TOP TIPS: Creating boundary objects to aid knowledge transfer

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

When groups in an organization work together on a project, there will inevitably be problems of understanding and knowledge transfer. Richard Miller offers advice on creating "boundary objects" - artifacts such as reports, physical prototypes, designs or business processes that sit in the interface between two or more groups and can act as common touchstones of shared knowledge and understanding:

1. Understand the problem.
Any group that works together regularly will share a set of beliefs, a set of assumptions and a language. So when different groups come together to tackle a project, their understanding of the problem, the desired outcome, and the parts played by other groups is affected by their set of beliefs, assumptions and language. Each group has different accountabilities and measures success in a different way. This group-specific problem is central the difficulties of transferring knowledge from one domain to another.

2. Co-create "boundary objects" in neutral territory. A boundary object should be co-invented in a neutral space to ensure relevance to all groups. Co-developing the boundary object ensures that all hidden assumptions made by different groups are placed on the table and the problems of definition and meaning can be understood and
resolved.

3. Make the boundary object a constant part of the interface
between different groups. Boundary objects should be things that are used regularly - things that are poked, prodded, revised and appealed to, because they have real use and meaning for all participating groups.

4. Make it conscious.
Perhaps you're already doing these things in KM and managing projects. You probably have some very successful boundary objects in your organization. But are you deliberate? Are they part of the way you approach problems of knowledge transfer?
Unless you specifically set out to create boundary objects, it's easy to forget the importance of co-invention. A conscious decision to develop appropriate boundary objects where and when they are needed makes a difference to the way organizations share knowledge.

Source: Adapted from "Creating boundary objects to aid knowledge
transfer" by Richard Miller in the current issue of KM Review.

Blogged on 3:04 PM by Upay

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