Unleashing the Power of Distributed Intelligence Beth Rehm, PMP January 2004 © Copyright 2004, Beth Rehm. All rights reserved.

Beth Rehm, PMP 20 years experience in Information Technology 20 years experience in Information Technology Project/program management, process improvement, software quality assurance, and leadership Project/program management, process improvement, software quality assurance, and leadership Currently developing a project management improvement program for SBC Communications Currently developing a project management improvement program for SBC Communications Founder and leader of a project management Community of Practice at SBC Founder and leader of a project management Community of Practice at SBC Phone:

Part One Communities of Practice What are they and what is their history? What are they and what is their history? Different types of CoPs and why/how they form? Different types of CoPs and why/how they form? What value do they add? What value do they add? Part Two Case Study: SBC Project Management Network The evolution of the PMN The evolution of the PMN Management, volunteering and technology Management, volunteering and technology PMN achievements PMN achievements

Part One Communities of Practice

“Groups of people informally bound together by shared expertise and passion for a joint enterprise.” Etienne C. Wenger & William M. Snyder

As far back as ancient Greece “corporations” of craftsmen such as metalworkers, potters, and As far back as ancient Greece “corporations” of craftsmen such as metalworkers, potters, and In the Middle ages In the Middle ages artisans in Europe artisans in Europe formed “guilds.” formed “guilds.” Primarily self-employed tradesmen Primarily self-employed tradesmen masons were common. Members trained apprentices and spread innovations.

Company A Company B Company C Group A Group B Group C Within a Single Organization Individuals From Multiple Organizations

CEO CIO Software Development Operations CFO Procurement COO SalesMarketing Typical Organization Structure

Geographical Distribution

Types of CoPs 2. Sponsored initiated, chartered and supported by management initiated, chartered and supported by management expected to produce measurable results expected to produce measurable results more formal roles and responsibilities more formal roles and responsibilities 1. Independent self-organizing self-organizing self-governing self-governing voluntary voluntary

Characteristics of COPs Complex, adaptive social systems Complex, adaptive social systems Boundary-spanning Boundary-spanning Informal, self organizing Informal, self organizing Membership is self-selected Membership is self-selected Establish their own leadership Establish their own leadership Set their own agendas Set their own agendas

How CoPs add value Share knowledge Share knowledge Provide a forum to solve problems Provide a forum to solve problems Develop and disseminate best practices Develop and disseminate best practices Develop people’s professional skills Develop people’s professional skills

Critical Success Factors Meet a specific need of individuals Meet a specific need of individuals Add value to the business Add value to the business Operational support Operational support Freedom from management interference Freedom from management interference Access to enabling technologies Access to enabling technologies Skilled leadership Skilled leadership

“Communities of Practice are the next step in the evolution of the modern, knowledge- based organization.” American Productivity and Quality Center Report

IBM Global Services Hewlett Packard Raytheon Siemens AG The World Bank Corporation Xerox Corporation DaimlerChrysler Corporation American Management Systems Buckman Labs AT&T Ford Motor Company Cap Gemini Ernst & Young SBC Communications

Part Two Case Study: SBC Project Management Network

Company-wide project management CoP Company-wide project management CoP Primary goal is to improve the value of project management Primary goal is to improve the value of project management PMN provides opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and professional growth PMN provides opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and professional growth No cost to members or the company No cost to members or the company

Evolution of the PMN 1. Purpose 2. Membership growth 3. Management style and structure 4. Volunteering 5. Status 6. Technology

Purpose Initial purpose - to share ideas on how to obtain free/low cost continuing education Initial purpose - to share ideas on how to obtain free/low cost continuing education Important output from the first meeting - to create our own education opportunities and to share training created in one organization with project managers in other organizations Important output from the first meeting - to create our own education opportunities and to share training created in one organization with project managers in other organizations Key decision - to expand the purpose of the group to include educating non-certified project managers Key decision - to expand the purpose of the group to include educating non-certified project managers

Purpose (cont.) Additional purpose – networking Additional purpose – networking Additional purpose – to promote project management best practices and standards Additional purpose – to promote project management best practices and standards Additional purpose – to encourage project managers to become certified Additional purpose – to encourage project managers to become certified Additional purpose – to promote professional and ethical behavior by project teams Additional purpose – to promote professional and ethical behavior by project teams

Membership Growth First conference call certified project managers (PMPs) First conference call certified project managers (PMPs) Membership grew to 380 by word of mouth Membership grew to 380 by word of mouth Expanded to over 1000 members after a successful publicity campaign Expanded to over 1000 members after a successful publicity campaign

Management Style Initially tried making all members responsible for decisions by voting Initially tried making all members responsible for decisions by voting Found the group responded better to strong leadership and direction from a single person Found the group responded better to strong leadership and direction from a single person Formed various committees as a way to organize the volunteers into manageable teams Formed various committees as a way to organize the volunteers into manageable teams No bylaws or elections No bylaws or elections

President Governance Committee Training Committee Professional Practices Committee Web Committee Management Structure March 2003

President Governance Committee Professional Practices Committee Communications Committee Web Site Message Board Newsletter Communication Standards Ethics Committee Training Committee Study Groups Seminars Workshops Panel Discussions Management Structure (cont.) Jan 2004

Volunteering Many people volunteer in order to learn a new skill but we require skilled people with relevant experience Many people volunteer in order to learn a new skill but we require skilled people with relevant experience Approximately 20% of the members volunteer, but only half of those actively and consistently contribute Approximately 20% of the members volunteer, but only half of those actively and consistently contribute Set firm expectations for volunteers Set firm expectations for volunteers Increased flexibility to join and leave committees Increased flexibility to join and leave committees

Status Initially invisible to management Initially invisible to management Recognition and support from executives Recognition and support from executives Some business units started to rely on the PMN to provide needed training and mentoring Some business units started to rely on the PMN to provide needed training and mentoring PMN leaders invited to provide expert advice on various business unit project management initiatives PMN leaders invited to provide expert advice on various business unit project management initiatives 2004 plan to transition from independent to sponsored – initiated by the PMN 2004 plan to transition from independent to sponsored – initiated by the PMN

Technology Conference call facilities Conference call facilities Mass capability Mass capability Web Site Web Site Microsoft NetMeeting Microsoft NetMeeting Webinar software Webinar software Online message board Online message board

PMN Web Site

PMN s

PMN Message Board

PMN 2003 Achievements Expanded to over 1000 members and 200 volunteers Expanded to over 1000 members and 200 volunteers Provided 24 training programs and events Provided 24 training programs and events Developed and delivered more than 1000 hours of project management training Developed and delivered more than 1000 hours of project management training 2 project management surveys conducted 2 project management surveys conducted Variations in project management definitions across SBC Variations in project management definitions across SBC Survey of Project Offices at SBC Survey of Project Offices at SBC Distributed information about 68 free education events provide by outside vendors Distributed information about 68 free education events provide by outside vendors Inspired management to create several project management training programs and improvement initiatives Inspired management to create several project management training programs and improvement initiatives

Questions and Answers

References Building and Sustaining Communities of Practice: Continuing Success in Knowledge Management. American Productivity and Quality Center Communities of Practice: The Organizational Frontier. Etienne C. Wenger and William M. Snyder. Harvard Business Review. Jan-Feb Communities of Practice and Organizational Performance. E. L. Lesser and J. Stork. IBM Systems Journal Building a Case for Communities of Practice: What Makes Communities of Practice an Economic Imperative? George Pór. Community Intelligence Labs.