This presentation gives an introduction to Rio Tinto\'s journey with its Community of Practice initiative, with lessons learned both from the initiative itself and other companies. It features a YouTube CoP success story - contact mark.bennett@learningcollaboration for further details.

1. Communities of Practice Mark Bennett LearningCollaboration mark.bennett@learningcollaboration.com

2. 2 Presentation outline Knowledge Management / Knowledge Transfer? What are Communities of Practice (CoPs) – why are they important? What have others done? Global CoPs in practice…. Where do we go from here? Questions & Answers

3. 3 See how Communities of Practice are helping Rio Tinto people share expertise and collaborate across the world (available on YouTube and from Rio Tinto website)

4. 4 Knowledge Transfer: What’s the problem? “We can always know more than we can tell, and we will always tell more than we can write down. The nature of knowledge is such that we always know, or are capable of knowing more than we have the physical time or the conceptual ability to say. I can speak in five minutes what it will otherwise take me two weeks to get round to spend a couple of hours writing it down.” Dave Snowden

6. It’s sometimes very difficult to write down, and is often transferred by conversations, informal e-mails, presentations and methodologies such as a Community of Practice & the RTCF.

9. Held together by common interest in topic

10. Trade tools, templates, best practices

12. Internal benchmarking-Process Masters -Knowledge Champions -Best Practice Teams Self-Service + - Intranets - Portals to key info - Search - Yellow Pages - Expert directories Human Interaction Higher Lower Knowledge Transfer Approaches Tacit Explicit

14. 8 Yellow pages in action, linked to CoPs

16. Held together by common interest in topic

17. Trade tools, templates, best practices

19. Internal benchmarking-Process Masters -Knowledge Champions -Best Practice Teams Self-Service + - Intranets - Portals to key info - Search - Yellow Pages - Expert directories Human Interaction Higher Lower Knowledge Transfer Approaches Tacit Explicit

20. 10 Presentation outline Knowledge Management / Knowledge Transfer? What are Communities of Practice (CoPs) – why are they important? What have others done? Global CoPs in practice…. Where do we go from here? Questions & Answers

21. 11 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 to learn how to do it better.” Source: Etienne Wenger

22. 12 Innovation - Focus on developing ideas and innovative practices Helping - Focus on members connecting to other each, allowing them to request help for problem solving and sharing ideas Best Practice - Focus on developing, validating and disseminating leading practices Knowledge Stewarding - Focus on organising and managing CoPs common knowledge, including any material that members use on a regular basis Communities of Practice are regarded as KM’s tour de force, but one size does not fit all: 4 types Source: APQC / Wenger et al

23. 13 SHORT-TERM VALUE LONG-TERM VALUE Help with challenges Access to expertise Confidence Fun with colleagues Meaningful work Personal development Reputation Professional identity Network Marketability MEMBERS Strategic capabilities Keeping abreast Innovation Retention of talents New strategies Problem solving Time saving Knowledge sharing Synergies across units Reuse of resources ORGANISATION Source: Etienne Wenger The Value of Working Together

24. 14 Presentation outline Knowledge Management / Knowledge Transfer? What are Communities of Practice (CoPs) – why are they important? What have others done? Global CoPs in practice…. Where do we go from here? Questions & Answers

25. 15 Many other companies have made significant use of CoPs British Petroleum British Telecom Buckmann Laboratories Caterpiller Cap Gemini Ernst & Young ChevronTexaco DaimlerChrysler ExxonMobil Ford Halliburton IBM Schlumberger Shell Siemens The World Bank Xerox Corporation

26. 16 Shell’s experience (II)Sharing Expertise

27. 17 Concept of a Global Network (CoP) The answer is new “Information” Discussion Group, High traffic area What do others know ? Add the new Information Coordinator &Subject Focal points Start with inserting your current Information Knowledge Base What information do we already have ?

28. 18 Shell’s experience: show me the money! Pecten Cameroon (a Shell company) shared its techniques for improving production from a gas lifted well, by injecting demulsifier, reducing viscosity in the production string and thereby increasing production. They obtained a gain of 500 barrels a day ($5 million per annum), and the approach is being extended to 17 other wells with prospective gains of 9 million per year. A ~US$200m benefit

29. 19 The ExxonMobil Approach First priority: Discover & Adopt Second priority: Discover & Adapt Last Resort: Develop (&Share!) We work for ExxonMobil – not just a BU

30. Community of practice Maintaining a Knowledge AssetDual Citizenship Kwinana Nerefco Toledo Dual citizenship

31. 21 Presentation outline Knowledge Management / Knowledge Transfer? What are Communities of Practice (CoPs) – why are they important? What have others done? Global CoPs in practice…. Where do we go from here? Questions & Answers

32. 22 Linking local and global CoPs Linking BU CoPs with global CoPs…. It’s a win-win when we get it to work. Global CoP structure – source McDermott

33. 23 RTCF Usage

34. 24 Presentation outline Knowledge Management / Knowledge Transfer? What are Communities of Practice (CoPs) – why are they important? What have others done? Global CoPs in practice…. Where do we go from here? Questions & Answers

35. 25 Build Trust; FTF meetings Coordinators WIIFM? Shared Ownership Incentives Executive Sponsorship Culture of “Discover & Adopt” Evangelise Overcome fear of groups Facilitate PEOPLE PROCESS Sell, educate & train Spark debate “Dual Citizenship” Learn by doing TECHNOLOGY Customer focus – making collaboration ridiculously easy RTCF Portal RioNet WebeX, phone conf Community of Practice - Enablers Wiki

36. 26 A simple process to keep building a vibrant portfolio of Communities of Practice Before any business activity: Ask and Search During any business activity: Learn After any business activity: Share With thanks to Shell International

37. Communities of Practice Mark Bennett LearningCollaboration mark.bennett@learningcollaboration.com