This document provides a summary of a webinar on knowledge jams presented by Kate Pugh. The webinar discussed how knowledge jams can be used to surface hidden knowledge within organizations through facilitated conversations and translation of insights into usable forms. It defines knowledge jams as a process for bringing out know-how via a facilitated conversation between knowers and learners, with a built-in step to circulate findings. The webinar provided examples of knowledge jams and discussed the disciplines of facilitation, conversation, and translation used in knowledge jam processes.

1. Conversation Channels Insight
Into Action!
Kate Pugh
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2. Synthesis Partnership works with nonprofit
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4. Today’s Speaker
Kate Pugh
Author, President, Educator
AlignConsulting and Columbia University
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April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership
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5. Conversation Channels
Insight Into Action!
Knowledge Jam Concepts for Nonprofit Webinars
September 14, 2011
Kate Pugh
AlignConsulting
Author of Sharing Hidden Know-How
www.alignconsultinginc.com
katepugh@alum.mit.edu
Twitter: @katrinapugh
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6. Agenda
• The Knowledge Jam
–What’s the problem?
–What’s Knowledge Jam?
–Deep dive on facilitation, conversation, translation
• Comparing K Jam to other knowledge-capture tools
• You
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7. ―Convening‖ is today’s leadership edge
1990s 2000s 2010s
Boast
Raw skill Networks and Convening
(in technologies, Relationships people and ideas
markets) (people, companies, (even ones we
nations) don’t know)
Raytheon Nike Facebook
GE Ebay Twitter
Big
Apple Amazon Google
Hewlett Packard Walmart Partners in Health
Compaq World Bank Bill & Melinda
Partners in Health Pew Research Gates Foundation
Buzz
Dot-com “nano” “social”
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8. $85,000 opportunity cost (est.) for
every 100 nonprofit knowledge workers
$8,400 opportunity
cost per year, per
employee or
volunteer in these
time-sinks
Source: Laurence Prusak and Al Jacobson, ―The Cost of Knowledge,‖ Harvard Business Review, November, 2006, Reprint F0611H) (Kate Pugh’s simple calculations 5-15
business days elapsed; $100/hr, 10hrs/interaction, 10 interactions/yr; $100 x 100 x 84% = $8,400/year one typical employee spends in these time-sinks annually)
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9. Tapping into hidden know-how pays off for
nonprofits (and their ecosystem)…
 Developing new programs
 Leadership/team transitions
 Initiating partnerships
 Overcoming Info-Glut
 Sharing comms. insights
 Integrating mergers
 Adopting social Media or
other tech initiatives
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10. What’s holding back sharing know-how?
Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge
“Blind Spots” “Mismatches” “Jails”
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10

11. Knowledge Jam defined
Knowledge Jam is a process for bringing out
know-how via a facilitated conversation
between knowers and learners, with a built-in
step to circulate or
“translate”
what was
learned.
Facilitation
(boundary spanning)
Conversation Translation
(surfacing usable (putting know-how
insights) to work)
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12. Knowledge Jam’s ―conversation‖ is not
the end point – reuse is
3. Discover/
1. Select 2. Plan 4. Broker 5. Reuse
Capture
Scope, Get partici- Facilitate Translate and Apply and
Sponsor pants, topics conversation circulate measure
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13. Case Study: Institute for Healthcare
Improvement Knowledge Jam
• Situation: Need to accelerate perinatal hospital teams’ time to ―gel‖
(integrate & practice quality steps)
• Burning Question: What’s ―gelling‖? What helps? Hinders?
• Select/Plan before Knowledge Jam Event: 4 months
• Participants (~10): Nurses, Doctors, quality
program mgrs, non-profit’s program
designers and faculty,
• A Big Insight: Must ―gel‖ intentionally
(process, people, gatherings, quality
techniques), but informal storytelling sticks
• Result: ―Gelling‖ added to org-wide design
model
Jamming with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement ― (NASA Ask Magazine, Winter,
2011) http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/ask/issues/41/41i_jamming.html
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14. Case Study: Biofuel/Bioproducts
Institute Knowledge Jam
• Situation: Energy research program
was shifting from academic ―initiative‖
(NSF-funded) to ―institute‖
• Burning Question: What can
we glean from first 3 years
of running the initiative to ―hit
the ground running‖ with the institute
• Select/Plan before Knowledge Jam Event: 2.5 months
• Participants (~20): Chem engineers, chemists, sociologists, economists,
business sponsors, industry associations
• A Big Insight: Broadcast and integrate roadmaps (multi-dimensionally).
Don’t wait until after you solve a problem to share it.
• Result: Well-prepared for Board (which approved); increased project
funding; staffing diversification.
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15. Deep Dive: Facilitation,
Conversation, Translation Disciplines
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16. 1. Facilitation Discipline
Facilitator..
• Prioritizes
• Coordinates
• Sets Tone
• Convenes
• Presides
• Models
• Probes
• Captures
• Summarizes
• Nudges
• Measures
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17. 1. Facilitation Discipline (cont’d)
Michael Wilkinson’s’ generic information gathering moves:
Indirect Probe—―
Direct Probe—― And the reason
Why is that you did that is. . Tag Question—
important?‖ . .‖ ―That’s
important, isn’t
it?‖ (warms
people up)
Prompt Question—– Redirect—
―What else
―Good point.
might come into
Can we put that
play?‖
in the parking
Playback—
lot?‖
―Let me try to
restate that. . . .‖
Leading Question—
Float—–
―Are there
solutions in the ―What about. . . Thank You!
area of. . .?‖ ? What are the
benefits?‖
Help brokers take the lead during these moves
Knowledge Jam for Chicago KM 110208 17

18. 2. Conversation Discipline
Posture of Openness
Glen
Beck!
John Paul
Stewart! Krugman!
Pursuit of Diversity
Voice
Sense of agency or authority
(opposite: Idolatry)
Michele Lady
Bachman! Gaga!
Suspension Listening
Not judging Not assuming
(opposite: Certainty ) (opposite: Abstraction
Practices of Dialogue Respect
Appreciating what is
(opposite: Violence)
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19. 2. Conversation Discipline (cont’d): shared
record typed and displayed in real-time
School’s Advancement office (brokers) Jamming with Ivy League fundraising veteran (originator)
Topic Comments Summary/Implications
Plank 1:  Broker 1: We are working on a number of things for this phase of the 2010 campaign. We call Phonathons may train
"Investing in them Planks. The first plank is about expanding to future donors. students as future Agents.
the Future
 Originator: We get young students involved in solicitation. We have a phonathon and 30-50 people Consider having a recent
Donor Base"
come. We give them food, drink (not too much). We see a lot of camaraderie. It can be great for alum phonathon
(e.g., non-
training students to be agents. I’d love to have us train a bunch and select them as a “team” who
donors,
stay with the annual fund for year.
younger Keep up the interactions,
donors,  Broker 1: Our team mate has shown us that the younger classes don’t like the phones. And even
the “fun” as solicitation
stretch some older classes like connecting at least in part with email. What about using social media like
moves to non-phone (e.g.,
giving) Facebook?
social) media.
 Originator: I’m not big into that, but others are. Anything that makes them feel wanted is good. I
was surprised how much the male alums had a ball together on the phones.
Plank 2:  Broker 1: Another plank is “Improving our Asking Techniques.”
"Improving
 Originator: Yes. In two words: “Shut Up!” I’m concerned that Ivey League Univ. is giving over a lot
Asking
of the asking to the students. It’s a big mistake. They just don’t have that skill. You need
Techniques"
information. I was hostess for some of Ivey League Univ.’s cruises and really got to know people.
You need to be armed with this information about the people. Get to know donors;
know about them,
 Broker 1: So, you really get to know them?
especially where there
 Originator: Yes, it takes time. At the first meeting you don’t ask. You get to know them. are current events which
impact the asking level or
 Broker 1: Did you ever ask people to “top off” their gift?
timing
 Originator: Never. Well, not usually. But I learned how to communicate with […].
 Broker 1: How much research should a small school like the school be doing? Especially given
limited resources?
Consider having Trustees
 Originator: Research is really important. Have a folder on the biggest donors. Get all of the names
help with research
connected. Maybe the trustees can help? They may know a lot.!
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20. 3. Translation Discipline
Brokers’ roles
• Representing the ―Seekers‖
• ―Remixing‖ Content
• Promoting learning
• Handling perish-ability
• Measuring impact
• Being a change agent!
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21. 2. Translation Discipline (cont’d)
Type of Knowledge Brokering Vehicle
Seeker Profile (illustrative) Brokered Form (illustrative)
(illustrative) (illustrative)
Process, e.g., how we Another region Annotated process flow Work aid, kit, video
ramped up a health
intervention
Service, e.g., how we Another program team Feature prioritization, Service roll-out
defined a Service template presentations
lifecycle
Target community, e.g., Regional service Pilot log, ―trial‖ notes Customer Service rep
how our target customer organization and anecdotes (CSR) screens
segment responded to
advocacy
Program, e.g., how we Another school district Lesson plans Online district-wide
taught our special sample curriculums
needs kids math
Organization, e.g., how Change management Stakeholder matrix, Online transition kits
we managed internal teams message samples, etc.
stakeholders during a
restructuring
Knowledge Jam for Chicago KM 110208 21

22. Comparing Knowledge Jam to Other
Capture-Transfer Methods
Organizational Learning Collaboration Technology Translation
After Action Review IBM Innovation Search/Alerts
Jam™
Mentoring Peer Assist Clipping services
Discussion Forums
Wikis Knowledge
Jam Instructional
Community of Design
Practice
Conversation Intelligence Acquisition
Reporting Interview
Appreciative Inquiry
Knowledge Harvesting
Individual Journaling or Facilitation
Procedure Writing
(not in graphic)
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23. You are the Knowledge Jam convener
Spans boundaries
• Brings people and ideas together
• Prioritizes
• Coordinates
Facilitation
Puts knowledge to work Surfaces usable insight
• Summarizes • Tone of common curiosity
• Translates • Models
• Measures and Nudges • Probes, Captures
Translation Conversation
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24. You can grow the knowledge jam
―convening competency‖…
• Identify the risk implications of  Start a knowledge portfolio
Facilitation
blindspots (―feasibility and impact‖ 2x2)
• Span boundaries across  Social NW analysis, social media
unconnected groups planning
Conversation
• Convene break-through  Facilitation, dialogue, systems
conversations thinking, café models
• Inspire responsibility for shared  Change mgt., Stakeholder mgt.,
learning, and collective change impact communication
Translation
• Get people thinking about  Story telling, case development
analogous cases
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25. Discussion
1. Facilitation: Where might it help to span boundaries
intentionally, rather than wait for that to happen?
2. Conversation: When do text or document-based
methods omit critical context? What does conversation
add?
3. Translation: How might involving ―brokers‖ – people
invested in outcomes -- improve the likelihood that
knowledge gets put to work?
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26. Kate Pugh, AlignConsulting and
Columbia University
• Kate has 17 years of consulting and seven years of industry experience.
She held leadership positions with Intel Corporation, JPMorgan, and
Fidelity. She is on the faculty of Columbia University’s Information and
Knowledge Strategy Masters program, and is author of Sharing Hidden
Know-How (Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2011).
• Kate helped run Intel Solution Services’ Knowledge and Process Mgt
Group, led Fidelity Personal & Workplace Investments KM, and initiated
and ran the JPMorganChase’s Finance Portal Program.
• Kate has helped launch and/or run over 20 communities of practice,
including Intel’s award-winning Enterprise Architects’ community.
Sample clients include Fidelity Investments, The Gates Foundation,
www.alignconsultinginc.com
katepugh@alum.mit.edu Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Medtronic, Mitokine Bioscience,
Twitter: @katrinapugh Project Management Institute, and The World Bank. Kate is on the
Board of Knowledge Mgt. Institute Canada.
• Kate has an MS/MBA from MIT Sloan, a BA in Economics from Williams
College, and certificates in Dialogue, Facilitation, Mediation, Project
Mgt., and LEAN Six Sigma.
• Kate has articles in Harvard Business Review, NASA Ask Magazine,
Dashboard Insight, IBM Syn.Chrono.us Blog and Ivey Business Journal.
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27. Some Reading
• Sharing Hidden Know-How (Jossey-
Bass, April 2011)
• ―Knowledge Jam: Three Disciplines to
Beat the Merger Performance Odds,”
Ivey Business Journal, July/August,
2011.
• Jamming with the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement ― (NASA Ask
Magazine, Winter, 2011)
• ―Don’t Just Capture Knowledge – Put It
NASA Ask Magazine
to Work,‖ Katrina Pugh and Nancy M.
Dixon, Harvard Business Review, May
2008.
• Sustainable Communities: Top 10
CSFs for Keeping the Faith, IBM
Synch.rono.us Blog, July 19, 2010
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28. Find listings for our current season
of webinars and register at:
NonprofitWebinars.com
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