Knowledge Management for Development

Bringing peer assists online: let's do it!

Upcoming Knowledge Café 18 February 2021

If you enjoyed the series of knowledge cafes carried out in celebration of KM4DEV's 20th anniversary, and the last series of cafes, join us for the second cafe of the year on 18 February 2021 at 16.00-17.30 Central European Time (CET).

Based on previous interactions on the KM4Dev discussion list, we will be Bringing peer assists online: let’s do it! featuring Nancy White and Katrina Pugh, facilitated by Jorge Chavez-Tafur. 

Using practices informed by Liberating Structures, we will first examine the benefits and challenges of peer assistance methods using the User experience fishbowl which, unlike more typical fishbowls, includes a breakout process where the members of the “bowl” generate solutions and useful questions for the “fish.” This will provide some exposition on the topic. Then we will switch to Troika consulting where it only takes three people to provide valuable peer assist -- and recognizes that even people without shared context or experience may have useful insights.

Finally, we will generate our insights and lessons learned with a chat based What? So what? Now what?

Register here

Knowledge Management for Development (KM4DEV) is a global community of practice of primarily international development practitioners interested in knowledge management and knowledge sharing theory, practice and related matters. On 2-3 July 2020, they celebrated their 20 Years Anniversary with 10 online sessions over a 24 hr period. The sessions involved a large number of KM4Dev members around the globe. John Hovell, Donita Volkwijn and I talked at one of these sessions on Conversational Leadership. You can watch the session on YouTube. If you are interested in all of the sessions you will find them on the KM4DEV YouTube channel. Well done KM4DEV. I love your work.

David Gurteen, 29 July 2020

I realize that it sometimes is not easy to withstand real-life pressure in a field like CoP/facilitation/KM and that a strong and professional community can help us to make up our mind, support us in choosing the path that feels right. Everyone - you know, all your helpful thoughts, comments, sharing of your own personal experiences, references to papers - all this empowers me and supports me in my decision and also energizes and strengthens me in a moment of doubt. I am very happy that I threw my case into this community. Thank you,

Christina Merl, Owner TalkShop.cc

One reason I love the KM4DEV community is it tends to include learning in with KM, to include HOW we learn, WHY we learn, and WHAT we learn.  (Which gets KM more in the lineage of the social sciences, as opposed to solely IT sciences)

Tony Pryor, Senior Programming Advisor USAID/PPL/SPP

The optimal culture for “KM” is exactly as you have in KM4Dev, which is an open inclusive and supportive one. This supports the flow of knowledge and builds trust, but is hard to “measure” (so difficult to write requirements for in a standard format, although I would argue this is more important than anything that can be accurately measured). This is what we were trying to get a greater sense of into the standard, but were not able to get across as strongly as some of us would have liked. However, there are stronger elements of this in the old Australian KM Standard, which we will revive as a supporting guide.

Arthur Shelley, Founder, Intelligent Answers

I started lurking in this group since the ELDIS workshop at IDS September 2016. Thanks to everyone because I am learning a lot just following the conversation. I work at Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, involved in communication / knowledge brokering. I am also working (over the weekends) on my PhD in which I am exploring the role of communication in facilitating change through research. The digital turn is an important part of my research. I wrote a piece on the ELDIS workshop Winds of Change. Thanks again and best wishes!

Patricia Canto, Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness

"I will also be in Vienna, October 15th 2016, and hoping to meet you and understand more fully your work. I am a long-time learner on and admirer of KM4Dev. Great minds! "                                    

Diana Woolis, Carey Institute for Global Good

"I feel so moved by all the positive reactions I received every day since I posted my request. Just as if I have numerous secret hidden friends ready to give a hand ! It's a feeling not easy to express ; the kind of strength you sense when you're not alone and that makes you dare and never afraid of taking new challenges... merci beaucoup."       

Yennenga Kompaoré, Performances, Burkina Faso

"I’m proud of being part of this collaborative community.  Thank you all."

Marcelo Yamada, Promon Engenharia, Brasil