A network of CoPs as main structure to develop and share knowledge in a bilateral development agency?

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• Title of the Project: A network of CoPs as main structure to develop and share knowledge in a bilateral development agency?

• Project leader: Adrian Gnägi, SDC (Switzerland)

• Brief description: The current mid-term strategy of SDC's knowledge and research unit proposes a network of CoPs as main organizational structure to develop and share knowledge within SDC, and between SDC and our partners. This strategy is being implemented, but with rather low profile. When discussing whether to raise profile or not, we realized that we (knowledge workers) are fascinated by the concept behind the strategy, but we doubt that the organization as a whole would endorse it. The main objective of the workshop is to discuss the feasibility of the concept and share experience on implementing it.

• Current stage: under implementation

• Estimated work time needed: if we get a group of 5 or more colleagues, I guess the full 9 hours would be needed

• Output: (see "what would you like to see come out from the workshop?")

• Experience/skills sought in potential collaborators for the project: t would be great to discuss with colleagues who are also responsible for fostering learning networks in their organizations, or who are experienced in organizing organizational structures to share and develop knowledge within large bureaucracies, and between such bureaucracies and their partners; what we definitely need is experience in working with learning networks.

• Logistical needs: I'd appreciate not to have to moderate myself in case the group is larger than say 5 persons; a workstation with web access would be great

• What would you like to see come out from the workshop? I envision 2 possible sets of results, depending on the background of colleagues participating:
  • The first would relate to the topic as described in the "brief description" (feasibility analysis of strategy), and would include some kind of risk/advantage matrix, together with a list of recommendations on how to mitigate risks and realize potentials
  • The second is a kind of fallback option, in case there are colleagues interested in the issue, but we cannot capitalize on existing experience: we would then analyze what has been done in SDC to foster CoPs, and compare this with what colleagues know from their own CoPs => the result would be somewhat more narrow, a list of recommendations on fostering learning networks in aid bureaucracies

• Sign-up sheet (to participate in this session, please write ** Your name):
  • Wenny Ho
  • Ernst Bolliger
  • Bram Langen
  • Joseph Tanui
  • Christian Kreutz
  • Moraan Gilad
  • Sibrenne Wagenaar
  • Taline Haytayan