Knowledge Sciences Center
Activity and Engagement Models
July 31, 2013 Meeting
Recap of Discussions 1 and 2
RECAP FROM WEBINARS 1 AND 2
Characterizing Stakeholder
Groups
• One of the main takeaways from last week’s open discussion was
how multidimensional our stakeholder groups are
• It might be more effective to define stakeholder groups based on
their characteristics, goals, environments, and so on
• The first thing we would ask our working groups to do at the
Symposia is to prepare persona descriptions of the stakeholders
they represent
• To support this, we need to identify a persona template and define
the characteristics we want the delegates to describe
Persona Template
Example
Persona Template
Example
Task 1: Define Characteristics
• We need to have a set of characteristics for our working groups to
use at the Summit
• What are these characteristics? What do we need to know about
them?
– Goals
– Roles & Responsibilities
– Technology Environment and Skills
– Social Media Behavior
– Personal Information
– Pain Points
– ?????
Task 2: Activities
• There was support for several of the activities in the proposal
• The Center and its extension agents will not be able to support all of
them in the first year -- which ones do we invest in first?
• Because networking, linking, leveraging seemed to be an important
support activity – should we focus on establishing the virtual aspect
of the Center in Year 1?
• Doug Weidner wisely reminds us that it is important to have Bulls
and Squirrels – some few big efforts, but many more smaller efforts
• Should we ask the working groups each to build out a prioritized list
of activities that would serve their stakeholders?
Recap of Products, Services,
Outcomes, Outputs
• Last week we discussed the kinds of outputs, outcomes, products
and services the Center should support
• We thought about what it would mean to move forward with all five
pillars and realized that it would be a good idea to prioritize for the
first year
• We had different views about which of the pillars to address and
Richard suggested that we transform each of the activities into
“verb-noun” phrases
• This helps us to think in terms of actions but also to consider what
the outcome might be and by/for whom the activity might be
launched – this is a Takeaway for the Summit – we need to have
these developed for the working groups
TODAY’S PLANNING ISSUES
How do we “staff” the Center?
• This week we want to discuss how Center should
support these activities – within the extension service
network, leverage and link model
• How does a knowledge extension service work? What
can we borrow from their model?
• What do agricultural extension agents do? Does this
work for knowledge extension agents?
Agricultural Extension Agent
• From Virginia Cooperative Extension website – Virginia Tech…
• “An Extension Agent provides leadership in determining,
implementing, and evaluating educational programs which are
designed to solve social, economic, and environmental problems in
agriculture and natural resources. The agent is an educator, an
information provider, a needs assessor, a problem solving resource
for clientele, and networks with the agricultural industry, specialists,
extension agents and the agency”
• A knowledge extension agent provides leadership in determining,
implementing, and evaluating knowledge science methods which
are designed to solve social, economic, civic, labor and workforce,
technology, and business problems. The agent is an educator, an
information provider, a needs assessor, a problem solving resource
for clientele, and networks with _______________?
Knowledge extension agents:
• Work closely with business, community leaders, civic leaders,
community groups, …… to identify and prioritize issues, problems
and opportunities.
• Use visits as a means to remain knowledgeable of specific local
needs and problems related to issues associated with the transition
to the knowledge economy;
• Cooperate with other universities, institutions, organizations and
agencies as needed to strengthen or extend programs.
• Foster communication among all of the Center’s stakeholders
Knowledge extension agents:
• Identify potential knowledge society and knowledge economy
leaders and help develop their capacity to accomplish community
and industry goals.
• Maintain a high level of proficiency in knowledge sciences practices
by participating in-service training and professional activities.
• Creative and effective use of media to inform residents about current
knowledge sciences practices and educational opportunities;
• Provide and interpret current knowledge sciences research- to
citizens by employing various delivery methods targeted to diverse
audiences; meetings/workshops, short courses, field days, tours, onsite research, demonstrations, and other appropriate teaching
methods.
What kind of support models
make this happen?
• Who are the extension agents? Are they grad students? Visiting
scholars? Business and community associates? Do faculty
contribute their time? Community volunteers?
• How do we engage them? Project by project, activity by activity,
for periods of time? It depends on the engagement?
• Do we begin by building a community infrastructure for the
Center? Do we start with students and grow?
• What is the set of engagement models we need to have in place
for at least the first three years?
Engagement Models
• Should we begin with a directory of stakeholders who are willing to
contribute to solving problems, and to bringing problems for
solution?
• Do we need to be able to assemble Expert teams? Should we
leverage masters and doctoral students to support short term
projects or proofs of concept?
• Should there be opportunities for post-doctoral research fellows?
• Should faculty be available for advising? Should we pull together
faculty teams from across universities?
• How should we work with and collaborate with other centers and
institutes?
Task 3: Engagement Models
• How should we present this task to the working groups?
• Should we give them a definition of a knowledge
extension service model and knowledge extension
agents and ask them to build from that?
• Do we ask them to identify the models based on the
activities and the community/persona models?
• What is your advice?
THOUGHTS FROM A THOUGHT
LEADER
Golden Rules of Knowledge
Sciences
• Rule of Hand Offs – always look for others to adopt and move your
ideas forward, don’t try to own it
• Rule of Inner Humility – discover the inner motivations of others and
work towards them to gain adoption, try to downplay your own role
and works toward the goals of others
• Rule of Codification vs. Personalization – these two approaches
may work at cross purposes. Either distinguish and support them
differently or chose to support one.
• Rule of Self-Reflection – build in regular opportunities for selfreflection. Each activity the Center engages in should be put
through a self-reflection process at the end.
Golden Rules of Knowledge
Sciences
• Rule of the Community – Avoid focusing on the Great Leader. The
community and the individuals who make up the community are
where your knowledge value lives.
• Rule of Failure – Don’t be afraid to try and fail. Not trying is a
definite failure. Learn from mistakes. Don’t expect perfection as
there is little learning value in perfection.
• Rule of Humility – be cautious about declaring victory and success
as there is always something more to learn and some greater value
to be achieved. Humility offers many new opportunities to learn and
it allows you to keep pushing your goals forward.
• Rule of Small – Work at the small scale level and multiply the small
success into larger results and outcomes.
Golden Rules of Knowledge
Sciences
• Rule of Alignment – always align your knowledge efforts with the
organization’s goals and objectives, with their “b”usiness model.
Only aligned efforts will be sustainable and have a lasting result.
• Rule of Responsiveness – Always seek and respond to requests for
engagement. Look to the front line in any organization to effect
change.
• Rule of People – Knowledge sciences and knowledge management
is a people based domain. Engaging people is the primary model.