Communities of Practice
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
Objectives
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Distinguish CoPs from other groups
Make a case for their potential value
Touch on a couple of Do’s and Don’ts
Answer whatever questions I can
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Two Different Worlds…
 World A
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 World B
Formal organization
Designed organization
Hierarchy (Vertical)
Authority of position
Reporting relationships
Defined processes
Formal T&D
Work as described
Abstractions
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Informal organization
Emergent organization
Network (Flat)
Authority of competence
Working relationships
Proven practices
Situated learning
Work as performed
Experiences
What they’re N T
Organizational unit (OU)
Ongoing operational team (OT)
Project team (PT)
Task force (TF)
Social network (SN)
Community of Interest (CI)
Faux team (FT)
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Purpose
Membership
Authority
Allegiance
Cohesion
Duration
OU
Results from
Resources
Assigned
Positional
Upward
Leadership &
Relationships
Ongoing – Until
Reorganized
OT
Ongoing
Tasks
Assigned
Positional
Upward
Task
Dependencies
Ongoing – Until
Reengineered
TF
Time-bound
Tasks/Results
Assigned
Positional
Upward
Leadership &
Relationships
Inception to
Completion
Management
Pressure
Until
Disbanded or
Fades Away
FT
Appearances
Assigned
Non-Existent
Fragmented
or NonExistent
SN
Information
Sharing
Invitation &
Approach
Information
Norms
Value of the
Information
Ongoing – Until
It Dies Out
CI
Stay Abreast
Invitation &
Approach
Knowledge
Peers
Level of
Interest
Ongoing – Until
It Dies Out
CP
Develop
Expertise
Invitation &
Approach
Expertise
Practice
Identity
Ongoing – Until
It Dies Out
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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What They ARE
 Groups of people (network not hierarchy) that
form to
 share knowledge about their work (a.k.a. their
“practice”),
 learn from one another about that work, and
 provide a social context for that work (i.e., to
establish and maintain their identity)
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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“Practice”
 Practice versus process
 Three defining characteristics:
 Joint Enterprise
 Mutual Engagement
 Shared Repertoire
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Hierarchy
Jones
Exploration
Drilling
Production
Williams
Taylor
O'Brien
C&G
Petrophysical
Cohen
Cross
Smith
Andrews
Hughes
Production
Reservoir
Sen
Stock
Shapiro
Moore
Paine
Miller
Ramirez
Bell
Cole
Hussain
Kelly
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Network
Stock
O'Brien
Shapiro
Cohen
Paine
Cole
Jones
Kelly
Andrews
Smith
Miller
Cross
Hughes
Williams
Hussain
Taylor
Ramirez
Moore
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
Bell
Sen
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CoP - Examples
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Xerox copier technicians
Pharmaceutical reps (“drug detailers”)
Software developers
Chrysler corporation’s “tech clubs”
Production line technicians
Test item writers & psychometricians
Research chemists
Instructional staff at Navy’s IT School
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Companies using CoPs
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Why You Should Care
 Financial returns far outweigh any investment
 Schlumberger’s oilfield engineers
 $200 million in cost savings and new revenue
 75% decrease in time to update modifications
 95% decrease in time to solve difficult problems
 Xerox field technicians
 $15-20 million in annual cost savings
 $100 million cumulative
 50,000 “tips” in their database
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Why You Should Care
 CoPs are valuable organizational assets
 Decrease learning curves
 Handle unstructured problems
 Play a key role in developing and maintaining longterm organizational memory
 Reduce rework and reinvention
 Increase innovation and speed
 Create social and intellectual capital
 Contribute to increased retention of talent
 Make change “stick”
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Some Do’s & Don’ts
 DO
 Nurture and support existing CoPs
 Cultivate and support new CoPs
 DON’T
 Mandate CoPs
 Manage them in a heavy-handed way
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Improve Consulting Skills
 Task Force
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 CoP
An assignment
Time-bound
Deliverables
Finish up
Get back to work
Apart from me
Non-sustainable
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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A practice
Open-ended
Performance
Continuous
It is the work
My identity
Sustainable
Q&A
© Copyright Fred Nickols 2010
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Contact Information
Fred Nickols
Managing Partner
Distance Consulting LLC
1558 Coshocton Ave - 303
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
740.504.0000
www.nickols.us
fred@nickols.us
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