Etienne Wenger's metaphor of knowledge management as a doughnut.

1. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
AS A DOUGHNUT
SHAPING YOUR KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY
THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
ETIENNE WENGER
PRESENTED BY
BRANDON CARTER, ROBB LEVIN, BOB TRAVIS
AND HOMER J. SIMPSON

2. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT?
• IT IS NOT A “TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL
ASSET” OR INFORMATION
• EXCHANGING AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF A
COMMUNITY
– KNOWLEDGE FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE IS WHAT OUR
HUMAN COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCUMULATED OVER TIME TO
UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AND ACT EFFECTIVELY IN IT
• KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IS PRIMARILY THE BUSINESS OF
THOSE WHO ACTUALLY MAKE THE DOUGH -- THE
PRACTITIONERS.

3. WHAT IS A COMMUNITY
OF PRACTICE?
“COMMUNITIES OF
PRACTICE ARE GROUPS
OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE
A PASSION FOR
SOMETHING THAT THEY
KNOW HOW TO DO, AND
WHO INTERACT
REGULARLY IN ORDER
TO LEARN HOW TO DO
IT BETTER”

4. Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
Sharing
Learning
Stewarding

5. Strategy
Performance
Domains
DOMAINS: YOU NEED KNOWLEDGE
TO DO WHAT YOU WANT
EVERY ORGANIZATION EXISTS TO ACHIEVE SOME GOAL.
• THE FIRST STEP IS TO
TRANSLATE THE STRATEGY
OF THE ORGANIZATION INTO A
SET OF DOMAINS.
• A DOMAIN BREAKS DOWN
THE PROBLEMS INTO
CHUNKS THAT ARE
MANAGEABLE BY THOSE
WHO SHOULD BE MANAGING
KNOWLEDGE,
THE PRACTITIONERS.

6. Strategy
Performance
Communities
Domains
COMMUNITIES: YOU NEED
PEOPLE TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE
FIND THE PRACTITIONERS WHO CAN FORM A COMMUNITY THAT CAN
TAKE CARE OFF THE KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR DOMAIN.
• COMPANY-WIDE COMMUNITIES
LEARNING AVAILABLE TO ALL
CONCERNED.
• THEY MAKE SURE THAT THE
LEARNING FROM VARIOUS
LOCATIONS
WITHIN AND BEYOND THE
ORGANIZATION IS SYNTHESIZED
AND INTEGRATED, THEN
REMEMBERED AND DISTRIBUTED.

7. Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
PRACTICE: YOU NEED EXPERIENCE
TO PRODUCE USABLE KNOWLEDGE
• ENGAGE PRACTITIONERS
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THEIR PRACTICE
• WHAT WILL BE
PRODUCTIVE IS SPECIFIC TO
EACH PRACTICE
• FEW THINGS ENERGIZE A
COMMUNITY OF
PRACTITIONERS
MORE THAN GETTING INTO
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF
THE PRACTICE.

8. LEARNING: PRACTICES REVISITED:
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
• PRACTITIONERS LEARN
CONSTANTLY ON THE
JOB.
• THEY INVENT
SOLUTIONS, REFINE
SKILLS, AND LEARN
FROM MISTAKES.
• THIS LEARNING NEEDS
TO BE CAPTURED INTO
REFINED
PRACTICES.
Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
Learning

9. SHARING: COMMUNITIES REVISITED:
WHO SHOULD KNOW THIS?
• PROJECT-SPECIFIC
LEARNING SHOULD NOT
REMAIN LOCAL OR
INCIDENTAL.
• PRACTITIONERS
CANNOT BE
KNOWLEDGE MANAGERS
BY THEMSELVES.
• THE VOICE OF THE
PRACTITIONER LENDS
CREDIBILITY TO
KNOWLEDGE ACROSS
THE COMMUNITY.
Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
Sharing
Learning

10. STEWARDING: DOMAINS REVISITED:
WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
• THINK ABOUT
KNOWLEDGE
STRATEGICALLY.
• WATCH FOR GAPS IN
KNOWLEDGE THAT
IMPACT WORK AND PLAN
TO GET IT.
• DUAL FOCUS ON
KNOWLEDGE AND WORK
GIVES A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE ON NEW
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES.
Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
Sharing
Learning
Stewarding

11. ROLLING THE DOUGHNUT:
STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
• KNOWLEDGE IS THE
PROPERTY OF THE
PRACTITIONERS.
• MANAGEMENT’S ROLE
IS TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE FOR THEM
TO BE MANAGERS OF
THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
• COMBINED BOTTOM-UP
ENTHUSIASM AND TOP-
DOWN
ENCOURAGEMENT
MAKE THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL COPS.
Strategy
Performance
Communities
Practices
Domains
Sharing
Learning
Stewarding

12. ENABLING STRUCTURES
SPONSORSHIP:
– MANAGEMENT’S ROLE
RECOGNITION:
– PEER
– ORGANIZATIONAL
SUPPORT:
– ORGANIZATIONAL

13. REFERENCES
GROENING, M. (CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER). (1989) THE SIMPSONS
[TELEVISION SERIES]. LOS ANGELES: FOX
BROADCASTING COMPANY.
WENGER, E. (2004, JANUARY-FEBRUARY).
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AS A DOUGHNUT:
SHAPING YOUR KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY
THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE. IVEY
BUSINESS JOURNAL ONLINE. RETRIEVED
MARCH 27, 2009 FROM
HTTP://WWW.IVEYBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/VIE
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