Social computing for knowledge management Matthew Hodgson ACT regional-lead, Web and Information Management SMS Management & Technology 19 May 2008

Case study – social computing in government

Where’s Wally?

Team’s available brain space

Benefits of using social computing tools For the project: Quick to set-up Easy to use Accessible Saved time Single source publishing – terms into multiple physical documents Managing the team’s knowledge : Tool for creation and collaboration Allowed team to record knowledge as it evolved Context – record the relationships between “things”

For the project:

Quick to set-up

Easy to use

Accessible

Saved time

Single source publishing – terms into multiple physical documents

Managing the team’s knowledge :

Tool for creation and collaboration

Allowed team to record knowledge as it evolved

Context – record the relationships between “things”

Results The good: Visibility of new practices Other project teams from other divisions took notice They joined in and used this tool The bad: We had broken traditional editorial approval process The wiki was closed down 

The good:

Visibility of new practices

Other project teams from other divisions took notice

They joined in and used this tool

The bad:

We had broken traditional editorial approval process

The wiki was closed down 

Why?

Why?

Control v. rebellion Humans are social creatures Cultural factors

Control v. rebellion

Humans are social creatures

Cultural factors

Control v. rebellion

Control v. rebellion

Organisations like to CONTROL their information

Organisations like to CONTROL their information

Taylorism and Scientific Management

What the KM guys say

The effects of Taylorism It’s for an Industrial-Age processes, not for Information-Age processes Reinforces power-hierarchies in our organisations Gives power to: The decision-makers Information gatekeepers No power to the people with the ‘stuff’ in their heads!

It’s for an Industrial-Age processes, not for Information-Age processes

Reinforces power-hierarchies in our organisations

Gives power to:

The decision-makers

Information gatekeepers

No power to the people with the ‘stuff’ in their heads!

Gives power to Editors

Gives power to information-organisations

Gives power to companies

Gives power to those who control the front-page

We don’t want them to decide!

A rebellion is here …

Now THEY control YOUR information

Why?

Some stats 6.5 billion people on the planet Over 1 billion people use the Internet [1] Approximately half visit web sites that facilitate social interaction and networking [2] [1] Internet World Stats (2007) [2] (Ipos Insight (2007)

6.5 billion people on the planet

Over 1 billion people use the Internet [1]

Approximately half visit web sites that facilitate social interaction and networking [2]

Some stats (cont.) Wikipedia: 100 million hours of evolving knowledge Television: USA – two hundred billion hours of TV every year 100 million hours per weekend watching ads Internet connected people – one trillion hours of TV Source: Mel Blake (2008) Gin, Television, and Social Surplus

Wikipedia:

100 million hours of evolving knowledge

Television:

USA – two hundred billion hours of TV every year

100 million hours per weekend watching ads

Internet connected people – one trillion hours of TV

KM needs the ‘right’ management practice Harness all this activity by using the right governance model: Centralised: I want it all Decentralised: You can have it Hybrid: I’ll be strategic, you be operational Hard-security: check every step of the way Soft-security: let them have cake, and then check it Source: AGIMO, Better Practice Checklist (2008)

Harness all this activity by using the right governance model:

Centralised: I want it all

Decentralised: You can have it

Hybrid: I’ll be strategic, you be operational

Hard-security: check every step of the way

Soft-security: let them have cake, and then check it

Lessons learned Our team project: The ‘right’ governance model Knowledge easily shared Social computing tool supported sharing Wiki tool going ‘global’: Spanned silos No governance model beyond the team Broke organisation’s overarching models

Our team project:

The ‘right’ governance model

Knowledge easily shared

Social computing tool supported sharing

Wiki tool going ‘global’:

Spanned silos

No governance model beyond the team

Broke organisation’s overarching models

Humans are social creatures

Humans are social creatures

Survival instincts

Today, technology helps us fulfil social needs Source: Felton, N (2008) New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/opinion/10cox.html Great Depression

We have social needs Source: Wikipedia ( Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)

Group membership affects us as well

Traditional information-consuming roles

New roles help with the different knowledge activities 13% 19% 15% 19% 33% 52% Source: Forrester Research (2008)

They do want to help each other

Key points Its about the social: We are social animals and have social needs The web is an enabler of social activity Knowledge-sharing and collaboration is social activity We love enablers of social technology: Give people EASY-TO-USE tools and they’ll use them to do social things to help the Long-Tail It’s not for everyone: Not everyone wants to be ‘social’ in this medium

Its about the social:

We are social animals and have social needs

The web is an enabler of social activity

Knowledge-sharing and collaboration is social activity

We love enablers of social technology:

Give people EASY-TO-USE tools and they’ll use them to do social things to help the Long-Tail

It’s not for everyone:

Not everyone wants to be ‘social’ in this medium

Lessons learned Our KM tool supported the ‘social’: Knowledge creation Refining Collecting Commenting Discussion

Our KM tool supported the ‘social’:

Knowledge creation

Refining

Collecting

Commenting

Discussion

Cultural factors

Cultural factors

Culture affects the way we work

Cultural Dimensions It’s the Organisation’s personality Highly relevant to: Web design (Marcus & Gould, 2000; Robbins & Stylianou, 2002) Web-based communication (Tsikriktsis, 2002; Wilson, et al., 2002)

It’s the Organisation’s personality

Highly relevant to:

Web design (Marcus & Gould, 2000; Robbins & Stylianou, 2002)

Web-based communication (Tsikriktsis, 2002; Wilson, et al., 2002)

Cultural Dimensions Individualism: Personal independence Uniqueness Competition Personal achievement and success Introspection Emphasis on internal attributes rather than other people’s opinions and indications

Individualism:

Personal independence

Uniqueness

Competition

Personal achievement and success

Introspection

Emphasis on internal attributes rather than other people’s opinions and indications

Cultural Dimensions Collectivism: Feeling of involvement in, and contribution to, the lives of others Sharing – material benefits and non-material resources Willingness to accept the opinions/views of others Concern about the effects of actions/decisions on others Concern about self-presentation Belief in correspondence of own outcomes with the outcomes of others

Collectivism:

Feeling of involvement in, and contribution to, the lives of others

Sharing – material benefits and non-material resources

Willingness to accept the opinions/views of others

Concern about the effects of actions/decisions on others

Concern about self-presentation

Belief in correspondence of own outcomes with the outcomes of others

Cultural Dimensions Power-Distance: Value power according to rank Value hierarchy over flat organisational structures Chain-of-command Important emotional distance separates subordinates from authorities Respect and formal deference for higher status people Differential rewards between high and low status people

Power-Distance:

Value power according to rank

Value hierarchy over flat organisational structures

Chain-of-command

Important emotional distance separates subordinates from authorities

Respect and formal deference for higher status people

Differential rewards between high and low status people

Individualism / Collectivism Source: Hodgson, M (2008) The Relationship Economy

Power Distance Source: Hodgson, M (2008) The Relationship Economy

Interactions with Wikipedia Source: Pfeil, Zaphiris, & Ang (2006) Behavior Power-Distance Individualism/ Collectivism Add Information ABSOLUTELY! Clarify Information YES Delete Information NO Delete Link NO Fix Link YES Grammar YES Mark-up Language Spelling YES YES

Key points Culture affects: Adoption of social computing tools Knowledge creation and sharing behaviours You can’t easily change corporate culture: But you can be aware of it what it will do to KM You can use it to your advantage

Culture affects:

Adoption of social computing tools

Knowledge creation and sharing behaviours

You can’t easily change corporate culture:

But you can be aware of it what it will do to KM

You can use it to your advantage

Lessons learned Being aware of cultural issues helps: Avoid problems Take advantage of motivators Culture: High hierarchy – can kill knowledge sharing High team-centric approach – good sharing High individual focus – good creation

Being aware of cultural issues helps:

Avoid problems

Take advantage of motivators

Culture:

High hierarchy – can kill knowledge sharing

High team-centric approach – good sharing

High individual focus – good creation

Conclusions: the value proposition

Conclusions:

the value proposition

Intranet expectations Source: Melcrum Intranet Survey (2001 ) 1. Better internal communications 90% 2. Improved processes 80% 3. Knowledge sharing best-practice 72% 4. Improve efficiency 65% 5. Reduction in paperwork 65% 6. Avoid duplication of effort 62% 7. Real-time information sharing 55% 8. Cost savings 55%

The $13 billion USD filing cabinet Source: CNN Money

Lessons learned for KM

Social computing can help KM Achieve KM strategic objectives by: Delivering systems that support social interaction Supporting evolving knowledge, not static knowledge Implement KM through: Aligning Governance with social processes Recognising the importance of the social over the technology itself Being aware of culture, not trying to force it to change to meet KM needs

Achieve KM strategic objectives by:

Delivering systems that support social interaction

Supporting evolving knowledge, not static knowledge

Implement KM through:

Aligning Governance with social processes

Recognising the importance of the social over the technology itself

Being aware of culture, not trying to force it to change to meet KM needs

Final thoughts

Final thoughts

Be aware of many factors: Governance – what model? Social interaction – what behaviour? Culture – the good, the bad, and the ugly Next time?

Be aware of many factors:

Governance – what model?

Social interaction – what behaviour?

Culture – the good, the bad, and the ugly

FIN Questions?

Social computing for knowledge management

Twitter: magia3e Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/magia3e Blog: magia3e.wordpress.com E: mhodgson@smsmt.com M: 0404 006695 Matthew Hodgson ACT regional-lead, Web and Information Management SMS Management & Technology