An Idea List: Using Web 2.0 for Management Development

At the session I described in my last post, table groups did a short brainstorming session on how web 2.0 tools could be used in a Management Community of Practice to facilitate learning.   Each table recorded their ideas and left them for me.  I promised the group I would post them here.  So here you are folks.

Communities of practice are dynamic social structures that require both initial design and ongoing cultivation so they can emerge and grow.  However, through a series of steps, learning professionals and community members can design a community environment, foster the formalization of the community, and plan activities to help grow and sustain the community. But ultimately, the members of the community will define and sustain it over time.

Here are most of the activities listed from the session.  Some are slightly edited for consistency or to merge with similar items to create a single list.

• Solve specific problems in an operations environment. Organize, create communities of interest around subjects of common interest such as people management or quality management
• On-line book/learning resources club, recommended resources

• Train community leaders in on-line community leadership

• Create subgroups for community members more literate in web 2.0 technologies

• Virtual lunch and learns–Identify a topic–Facilitated discussion–follow-up discussion thread

• Create mentoring communities to share documents and collaborate through social media

• Create a group Wiki project to create new knowledge

• Use Wiki to seed environment with core body of knowledge

• Share knowledge of plant managers with a balance of structure and free discussion using forums

• Managers can have scheduled time to answer questions and provided by peers in his or her area of expertise

• Use discussion thread to solve specific problems

• Reduce emails by using chat for knowledge sharing and discussion between a few people

• Owner of a discussion board (some structure) to share experience and develop ability to reflect

• Balance free form and moderation of activities and discussions

• Structured review of stored conversations for themes and ideas to formalize as best practices.

• Scheduled live Webcasts

• Scheduled Case Study/scenario. Use live chat or discussion features a case study, problem or scenario

• Question of the week (or month etc). A question or problem is posed. Community members provide guidance and ideas in discussion forum

• Storyshare– Digital video or text storytelling

• Glossary and Shared links.  Group creation of online links or bookmarks and resources for defined topics

• Scheduled application of specific best practices with reflection and facilitated discussion to debrief.

• Invited Guests

• Have people go to Community after formal training events

Keep the list going.  Anyone have anything else to suggest?