. Diversity (3):Roles and Responsibilities Practice Leader Core Team Members Technologist Admin/Events Coordinator Sponsor Mentor Thought Leader Boundary Spanner Subject Experts Coordinator Champion Facilitator Core and Peripheral Participants Community Journalist Librarian Integrator Evangelists Content Coordinator

8. Commonality in (successful) Communities Simple Rules for Complex Systems

9. Purpose Mode of operation Benefits and evaluation Whythe community exists Howit works Whatit achieves and delivers Commonality (1)

10. Commonality (2) • Commitment - to common purpose and goals • Collection – identifying and organising information • resources • Connection – sharing knowledge among members

11. Commonality (2) • Connection Collection Commitment

12. Commonality (3):Roles and Responsibilities • Leadership – champion and steer • Managing resources – documents, training materials etc • Facilitating learning • - learning for practice • - information literacy • Communication – internal and external

13. Commonality (4):Practice • Leadership • Facilitating learning • Managing resources • Communication • Practice as: • Learning • Meaning • Identity • (Wenger, 1998)

14. Example:NMAHP eHealth Managed Knowledge Network

15. NMAHP eHealth MKN • Purpose: • “To establish an effective operational network of NMAHPs equipped with core knowledge management competences, accessing and sharing knowledge and information resources and good practice, and creating new knowledge as an integral part of eHealth activities within everyday professional practice for patient benefit. • “The electronic tool supporting the realisation of this vision is the NMAHP eHealth MKN Portal.”

16. KSG MKN Core Group External stakeholders MKN Facilitator Leadership MKN Coordinator Board and Chair Managing resources: Information Specialist NMAHP eHealth MKN

17. Implementation Plan • Collaborative eHealth projects using MKN tools. • Programme of updating resources • Programme of training to develop eHealth and knowledge management competencies • Benefits realisation plan

18. Meaning, Learning and Identity Self-Directed Management for Communities of Practice Seminar 23rd October 2007 Dr Ann Wales Programme Director for Knowledge Management ann.wales@nes.scot.nhs.uk