COLLABORATION

The Grease that Lubricates the Gears of PMBOK

What it is ; Its Currency; a model; why good; Building Blocks

PMBOK a Solid Framework

Early begins: 1950s – Critical Path Method (CPM): DuPont, Nautilus submarines

Heroic individuals in short supply Increasing demand to promulgate best

practices in project management PMBOK:

without collaboration is like a Formula I racer without oil.

Collaboration is:

a creative, recursive process

where two or more entities work together

towards common goals

supporting continuous learning

building smart decisions and

using knowledge as its currency

Collaboration:

Its Essence is knowledge sharing

Knowledge is social (collective)

therefore, works in clusters

The clusters are energized in

communities

Communities of interest and practice

are the building blocks of collaboration

Some thoughts on Information vs Knowledge:

Collaboration must not confuse

information and knowledge

File cabinet metaphor A facebook © metaphor

Explicit objects Expertise – often tacit

The Act of Knowing

Knowledge is not a thing The knowledge of experts is an

accumulation of experience It is tacit as well as explicit Requires interaction and informal

learning: storytelling, conversation, coaching, and apprenticeship.

Knowledge is dynamic Social structures as management tools:

communities of practice

A Knowledge Sharing Model*

culture

Systems (policies)

PM practic

es

Executive

Performance

Shared Vision

Motivation

structure

Task Requirements and individual skills/abilities

Individual Needs and

Values

External

*Based on the Burke-Litwin organization causal performance model

Work Climate (Morale)

Ever feel that your projects are operating like this?

Where the rubber meets the road: (Appreciative Inquiry)The individual, who has needs:

Freedom to be heard

Freedom to contribute

Freedom to be included

Freedom to make decisions

Freedom to learn

Freedom to fail

Note: Freedom does not equal License!

The Team (Senge)

Shared Focus on Results

Peer Accountability

Freedom to Commit

Freedom to Disagree

Trust: freedom to be open

Summary

Knowledge management is about sharing

-- not managing

A culture that encourages knowledge

sharing must exist first

It’s a cultural transformation Process

Technology – social software -- can help

kick start this transformation

Scalability, Boundless, Fulfilling

References

Drucker: “The coming of New Organizations”

Nonaka: “The Knowledge-creating Company”

Burke-Litwin Organization Performance Mdl

Wenger, McDermott, Snyder: “Cultivating

Communities of Practice”

Copperrider, et al: Appreciative Inquiry

Senge: The Dysfunctional Team

For more information:

Eugene Hamamoto Decision Research Corporation

eugene.hamamoto@drcpacific.com (808) 983-9171 (808) 366-6371 cell

PMI Honolulu Chapter Roy Uemura, Programs Chair