Communities of Practice To solicit user requirements and meet their needs M.A. D'Iorio

Agenda the “Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure” experience From technical to users – Communities of Practice From first steps to operational systems – User Centric Design Methodology Recommendations and Discussion

Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure Building it and using it. GeoConnections 1 was a $60 million 6 year program launched in 1999 to build Canada's spatial data infrastructure; By late 2004, key framework data, standards, technologies and policies were in place GeoConnections 2 is a $60 million 5 year program launched in 2005 to use the Canada's spatial data infrastructure; using a Communities of Practice approach.

Conceptual Model - CGDI Community Gateways/Portals Access Frameworks Standards Policy ESRI Geography Network Cdn Info System for the Env. Gov’t of Sask Natural Resources Canada National Forestry Technology & Innovation Int’l-Fed-Prov Partnerships National Atlas Sustainable Communities Gov’t on Line Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Federal and Provincial Portals Service Programs Global Infrastructures Vendor Infrastructure Federal Infrastructures CGDI enabling infrastructure of geospatial data and services

Communities of practice are… Etienne Wenger Richard McDermott Bill Snyder Cultivating Communities of Practice, Harvard Business School Press, 2002 Groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic by interacting on an ongoing basis

CP Classic Characteristics Issue: Organizational constructs limit opportunities to understand common requirements self-organizing informal boundary-spanning, outside organizations many kinds of members: contributors, lurkers, newbies, facilitators, etc. members distributed throughout an organization voluntary, based on trust sharing of best practices in reusable knowledge base require more than just discussions.

CP desirable critical mass, defined or definable needs to which GEOSS can respond, the ability to identify and contribute to setting future priorities; linked to existing information-system initiatives, Clear governance mechanism, use of SDI standards, high visibility application in mind, needs that can be addressed by available data and policies apply, will stretch capabilities develop new insight, the ability to foster collaborative arrangements to contribute to the development applications; an open communication process to define needs within the community or with similar communities; and/or willingness to help build awareness

Innovation Diffusion Challenge: “Crossing the Chasm” THECHASM Laggards EarlyMajority LateMajority Innovators EarlyAdopters innovators and early adopters need vision majorities need business plan (value proposition) to effect adoption/culture change laggards need guarantees (Rogers 1962, Moore, 1991; Horler and Teillet, 1996)

Stages of Growth Legacy Stewardship Maturing Coalescing Potential Loose network of people with similar issues and needs Members come together and launch a community It forms an identity, takes charge of its practice and grows The community is established and acts as the steward of its domain The community has outlived its usefulness and people move on Discover common ground and imagine a community Find value in engaging in learning activities and design a community Set standards, define a learning agenda, and deal with growth Sustain energy, renew interest, educate novices, find a voice and gain influence Let go, define a legacy, and keep in touch Typical activities (Wenger, McDermott, Snyder)

CP Engagement 1 RFP tender process 2000 (did not work) Announcement of Opportunity negotiated process (worked well) –Letter of Intent (defines CP and how they will use SDI/CGDI standards and framework data via a web application) –If in scope, then full proposal which is written in consultation with project authority –Proposal review by committee, adjusted accordingly then funded. Direct technical support of a CP web application

CP Engagement 2 Workshops and CGDI technical literature Challenging the CP’s to quantify service delivery to their perceived users Implementation of a User Centric Design (UCD) methodology as part of an SDI implementation.

CP Definition 1 - CGDI CGDI 1 (99-05) –Sustainable Development, –Transportation/Road Applications, –Emergency/Disaster Mgmt, –Marine CGDI 2 (05-11) –Public Health: (Disease Surveillance and Population Health), –Public Safety: (Emergency Management and Response Planning, and Critical Infrastructure Protection.), –Environment: (Land/water-use planning within an integrated management context; or Environmental assessments; or monitoring through the use of environmental or sustainable development indicators.) –Aboriginal: (land and resource management and community planning)

UCD – Methodology The Bits and Pieces Deployment Final System Design User Requirements - User Groups - What, Where, How Business Requirements - Organization - User - Stakeholders Never Design & System Requirements Product Design System Design - Design - Prototyping Testing & Evaluation

Recommendations… the success of GEO is contingent on that of the UIC and ultimately of the CPs GEO UIC CPs should: –Engage users in the nine societal benefit areas –Engage a continuum from users to providers –Identify existing inventories of user requirements and gaps and prioritize them –Be linked to the delivery of some tasks –Develop their terms of reference and “accountability accord” with UIC –Be open to all interested participants –Inform the other GEO Committees of user requirements

Recommendations The UIC discuss and agree on the criteria for success as a condition for “approval” of the proposed CPs The UIC track the CP deliverables As appropriate, the CPs report at UIC meeting on progress, discoveries, and best practices