A Montreal Based Knowledge Management Network
K-Lab: Participant’s Report
The K-Lab event is an exciting opportunity to learn about new tools and a new way of collaborating online. On a sunny March afternoon I set aside two hours to attend the K-Lab event as well as the training session that takes place just before.
The objective of the training session was to introduce participants to the concepts of Web 2.0 and the Knowledge Lab (K-Lab), available communication tools, and recommended collaboration skills. The first part of the session took place over DimDim, an online web conferencing application. During this part, we explored key components such as a shared context, participants, and Web 2.0 applications. We got to think about collective intelligence, co-creation of knowledge, and consensus building. The discussion was dynamic and interactive. New participants, coming from different cities, joined at different moments and were introduced to the group. While Joel presented his slides, we could ask questions and comment at any moment using the chat function.
In the second part of the training session we got to see WebIDEApro and experiment in co-creating a map of ideas in real time. WebIDEApro is an online collaboration tool used by individuals, groups, and organizations. It is accessible for free (invitation code and registration required) and does not need to be installed on your computer. Overall, the training session introduced me to new tools, which I was happy to share with my colleagues, and prepared me for the K-Lab event. To participate in the training session you need a computer with an internet connection and a confirmed registration for WebIDEApro.
After the training session and once we were familiar with the basics of WebIDEApro, it was time to put our knowledge into practice in the K-Lab event. This month’s topic for discussion was Implementation of a Knowledge Circulation Plan: Advantages and Difficulties to KM 2.0. A couple of participants from the training session could not stay with us for the K-Lab and others had technical problems. As a result we were a small group of three. We decided to change the agenda to meet the current needs and interests of the three attendants. We started out by sharing a story about using an application such as WebIDEApro for co-creating and capturing knowledge. For example, four old friends and former colleagues used to brainstorm on how to go about getting a new job, steps to take, contacts to share, etc. The WebIDEApro whiteboard helped them keep the conversation flowing and immediately capture the knowledge they were sharing. There was a productive flow; members could put down their ideas on the whiteboard while listening to their colleagues. As a result, they had a complete map of their discussion, with insights that could be put to practice now and in the future. This was made possible by the tool itself, but the key factor that enabled this exchange was trust that was already established among this group's members. As the hands-on component of the K-Lab, we shared and mapped ideas on what questions to ask before starting a Community of Practice, specifically, how to conduct the initial meeting with management. WebIDEApro allowed us share knowledge in a new way while building an action plan together.
To participate in the K-Lab you need:
- a computer with an internet connection;
- confirmed registration for WebIDEApro;
- a Skype account;
- a headset and a microphone (and even if you do not have a microphone, you can always communicate by using the chat function built into both into DimDim and WebIDEApro).
After both the training session and the K-Lab, I had new ideas to share with my team.
Vera Granikov K-Lab: Participant’s Report