Communities of Practice in Local Government online information 2007 5 December 2007 Steve Dale Semantix (UK) Ltd www.semantix.co.uk

What I will cover Moving from a culture of knowledge repositories (people-to-information) to one of knowledge collaboration (people-to-people). Introducing a sceptical and mature staff demographic to the concept of virtual collaboration using social computing/Web 2.0 facilities. Creating, developing and growing trusted communities of practice in local government

Moving from a culture of knowledge repositories (people-to-information) to one of knowledge collaboration (people-to-people).

Introducing a sceptical and mature staff demographic to the concept of virtual collaboration using social computing/Web 2.0 facilities.

Creating, developing and growing trusted communities of practice in local government

About Local Government Local government in England and Wales employs a workforce of 2.1 million people across 410 local authorities. Each authority is working to deliver the same 700 services to their residents. Has an annual operating budget of over £83 billion for delivering services.

Local government in England and Wales employs a workforce of 2.1 million people across 410 local authorities.

Each authority is working to deliver the same 700 services to their residents.

Has an annual operating budget of over £83 billion for delivering services.

Addressing the culture

BMaking a Community of Practice Trust Purpose Place Profile Participation Process

The path to enlightenment Increasing collaboration and transparency of process Join our list Join our forum Join our community

CoP’s on the IDeA platform (flavour of the month!) Kent Member Development Local Area Agreements Member Development & Support Network – Yorks and Humber Milton Keynes Every Child Matters CoP Soundbyte – Adult Social Care and Health Services Policy and Performance Regional Improvement Partnerships Network Risk Management Rural Excellence IDeA Web Reference Group … and about 170 other ones! Changing the view of the world, GI CoP Facilitator’s CoP CoP for Innovation Cornish Language Written Form Rural Mentoring Corporate, Transactional and Shared Services Customer Services CoP EMIE at NFER Information Service Development Social Media and Online Collaboration Staffordshire Plus Improvement Partnership

Kent Member Development

Local Area Agreements

Member Development & Support Network – Yorks and Humber

Milton Keynes Every Child Matters CoP

Soundbyte – Adult Social Care and Health Services

Policy and Performance

Regional Improvement Partnerships Network

Risk Management

Rural Excellence

IDeA Web Reference Group

… and about 170 other ones!

Changing the view of the world, GI CoP

Facilitator’s CoP

CoP for Innovation

Cornish Language Written Form

Rural Mentoring

Corporate, Transactional and Shared Services

Customer Services CoP

EMIE at NFER Information Service Development

Social Media and Online Collaboration

Staffordshire Plus Improvement Partnership

Types of CoP (on IDeA platform) Facilitator’s CoP IDeA Managed and Facilitated networks Self-organising networks

CoP Characteristics Basic statistics Measured ROI Metrics & ROI No agreement Shared by agreement Professional expertise Shared by community Owned by IDeA (for the sector) IPR May or may not be facilitated Professionally facilitated Facilitation Improved products/services and management practices Innovation, improved products/services Purpose Process or learning oriented Product/service oriented Type of knowledge Self-organising network IDeA-Managed network Characteristic

CoP Maturity (Dec07) 20% 20% 60% Time Plan Level of energy and visibility Start-up Nurture Sustain/Renew Close Discover/imagine Incubate/ deliver value Focus/ expand Ownership/ openness Let go/ remember

Metrics – I&DeA CoP Platform

Metrics Don’t rely on metrics to claim your community is successful. Use metrics to understand your community better.

Don’t rely on metrics to claim your community is successful.

Use metrics to understand your community better.

Some lessons learnt

Tips for managing a successful CoP Form the community around a clearly defined and strategically important area of practice, technology and knowledge Find key practitioners in a strategically relevant knowledge domain, with a good spread of expertise and experience Inspire people to actively participate in CoP Support development of strong interpersonal relationships within CoP Sensitise COP members for other communities and help them to find connections to others Ensure the CoP has appropriate time and resources: balance CoP and daily job Clear roles & responsibilities Balance longer term projects with quick wins

Form the community around a clearly defined and strategically important area of practice, technology and knowledge

Find key practitioners in a strategically relevant knowledge domain, with a good spread of expertise and experience

Inspire people to actively participate in CoP

Support development of strong interpersonal relationships within CoP

Sensitise COP members for other communities and help them to find connections to others

Ensure the CoP has appropriate time and resources: balance CoP and daily job

Clear roles & responsibilities

Balance longer term projects with quick wins

Went well/not went well NOT GONE WELL Disconnected CoPs - many CoPs being created that do similar things Poor/little use of tagging Most self-organising networks did not attend IDeA CoP training Management can hamper or kill a community…..it cannot make it thrive! WENT WELL Evidence of greater collaboration across councils Evidence of more joined-up thinking and new ways of working Greater knowledge (and use) of social media tools Continued and growing enthusiasm for community collaboration

NOT GONE WELL

Disconnected CoPs - many CoPs being created that do similar things

Poor/little use of tagging

Most self-organising networks did not attend IDeA CoP training

Management can hamper or kill a community…..it cannot make it thrive!

WENT WELL

Evidence of greater collaboration across councils

Evidence of more joined-up thinking and new ways of working

Greater knowledge (and use) of social media tools

Continued and growing enthusiasm for community collaboration

A Quote I'm now convinced that sharing knowledge, information and experience through CoPs is the future of success in local government, and that social media tools such as those employed within the IDeA CoP platform are the glue that can stick cross-sector collaboration projects together Local Authority CoP facilitator

…but some will never get it!

A final thought…. Innovation becomes possible whenever and wherever the right combination of need and solution arises without being killed stone dead by process. Euan Semple, September 2006.

Innovation becomes possible whenever and wherever the right combination of need and solution arises without being killed stone dead by process.

Euan Semple, September 2006.

Thank you Steve Dale Semantix (UK) Ltd [email_address]