Beyond Functional Silos With Communities of Practice
Brian Bozzuto &
Dennis Stevens
Our Journey
What We’re Going to Talk About…
! What is a Community of Practice?
! Why Would You Use A Community of Practice?
! How Would you Go About Starting a Community of Practice?
Two Early Examples Chrysler
! 1988, Chrysler re-organized from a functional hierarchy to one structured around product lines
! “Tech clubs” were originally informal groups of engineers around a given domain (i.e. brakes)
Xerox
! Initially started as informal gatherings among field technicians
! Eventually grew to an online database and forum of experiences, knowledge, and problem resolutions
Definition of a Community of Practice
Domain • A common purpose
and experience
Practice • People actively working
in the domain looking to share and get support
Community • A social network of
people
Comparing Organizational Structures
Functional Silo
Formal Hierarchy
People working in Domain
Goal is Business Outcomes
People join based on title / position
Center of Excellence
Structured Department
Abstract knowledge on topic
Goal is technical mastery
People join based on a job or expertise
Community of Practice
Informal Peer Groups
People working in Domain
Goal is knowledge acquisition
Members self-select
Differing Levels of Participation
Coordinator
Core Group
Active
Peripheral
Community Infrastructure
Virtual
! Discussion boards & Email
! Wikis & Activity Feeds
! Webinars
! Coordination Meetings
Face to Face ! Brown bag lunches ! Off site meetings ! Regularly scheduled forums ! Community Vision and
Planning
You most likely want a blend of different mediums to compliment the diversity of people in your community
Formality of Communities
! Unrecognized – tacit community, members not even aware
! Bootlegged – small community operating unbeknownst to most in the organization
! Legitimized – officially recognized by the organization
! Supported – supported materially by the organization
! Institutionalized – built into the processes of the organization
The Uses of Communities of Practice Some Case Studies
Project Management Institute “Deliver Value Now”
Domain: Helping project managers thrive using agile techniques
Community: 16,000 PMI members who have joined the community world wide
Practice: • Experience reports • Internal agile projects • Online content • Presence at conferences
Various Organizations Implementing Agile “Establish a Shared Vision & Make Meaning”
Domain: Helping Scrum Masters figure out their role and how to be effective
Community: ScrumMasters and other interested members of Agile teams
Practice: • Joint problem solving • Research projects • Experience sharing • Peer coaching • Traveling facilitation
Transformation Teams “Be Open to Evolution Over Time”
Domain: Management learning their role as facilitators of change and mentors
Community: Functional Managers, Subject Matter Experts, and interested members from teams
Practice: • Assess impediments • Provide coordinated
coaching and support • Share change strategies,
success and failures • Explore interdependencies
between functional silos
Starting a Community of Practice Some Case Studies
Path to Convening a Community
! Engage potential members
! Establish a shared vision
! Recruit a core group of active members and establish the supporting infrastructure
! Find a fast path to deliver value
! Design the community to adapt to emerging needs
Community Canvas Example Key Partnerships: • What people or
groups are external to the community but of paramount value?
Key Activities: • How will the
community interact?
• What will they do?
Value Prop.: • WIFM? (May vary
by member) • What can this
offer, that other avenues can’t?
Relationships: • How are people
related? • Formal /
Informal? • Boss, Peer, Other?
Member Segments: • PMI Members
looking to learn more about Agile
Key Resources: • What resources
are available to be brought to bear?
Channels: • How will people
interact?
Cost Structure: • What is the cost of this community both financial and
non-financial? • How much does a community member pay (in time,
frustration, distraction, etc.) in order to be a part of this community?
Revenue (Value) Streams: • What value are people getting out of being part of this
community? • What value does the organization get by supporting this
community?
Community Canvas Example Key Partnerships: • What people or
groups are external to the community but of paramount value?
Key Activities: • How will the
community interact?
• What will they do?
Value Prop.: • WIFM? (May vary
by member) • What can this
offer, that other avenues can’t?
Relationships: • How are people
related? • Formal /
Informal? • Boss, Peer, Other?
Member Segments: • PMI Members
looking to learn more about Agile
Key Resources: • What resources
are available to be brought to bear?
Channels: • How will people
interact?
Cost Structure: • What is the cost of this community both financial and
non-financial? • How much does a community member pay (in time,
frustration, distraction, etc.) in order to be a part of this community?
Revenue (Value) Streams: • What value are people getting out of being part of this
community? • What value does the organization get by supporting this
community?
Domain
Community Canvas Example Key Partnerships: • What people or
groups are external to the community but of paramount value?
Key Activities: • How will the
community interact?
• What will they do?
Value Prop.: • WIFM? (May vary
by member) • What can this
offer, that other avenues can’t?
Relationships: • How are people
related? • Formal /
Informal? • Boss, Peer, Other?
Member Segments: • PMI Members
looking to learn more about Agile
Key Resources: • What resources
are available to be brought to bear?
Channels: • How will people
interact?
Cost Structure: • What is the cost of this community both financial and
non-financial? • How much does a community member pay (in time,
frustration, distraction, etc.) in order to be a part of this community?
Revenue (Value) Streams: • What value are people getting out of being part of this
community? • What value does the organization get by supporting this
community?
Practice
Community Canvas Example Key Partnerships: • What people or
groups are external to the community but of paramount value?
Key Activities: • How will the
community interact?
• What will they do?
Value Prop.: • WIFM? (May vary
by member) • What can this
offer, that other avenues can’t?
Relationships: • How are people
related? • Formal /
Informal? • Boss, Peer, Other?
Member Segments: • PMI Members
looking to learn more about Agile
Key Resources: • What resources
are available to be brought to bear?
Channels: • How will people
interact?
Cost Structure: • What is the cost of this community both financial and
non-financial? • How much does a community member pay (in time,
frustration, distraction, etc.) in order to be a part of this community?
Revenue (Value) Streams: • What value are people getting out of being part of this
community? • What value does the organization get by supporting this
community?
Community
Community Canvas Example - PMI Key Partnerships: • Agile Alliance • Scrum Alliance • Sponsors • PMI-ACP Group
Key Activities: • Regular webinars • Manage PMI
relationship • Volunteer teams
pursuing new initiatives
Value Prop.: • Experts –
opportunity to show their skills & get business
• Practitioners – build network, get experience
• New to Agile – get support and trusted information
Relationships: • Group of
committed volunteers
• Most members don’t have established relationships
Member Segments: Domain – PMI members looking to apply Agile practice in their work • Experts • Practitioners • New to Agile Key Resources:
• New volunteers (burn out)
• Web Platform • Webinar Platform
Channels: • Webinars • Online Site • Emails • Conferences
Cost Structure: • Cost of web presence • Travel to conferences
Revenue (Value) Streams: • Increased retention of PMI Members (difficult to
measure) • Sponsorship revenue
Key Questions to Jumpstart Your Community
! What makes this a clear community?
! How can the community deliver value now?
! Who can help you build and sustain this?
Thank You! Brian Bozzuto
BigVisible
Additional Resources
! http://www.ewenger.com
! http://wenger-trayner.com
Dennis Stevens
Leading Agile