What are the questions that help us select processes and methods?

A set of tools is not enough. We need to start with the qeustions of...

What are we trying to do together or accomplish? Some subquestions we might ask include:

• Are you trying to build relationships in a group?
  • Generic Tips for this
  • Tools and Resources on the wiki for this
• Are you trying to work on organizational change?
• Are you trying to help someone/people understand KM?
• Are you trying to convince leadership to support KM/KS?
• Are you building knowledge sharing capacity?
• Are you trying to develop new knowledge?
• Are you trying to make meaning together?
• Are you trying to identify lessons learned in a project?
• Are you trying to reflect on one of your practices?
• Are you trying to understand impact or change?
• Are you trying to convince some one of something?
• Are you trying to innovate? Create something new?
• Are you trying to get people out of their silos?
• Are you trying to identify knowledge?
• Are you trying to uncover work practices? Information flows? Collaboration practices?
• Are you trying to monitor and evaluate?
• Are you trying to communicate impact and value of a knowledge sharing practice?
• Are you trying to share knowledge?
• Are you trying to build capacity for learning?

What are the needs for your group or constituency?

• Are they homogeneous or diverse?
• Are you doing a training?
• Are you offering support materials?
• Are you coaching?
• Are you pointing to a resource that others can use on their own?
• Are you making people do something? Inviting them? Role modeling?
• What other contextual things should you consider?
• Is something familiar more important, or will something new be useful?

How do you like to operate?

As you think about building KS and KM capacity in your group, culture or organization, you may have a way of working that works best for you. Some of us like more precise definitions and exact recipes. Others want a more flexible route and still others just want to spark ideas but will create their own path.

• I want a recipe - tell me exactly what to do
• I want a general road map but I like a few options
• I want some examples and ideas and I'll take it from there

Cookie recipe example