Gabriela Avram - Where is the knowledge: reflections on social networking in corporate environments

Where is the Knowledge?!Where is the Knowledge?!
-- reflections on social networking inreflections on social networking in
corporate environmentscorporate environments
Gabriela AvramGabriela Avram
Interaction Design Centre & LeroInteraction Design Centre & Lero
University of LimerickUniversity of Limerick

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OutlineOutline
 BackgroundBackground
 Context – current researchContext – current research
 KM & Social Capital as lensesKM & Social Capital as lenses
 IM – vehicle for communication – its usesIM – vehicle for communication – its uses
 Research in a distributed environmentResearch in a distributed environment
 An alternative to SNA?An alternative to SNA?
 Tools mash-upTools mash-up

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My backgroundMy background
 13 years in software development13 years in software development
 9 years in academia9 years in academia
 ERCIM postdoc research grant (2003-ERCIM postdoc research grant (2003-
2005) on KM and e-learning in Software2005) on KM and e-learning in Software
EngineeringEngineering
 Fraunhofer IESEFraunhofer IESE
 CRP Henri Tudor LuxembourgCRP Henri Tudor Luxembourg
 Strong interest in social software, Web 2.0Strong interest in social software, Web 2.0

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My background(2)My background(2)
 Currently at UL (since 2005) as senior research fellowCurrently at UL (since 2005) as senior research fellow
 Project: Social Organisational and Cultural Practices ofProject: Social Organisational and Cultural Practices of
Global Software DevelopmentGlobal Software Development
 Topic:Topic: Collaborative Work Practices in GSDCollaborative Work Practices in GSD
 Research approach:Research approach:
 Focused on: participants in workplaces in GSD settings,Focused on: participants in workplaces in GSD settings,
organising and evolving working arrangements live, in real time;organising and evolving working arrangements live, in real time;
 Field studies of workplace activity over extended spans of timeField studies of workplace activity over extended spans of time
informed by CSCW and Knowledge Management;informed by CSCW and Knowledge Management;
 Work in progress:Work in progress:
 MNC – CROWOLF team(45 observation days since March 06)MNC – CROWOLF team(45 observation days since March 06)
 OS community –PyPy – ongoing observation of the communityOS community –PyPy – ongoing observation of the community
since August 06since August 06
 Small-scale study on Romanian vendors as partners inSmall-scale study on Romanian vendors as partners in
outsourcing relationshipsoutsourcing relationships

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How do people make decisions?How do people make decisions?
“We found that despite easy access to a world class
knowledge management system and other accessible
information sources, 85% of the managers indicated
getting information that had an impact on the success of
a project from their personal network. Four attributes of
these relationships were discovered to promote effective
learning:
1) knowing another person’s expertise and thus when to turn to
them;
2) being able to gain timely access to that person;
3) willingness of the person sought out to engage in problem
solving and
4) a degree of safety in the relationship that promotes learning and
creativity.”
Knowing What We Know: Supporting Knowledge Creation and Sharing in Social NetworksKnowing What We Know: Supporting Knowledge Creation and Sharing in Social Networks
Rob Cross, Andrew Parker, Laurence Prusak, Stephen P. BorgattiRob Cross, Andrew Parker, Laurence Prusak, Stephen P. Borgatti

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Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management
 Two directionsTwo directions
 Dave SnowdenDave Snowden onon
techno-fetishists vs.techno-fetishists vs.
fluffy-bunniesfluffy-bunnies
Source: Gurteen Knowledge
Knowledge Management is the explicit and systematic
management of vital knowledge - and its associated
processes of creation, organization, diffusion, use and
exploitation. (David Skyrme)

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Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management
 The need for human guides to point us toThe need for human guides to point us to
knowledge repositoriesknowledge repositories
 Otherwise, they turn into knowledgeOtherwise, they turn into knowledge
cemeteriescemeteries
 Multiple factors here:Multiple factors here:
 technical,technical,
 organisational,organisational,
 socialsocial

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Navigating through the organisationNavigating through the organisation
 It’s not what you know, it’s WHO youIt’s not what you know, it’s WHO you
know!know!
 How do you find the right people?How do you find the right people?
 IM as a vehicle; the tool and theIM as a vehicle; the tool and the
organisational culture surrounding itorganisational culture surrounding it
 The perceived importance of social capitalThe perceived importance of social capital

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Instant MessagingInstant Messaging
 Synchronous communication tool
 Alternative to the phone and e-mail
 Used by 70% of all businesses (Gartner), 13570% of all businesses (Gartner), 135
million usersmillion users
 Status visibility, persistent, less intrusive
 “In many ways instant messaging does seem to
support the serendipitous kinds of interactions
that are lost when employees are not co-
located.” (Parker et al)
 IM as an alternative to the break room, coffee
meeting, water cooler?!

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The specific tool and the practicesThe specific tool and the practices
around itaround it
 IBM Lotus Sametime 7.5IBM Lotus Sametime 7.5
 FeaturesFeatures
 presence awareness,presence awareness,
 business instant messaging andbusiness instant messaging and
 Web conferencing.Web conferencing.
 Benefits:Benefits:
 brings together geographically dispersed individuals andbrings together geographically dispersed individuals and
teamsteams
 Helps enable decision-making by bringing experts togetherHelps enable decision-making by bringing experts together
 Provides the ability to inject presence awareness and instantProvides the ability to inject presence awareness and instant
messaging into other applicationsmessaging into other applications
 Enables social networking via white pages, open discussionEnables social networking via white pages, open discussion
forums, instant polls and moreforums, instant polls and more
Source: www.ibm.com/lotus/sametime

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Presence indicatorPresence indicator
 When to talk toWhen to talk to
someonesomeone
 When to walk to hisWhen to walk to his
deskdesk
 When to callWhen to call
someone to join asomeone to join a
meetingmeeting
Status informationStatus information

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Checking availabilityChecking availability
 assistant organising aassistant organising a
meeting (phone call)meeting (phone call)
 Initiating face-to-faceInitiating face-to-face
meetingsmeetings
 Inviting people ad-hocInviting people ad-hoc
in ongoing meetingsin ongoing meetings

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Contacting peopleContacting people
Existing contactsExisting contacts
 Team matesTeam mates
 ManagersManagers
 Support staffSupport staff
 ExpertsExperts
 Knowledgeable peersKnowledgeable peers
 LiaisonsLiaisons
New contactsNew contacts
 FollowingFollowing
recommendationsrecommendations
 Found on theFound on the
organisation chartorganisation chart
 Authors of documentsAuthors of documents
published on thepublished on the
intranetintranet
 Indicated byIndicated by
folksonomiesfolksonomies

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Solving an urgent situationSolving an urgent situation
 Context: translation testing;Context: translation testing;
 Two days before the deadlineTwo days before the deadline
 Coordinator at the Irish siteCoordinator at the Irish site
 Fix provided; tester refuses toFix provided; tester refuses to
apply it, because “he got tiredapply it, because “he got tired
of fixes that don’t work”of fixes that don’t work”
 Extended chat: the coordinatorExtended chat: the coordinator
explains the situationexplains the situation
 He asks again the tester toHe asks again the tester to
apply the fixapply the fix
A BC

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Web conference back channelWeb conference back channel
 A back-upA back-up
channel forchannel for
privateprivate
conversationsconversations
duringduring
meetingsmeetings

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Obtaining information from thirdObtaining information from third
partiesparties
 18 people in five different18 people in five different
locations are taking partlocations are taking part
in a virtual meetingin a virtual meeting
 On the agenda - defectOn the agenda - defect
prioritizationprioritization
 A runs the show – audio,A runs the show – audio,
screen sharingscreen sharing
 Back channel: B contactsBack channel: B contacts
C(different location) forC(different location) for
detailsdetails
A
B
C
D
E

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IM contact list as directoryIM contact list as directory
 OrganisingOrganising
contacts listcontacts list
 Keeping trackKeeping track
ofof
conversationsconversations
(chat archive)(chat archive)

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Office etiquette for IMOffice etiquette for IM
 Introduce yourself.Introduce yourself.
 Don't confuse "presence" with permission.Don't confuse "presence" with permission.
 Mute the "ping."Mute the "ping."
 Keep chats fast and simple.Keep chats fast and simple.
 Act professionally.Act professionally.
 Keep personal chatting to a minimumKeep personal chatting to a minimum
 Limit multitasking.Limit multitasking.
 Use abbreviations sparingly.Use abbreviations sparingly.
 Instant messages may be more permanent thanInstant messages may be more permanent than
you think.you think.
Source: Ken Bisconti -Taming the ping: Office etiquette for instant messages

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Mapping social networksMapping social networks
 ““Tell me who are theTell me who are the
people you communicatepeople you communicate
with most frequently,with most frequently,
both on site and inboth on site and in
remote locations.”remote locations.”
 ““Can I go and check myCan I go and check my
IM list?”IM list?”

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Conversations vs.SNAConversations vs.SNA
 Possible for collocated small teamsPossible for collocated small teams
 Limited – uni-directionalLimited – uni-directional
 Teaser for informal conversationTeaser for informal conversation
 Not possible when looking at a largeNot possible when looking at a large
distributed team/communitydistributed team/community
 SNA as a diagnose step to guideSNA as a diagnose step to guide
organisational changeorganisational change

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The researcher’s perspectiveThe researcher’s perspective
 Making appointmentsMaking appointments
 Interviewing people inInterviewing people in
remote locationsremote locations
 Obtaining transcriptsObtaining transcripts
 Observing virtualObserving virtual
interactioninteraction
 Netnography(Kozinets),Netnography(Kozinets),
 Virtual Ethnography (ChristineVirtual Ethnography (Christine
Hine)Hine)

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Organising a field tripOrganising a field trip
Fri – visit at the Irish siteFri – visit at the Irish site
 idea approved in principleidea approved in principle
 Selection of possibleSelection of possible
intervieweesinterviewees
 Introduction mail to beIntroduction mail to be
forwarded to 12 Germanforwarded to 12 German
counterpartscounterparts
Mon – Bank HolidayMon – Bank Holiday
 Contacting people at theContacting people at the
German siteGerman site
 5 yes, 1 tentatively5 yes, 1 tentatively
acceptedaccepted
 Tue – off line dayTue – off line day
 Wed – holiday inWed – holiday in
GermanyGermany
 Thu – visit at the GermanThu – visit at the German
sitesite
 False assumptions:False assumptions:
 Office configurationOffice configuration
 PeoplePeople
 Finding placesFinding places
 Meeting spacesMeeting spaces

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Dealing with distance(s)Dealing with distance(s)
 IM instead of email for solving mattersIM instead of email for solving matters
asapasap
 Culture of communication and availabilityCulture of communication and availability
 Newcomers learn by responding andNewcomers learn by responding and
lurkinglurking
 Hierarchy, coded language – process ofHierarchy, coded language – process of
“enculturation”“enculturation”

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Seamless integrationSeamless integration
 IM integrated with White Pages and withIM integrated with White Pages and with
the organization chartthe organization chart
 Blogs, social bookmarking, wikis,activitiesBlogs, social bookmarking, wikis,activities
 Integration with MS Office, other IM clientsIntegration with MS Office, other IM clients
 Audio integrationAudio integration
 Version Control, defect trackingVersion Control, defect tracking
 What next?!What next?!

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