FAO TKN Review - Members

Questions we came up with (that are specific to members)

1. Does your TKN currently have a facilitator?
2. What do you think would enhance more participation?
3. How critical is facilitation to the operation of your network?
4. Is the facilitator approachable and helpful?
5. Did you receive enough technical support when joining the TKN? If no, how could this be improved?
6. How regularly do you report about your TKN to the management?
7. Does management recognise the need for you to participate?
8. Then do you spend time on the network? (during office hours or outside of office hours)
9. Did your sponsors allocate budget and resources to the network?

Questions we will ask (same set as above) (in order of priority?)

1. Does your TKN currently have a facilitator?
2. What do you think would enhance more participation?
3. How critical is facilitation to the operation of your network?
4. Is the facilitator approachable and helpful?
5. What are your motivation and incentives to participate?
6. What are your goals and objectives behind participating? How are you addressing them?
7. Did you receive enough technical support when joining the TKN? If no, how could this be improved?
8. How regularly do you report about your TKN to the management?
9. Does management recognise the need for you to participate?
10. When do you spend time on the network? (during office hours or outside of office hours) How much commitment is required?
11. Did your sponsors allocate budget and resources to the network?

ALL QUESTIONS TO MEMBERS

a. The vision and purpose of your TKN – We would like to know more about the corporate motivation behind your TKN and relevance of the network with regards to FAO’s work.

Main themes: Mission/vision/purpose of network and corporate relevance.

--What is the mission/vision/purpose of your network? What are you doing to achieve it? Did your network ever get off the ground?

--Is there a clear corporate motivation for developing the network and if so, what is it? How does the TKN relate to your regular work?

--Is the link between corporate objectives and the business case for the TKN clear? What are the prospects for achieving these through the network?

--Does management recognise the need for you to participate? How regularly do you report about your TKN to the management?

b. Membership of the TKN – Have the people targeted for inclusion in the network joined, and is there communication within the network about some of the major issues in the subject areas of interest? Do you see a willingness to share information and knowledge?

Main themes: Membership, communication and sharing.

--How many members are there in your network? How many of them do you know personally?

--Do you meet face to face? How often?

--Do you communicate between meetings? How? (via email, phone, electronic discussion forums, wikis...?)

--Is the amount and quality of communication allowing to deliver on the network's objectives?

--Do you see a willingness to share information and knowledge? If not, what could be the deterrents, in your opinion?

--What are your motivation and incentives to participate? What are your goals and objectives behind participating? How are you addressing them?

c. Participation in the TKN – We hope to learn more about the sharing and learning that has taken place within the network, including your own involvement.

Main themes: Participation.

--Are you actively participating in the network?

--More generally, is participation in the network active? Why?

--Are you satisfied with what you are learning from participating in the network?

d. Facilitation – How much effort is required in terms of facilitation to make the TKN successful, and are you having success in engaging the TKN members?

Main themes: Success of facilitation.

--Does your TKN currently have a facilitator?

--Does the facilitation stimulate member participation?

--What do you think would enhance more participation?

--How critical is facilitation to the operation of your network?

--Is the facilitator approachable and helpful?

--When do you spend time on the network? (during office hours or outside of office hours)

e. Return on investment - What are the tangible benefits of your TKN?

Main themes: Potential of network to catalyse better use of resources and be a source of innovation.

--Is there any evidence of reduction in days/hours needed to solve problems because of your participation in the TKN?

--Is there any evidence of reduction of financial costs, travel, etc., due to TKN knowledge resources or shared knowledge?

--Have any innovative ideas come out of the group?

--Has there been transfer of "good practices" (i.e., 'best practices') from one member to another?

--Has there been evidence of the adoption of "good practices" (i.e., 'best practices') or innovations that came from the TKN?

f. Resources available – Are there sufficient resources in terms of staff time and budget available to support and make the TKN an integral part of the workflow and knowledge sharing process for your work area?

Main themes: Current budget and plans for future investments.

--What is the budget and/or resources available to the TKN?

--So far, do you feel there is value for the resources invested? Why/why not?

--Are there funds for activities other than facilitation/coordination?

--Did your sponsors allocate budget and resources to the network?

g. Technical solutions – Are the technology solutions offered appropriate for your network?

Main themes: Suitability of support technologies.

--Was the provided solution (D-groups, Typo 3 Based platform) enough to meet your TKNs needs?

--Did you receive enough technical support when joining the TKN? If no, how could this be improved?

--Based on what you are currently using, what additional functionalities would be useful to the "better functioning" of your TKN?

h. Promoting and improving TKNs at FAO – What ways have been effective in promoting and improving the value of your TKN? If your TKN has not evolved as expected, what do you think are the critical areas that need improvement?

Main themes: Network promotion and improvement.

--Have you tried to promote the network? Have you invited new members?

--Do you have any ideas about improving the network? In what way?

i. The last word – We want your suggestions and ideas for moving forward and making the TKNs more successful. Let us know what ideas you have for improving what we have collectively developed over the past months.

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