Communities of Practice
A constant challenge of implementing new technology is the time-to-productivity of its users. In the corporate arena this is exacerbated by the remoteness that technology enables. Be it Blackberry or internet café, two users of the same system can be - quite literally – a world apart. But there is solution. It’s called Communities of Practice. And they are popping up in BI-savvy organizations everywhere.
Many user-defined and driven groups emerged first on their own. Users developed methods for sharing both practical and applied knowledge gained through their information systems. Today, however, smart companies are latching on to the concept to the betterment of organizational performance. These structured communities increase the availability of and access to new information. And they continuously push best practices through the organization – whether they originate from the top down or bottom up. What’s more, these groups are enabling companies to leverage there information systems investments at an unprecedented pace.
The University of Michigan offers a best practice example of an organization that’s embraced Communities of Practice. The University developed a Business Intelligence strategy in 2004 when it recognized the far reaching implications of BI on the growth of the University. Like a lot of large and complex organizations, U of M wanted to ensure that its policy and visioning center – its central office - was in sync with the parts of the organization actually carrying out its mission.
A BI Leadership Center was created to establish BI as a core process that would bridge the efforts of the University’s central office, its individual colleges and the work of the Michigan Administrative Information Services (MAIS). MAIS was charged with creating, implementing, driving and supporting BI as a strategic component of the University.
Recently, MAIS announced its 2008 BI program with a series of events designed to teach the University’s information workers how to leverage data and learn from others on campus. The program includes a calendar of events anchored at a central information portal that is accessible to select users. Integral to this year’s program is a roster of lessons learned from last year’s program.
BlueGranite recommends this type of approach to its clients, and can help develop a Community of Practice for Business Intelligence within our client’s organizations. The key is finding a champion within each department or team . They should be excited about the new tools, a quick learner with computer technology, and willing to teach others and share. Organizations will find new levels of performance and success as team members uncover ways to use Business Intelligence in their day-to-day approach to their job.
Comments