THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners in the Water Sector © 2016 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. DO YOU WANT TO… Connect clients to new information and opportunities across üü countries and regions? Catalyze innovative thinking and generate better development üü solutions for water-related challenges? Inspire collaboration between individuals, institutions, cities, üü countries, and regions? Accelerate decision-making and reform in the water sector? üü Overcome bottlenecks and enhance project impact? üü Customize, replicate, and scale up development solutions in üü the water sector? II ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Art of Knowledge Exchange Guidebook for Development Practitioners in the Water Sector was truly a team effort. The preparation of this customized guide was led by Shobha Kumar from the World Bank Group’s Leadership, Learning and Innovation Client Services. The core team included Yolande Coombes, Yianna Vovides, and Richard A. B. Crabbe. It was Yolande’s experience and extensive work with clients in the water and sanitation sector that sowed the seeds for this customized version. This customized guide for water sector practitioners draws from the original guidebook, the Art of Knowledge Exchange: A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners, which is in its third edition. Shobha Kumar also led that team of contributors comprising Aaron Leonard, Ryan Watkins, Yianna Vovides, and Brigitte Kerby. For this customized water-sector version of the guidebook, the team would like to thank Abha Joshi-Ghani, Roby Senderowitsch, Laurent Besançon, William Kingdom, and Jyoti Shukla for their support and thoughtful guidance. The content was peer reviewed by several World Bank colleagues, whose time and valuable input is greatly appreciated; in this regard, the team would especially like to thank William Kingdom, Emily Christensen Rand, Bhavna Bhatia, and Pronita Chakraborty Aggarwal. The team extends its thanks for the good practice case studies and examples contributed by Masroor Ahmad, Vandana Bhatnagar, Upneet Singh, Taibou Maiga, Enrique Pantoja, Rokeya Ahmed, Ana Campos Garcia, Mark Ellery, Santanu Lahiri, Mei Xie, and Christopher Paul Jackson. It is these stories that make the guidebook come alive and demonstrate the power and potential of peer-to-peer learning. This guidebook has benefited extensively from the review and guidance of Sheldon Lippman as copy editor and Greg Johannesen as creative director for graphic design. Thanks also goes to Adam Broadfoot for his wise counsel and guidance on the printing process. And a final appreciation goes to the water practitioners who asked for this customized Guidebook, which will surely benefit many others in sharing knowledge with their peers. Stay connected with us at http://www.worldbank.org/knowledgesharing Spring 2016 III ABOUT THIS GUIDE Welcome to the customized edition of The Art of Knowledge Exchange This edition, based on the original Art of Knowledge of Knowledge Exchange: A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners, is customized for practitioners in the water sector to facilitate designing, implementing, and measuring results from their knowledge exchange initiatives. While all water sector practitioners could use this informative guide, it is written for those who specifically broker knowledge exchange by connecting and facilitating engagements between knowledge seekers and knowledge providers working on water-related issues. The guide also provides the tools to help you — the knowledge broker — play a more effective role in a knowledge exchange. This approach will help you to: »» Consider knowledge exchange within a broader programmatic and development context for water; »» Ensure your initiative is stakeholder owned and demand driven; »» Determine the challenges to reaching a solution; »» Reflect on the change processes needed to address these challenges; »» Identify individuals or groups who can play effective roles in bringing about needed change; »» Choose the right mix of knowledge exchange instruments and activities to help your participants learn, grow, and act; »» Implement in an adaptive and learning-focused manner; »» Measure and report the results of a knowledge exchange initiative. This guide includes and refers to case studies and other examples of successful knowledge exchange initiatives in the water sector and also the lessons learned from implementing these initiatives for high development impact. It also reflects the experience of dozens of World Bank Group staff, knowledge and learning professionals, government officials, and other international and development practitioners who have successfully integrated knowledge exchange as a part of a larger change process. IV ANCHOR End one journey, begin the next. MEASURE DEFINE & REPORT THE RESULTS DESIGN & IMPLEMENT DEVELOP V TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION VI ANCHOR 9 Step 1.1 Identify The Development Goal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 1.2 Define The Institutional Challenge(s). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 1.3 Determine The Change Objective(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 DEFINE 15 Step 2.1 Identify the Ideal Participant Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Step 2.2 Determine Intermediate Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Step 2.3 Identify The Most Appropriate Knowledge Providers . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 DESIGN & DEVELOP 31 Step 3.1 Select The Participants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Step 3.2 Verify The Objective And Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Step 3.3 Organize The Design And Delivery Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Step 3.4 Assemble The Knowledge Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 IMPLEMENT 57 Step 4.1 Guide The Participants Along Their Learning Journey . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Step 4.2 Orchestrate Engagement And Build Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Step 4.3 Document Implementation And Track Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 MEASURE & REPORT THE RESULTS 67 Step 5.1 Synthesize Implementation Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Step 5.2 Measure Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 5tep 5.3 Report Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 GLOSSARY 85 ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX 87 VI Introduction WHAT CAN KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE HELP YOU ACHIEVE? Knowledge exchange — or peer-to-peer learning — is a powerful way to share, replicate, and scale up (to put simply) what works in development. Development practitioners are seeing the beneficial returns of learning from the practical experience of others who have gone through, or are going through, similar challenges of finding working solutions. They want to be connected and have ready access to practical knowledge and proven results. When done right, knowledge exchange can build the capacity, confidence, and conviction of individuals and groups to act. Taken from recent exchanges, examples of direct results or intermediate outcomes include: »» Technical water specialists in several sub-districts of Bangladesh learn new skills to replicate good practices (shared by their peers) for building and maintaining a safe water supply. »» Political leaders and senior government officials from Peshawar gain a deeper understanding of the enabling environment needed for institutional reform in the water sector based on South Africa’s successful experience in setting up new water facilities. »» Farmers in Kenya adopt an innovative rice-growing methodology — System of Rice Intensification (SRI) — to increase the yield from their land after learning from the experience of countries that pioneered a new irrigation methodology The direct results from knowledge exchange can also influence results at the institutional and even systemic levels as shown in figure 1. Participants of successful knowledge exchanges are empowered and motivated to make things happen. They seek to change the environment in which they operate, affect policies and norms that influence the way people behave, and strengthen the institutions where they work. For example: »» With their enhanced proficiency and successful replication of good practices, the technical water specialists in Bangladesh contributed to a reduction in water-borne diseases. »» With a deeper understanding of the enabling environment needed for institutional reform, the relevant political leadership in Peshawar supported the systems, processes, financing, and technical skills (through sustained engagement with Johannesburg and Durban Water Utilities in South Africa) to successfully setup Water and Sanitation Services in Peshawar as a corporate water company fully owned by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. »» Encouraged by initial results of SRI methodology adopted by the pioneer Kenyan farmers, the Kenyan Government together with academia and private sector supported an SRI- based scale-up in several regions. This scale-up resulted in diverse initiatives, including the Kenyan National Irrigation Board organizing national workshops to encourage knowledge sharing, universities allocating funds to support doctoral research on SRI methodology, and the private sector manufacturing local weeders for farmers following SRI practice. 1 Introduction The Direct Results and Influence Achieved from Knowledge Exchange Figure 1.  Change Agents Stakeholders INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP LEVEL INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL SYSTEMIC LEVEL “After visiting Kenya and Uganda I was impressed to learn how they are approaching performance monitoring and benchmarking as ways to improve service delivery; this can be very useful in Ethiopia where we are rapidly trying to increase access to hygiene and sanitation. Since returning we now get a monthly report from each woreda (district) on performance.” ~ Wassie Shiferaw, Health Bureau, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People Region, Ethiopia “The knowledge exchange was essential for us to move forward. There had been some difficulties in reaching a shared strategy between 4 different ministries and other NGO sector stakeholders. The exchange allowed us to strengthen our personal relationships and realize we were all supporting the same goal. We started the trip as individuals with a common goal but we ended as a team, determined to reach the goal together.” ~ Taibou Maiga, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group 2 Case Example FROM FRAGMENTATION TO AMALGAMATION: PAKISTAN LEARNS FROM SOUTH AFRICA’S EXPERIENCE IN UTILITY REFORM Knowledge broker: Masroor Ahmad, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, World Bank Group In this knowledge exchange with South Africa, Pakistan GAINED NEW KNOWLEDGE, ENHANCED SKILLS, IMPROVED CONSENSUS, INITIATED NEW AND IMPROVED ACTIONS. One of the major bottlenecks for improved water and sanitation service delivery in Pakistan is the weak articulation of an urban sector vision and the inefficient structures of service provision. Over one-third of Pakistan’s total population lives in urban areas. Urban settlements struggle particularly in the delivery of basic services, including water, sanitation, and shelter. Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, was the only city among the 8 city district governments (large cities with a million-plus population) in Pakistan that did not have a citywide water and sanitation utility until 2014. Peshawar has 2 million citizens, and growing 3 Case Example at a rate of 1.5 percent yearly. The fundamental issue underlying the poor state of services in Peshawar was fragmentation of institutional service delivery among 7 institutions. This complexity often led to erratic decision- making, coupled with unclear lines of responsibility and accountability, and resulting in a poor state of water and sanitation service in the city. “We need strong commitment to bring about change and improvements to the quality of life of every citizen, in every sector and segment of society. We need to learn how other countries are doing this in relation to water provision,” ~ Knowledge exchange participant from Pakistan. Upon concurrence of the acknowledged need in Pakistan, the Water and Sanitation Program of the Global Water Practice at the World Bank Group funded an exchange providing Pakistan an opportunity to witness and learn from successful urban water and sanitation sector models. The goal was to develop a strategy to reform the urban water sector in Pakistan, starting in Peshawar. South Africa was identified as an ideal knowledge provider having two projects — the Johannesburg Water and the Durban Water — that had achieved substantial progress in water and sanitation service and had successfully undertaken institutional reforms in early 2000. Two exchanges took place 18 months apart. During the first exchange in South Africa, a visiting senior delegation of political leaders from Pakistan included elected members of Parliament from city district governments, senior government officials from the planning and development departments, and representatives from water and sanitation utilities in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and Sindh. The focus of this first exchange was to gain a better understanding of how the cities are governed and how water and sanitation services are delivered, including the enabling environment needed for institutional reform. “South Africa committed significant funds to support service delivery improvements. It has more resources and a smaller population than Pakistan; nonetheless, Pakistan can make better use of the resources it has.” ~ Knowledge exchange participant from Pakistan. After the first exchange in South Africa, upon official request of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the World Bank provided high- value technical assistance in areas of institutional reform, governance arrangement, statutory provisions, technical needs, and financial analysis related to water and sanitation services and prepared a comprehensive 4 Case Example diagnostic blueprint. The Government appointed a high-powered oversight committee that reported directly to the Chief Minister of the province. The crux of evidence based on and informed by the diagnostic work of the technical assistance suggested “departure from asset creation and focuses on services through institutional and governance reforms”. The Chief Minister approved the committee’s recommendations and gave directions to move ahead with institutional reform. “An autonomous yet accountable water and sanitation utility for urban areas of Peshawar established on corporate patterns, governed by an oversight body and run by professional managers” ~ Vision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister (2013). With the backing of the Chief Minister, a second exchange was organized to include senior technical and financial management staff from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government, and city development and planning staff. During the exchange, which also included field visits and discussions with water service beneficiaries, the focus was on how to implement reforms that parallel those learned from the Johannesburg Water and Durban Water — eThekwini projects. As a direct result of the knowledge exchange, Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar, Pakistan’s first corporate governed and fully autonomous utility utility, was established in 2014. Since then, further results have included ongoing collaboration between Peshawar and Durban water authorities for continued peer learning and technical exchange. The respective former managing directors of Johannesburg Water and Durban Water also visited Peshawar to support and guide the reform process and institutional strengthening. These impressive results were built upon the trust and relationships cultivated during the two study tours, along with the provincial leadership of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Based on the learning at the launch of the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak, stated, “The roles of the new Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar have been clearly defined to avoid any duplication or ambiguity in delivery of municipal services.” 6 Case Example ALTERNATIVE PPP MODELS IN ALGERIA AND SPAIN: LEARNING FOR INDIA Knowledge broker: Vandana Bhatnagar, Senior Institutional Development Specialist, World Bank Group In this knowledge exchange with Algeria and Spain, India GAINED NEW KNOWLEDGE, IMPROVED CONSENSUS. By 2031, projections claim that 600 million people will live in India’s cities. This unparalleled urbanization calls for massive investments in infrastructure that cannot be addressed through public investments alone. A critical need lies in the delivery of water supply and sanitation services. The Government of Karnataka, a southern state with more than 23 million people living in urban centers (38 percent of the state’s population), has undertaken significant efforts to improve urban water and sanitation service levels. These efforts recognized the need to engage service providers in the sector, and also explore potential for engaging private operators to deliver improvements. The World Bank-supported Karnataka Urban Water Sector Improvement Project that ended in 2011, demonstrated an approach for delivering transformation in service levels with the involvement of the private sector. However, a lack of clarity and consensus on suitable models for engaging the private sector as well as the lack of trust and understanding between public and private sectors have posed challenges in effectively engaging the private sector. In such a context, alternative public–private partnership (PPP) models needed considerable attention for the water sector, specifically in the Indian context. 7 Case Example To address these issues, as part of the ongoing dialogue for the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization Project, the Karnataka Government officials engaged in discussions with World Bank Global Water Practice staff to identify other countries implementing alternate PPP arrangements to improve urban water asset management and service delivery. Algeria and Spain offered a range of successful examples. With the goal of helping the client to make informed choices on the appropriate implementation model for improving service from the Urban Water Supply Modernization Project, the World Bank funded a knowledge exchange to increase awareness and understanding of how innovative public–private partnerships are arranged and executed. The exchange offered the client an opportunity to explore a range of different options as a basis for decision-making. “We need to see and understand the range of PPP options to determine what would work best in the Indian context.” ~ Study tour participant from India. A study tour delegation from India that visited Algeria and Spain included senior officers from the Ministry of Urban Development and Planning Commission, officers from the Department of Economic Affairs, and representatives from the Government of Karnataka. During the study tour, the Indian delegation had an opportunity to visit project sites; have meetings with key policy-makers, senior managers, and technical staff of water utilities; share the India water supply experience; and interview key stakeholders involved in these projects. “We were able to meet and interview all cadres of staff within the utility in Algeria to get candid feedback from them about what they felt about the change process and their roles before and after the change.” ~ Study tour participant. After the study tour, two workshops were organized in India, one at the national level and one at the state level. At the workshops, the experiences from Algeria and Spain were shared with a broader stakeholder group; the group reached a consensus on what elements of the Algeria and Spain PPP models could be adopted or adapted for the India context. Informed by the exchange, new service delivery arrangements have been incorporated in the design of the Karnataka project to enable 24/7 water supply with private sector participation. “This knowledge exchange was a great opportunity to help participants consider innovations outside the normal way of doing business. It was also very useful to explore many of the trust issues currently existing between the public and private sectors and which needed to be addressed as a priority within the India context.” ~ Task team leader. 8 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange IN STEP 1 YOU WILL Identify the development goal and tie it to the 1.1  knowledge exchange initiative Define the institutional challenges to reaching the 1.2  development goal 1.3 Determine the change objective with your counterparts 9 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange ANCHOR THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE Knowledge exchange initiatives can be used as part of a change process to powerful effect. At its best, an exchange generates relevant knowledge and timely insights for designing, developing, and implementing innovative development initiatives in water and sanitation. But for the knowledge exchange to work well, it should be anchored in the larger development context and driven by the global water sector priorities. Before committing to an exchange initiative, work with your clients and project counterparts to: »» Agree on the development goal that the knowledge exchange will support and how it links to the development objective of your program or project, »» Identify the major challenges limiting achievement of this goal, »» Consider what will change as a result of the knowledge exchange initiative.. 10 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange STEP 1.1 IDENTIFY THE DEVELOPMENT GOAL What beneficial results do the stakeholders, including key beneficiaries, seek to achieve? The development goal focuses on a major objective your stakeholders hope to achieve. It derives from a long-term regional, national, or local development strategy. The knowledge exchange initiative should bring your stakeholders closer to realizing this goal by targeting the institutional constraints preventing its achievement. An effective development goal is locally owned and provides clear economic and social value to stakeholders. In most cases, the knowledge exchange initiative will be part of a program that targets a specific development goal. It is important to recognize that a knowledge exchange initiative alone will not achieve the development goal but will contribute to it Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Development goal The development goal in Peshawar, Pakistan, was to enable greater access to safe and CASE EXAMPLES clean drinking water for its urban population. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Development goal The development goal in Karnataka, India, was to ensure continuous 24/7 water supply to its growing urban centers. STEP 1.2 DEFINE THE INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE(S) What challenges are blocking the achievement of the development goal? Reaching a development goal often requires reform in one of three, sometimes overlapping, institutional areas: environment for change, policy instruments, or organizational arrangements. Challenges in these institutional areas may include: »» Weak environment for change characterized by weak stakeholder/client ownership, lack of consensus on a development approach, or failure to conceptualize or consider a better approach; »» Inefficient policy instruments characterized by weak administrative rules, laws, regulations, standard operating procedures, and other formal incentives that guide action toward a development goal; »» Ineffective organizational and institutional arrangements characterized by inadequate systems, financing, staffing, incentives, citizen feedback mechanisms, and other resources for achieving a development goal. Use a knowledge exchange to help address challenges in these three areas. Work with your clients and other stakeholders to identify the most important impediments. What needs to change? 11 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange The following questions can guide your assessment of institutional challenges. Assessing the Environment for Change »» Do all stakeholders agree on the challenge? On a possible solution? »» Is there evidence that a solution exists? Has the solution been tried elsewhere in the country or in other countries? »» Are relevant leaders committed to the goal? »» Are leaders informed and inspired to pursue a new course of action? »» Is there a mechanism for stakeholders to voice their opinions about the challenge or goal? Do leaders act on opinions shared? »» Is relevant information shared regularly with stakeholders? Is that information easily accessible? »» Are people holding government officials and institutions accountable in this area? Assessing Policy Instruments »» Can existing policies adequately address the challenge? Are new policies needed? »» Is there an established regulatory agency (e.g., Parliament, Ministry) or a mechanism that can support efforts and formally guide the new approach? »» Is the current process for defining and achieving the development goal transparent? »» Is the process of formulating policies participatory? »» Do people and institutions comply with existing policies? »» Is there sufficient technical and administrative capacity to implement the policy? »» Do new policies adequately consider the risks (e.g., unintended negative effects)? »» Can the policy instrument accommodate revisions if needed? »» Do new policies and regulations minimize opportunities for corruption? Assessing Organizational Arrangements »» Can existing institutions realize the development goal? Do new institutions need to be developed? »» Do existing institutions have to be reformed? »» Does the institution have: ›› Legal mandate (e.g., vision and mission) to implement the new approach? ›› Viable business plan with clear objectives? ›› Defined set of activities accompanied by a budget, timeline, and assigned personnel? ›› Robust monitoring and evaluation system? ›› Funds to sustain its operating costs? ›› Adequate financial systems in place? ›› Sound leadership? ›› Governing board or system to oversee management? ›› Adequate staffing with technical and administrative skills to meet business needs? 12 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange »» And does it ›› Report regularly on progress? ›› Issue annual income and expenditure reports? ›› Find ways to regularly improve its processes? ›› Adapt to changing circumstances? Pakistan and South Africa exchange sought to address 3 interrelated challenges: »» Weak environment for change. Pervasive environment of mistrust and conflict; water bureaucracy had not transitioned from the role of a builder to manager. »» Inefficient policy instruments. Weak institutional accountability processes for governance, finance, and service delivery were present. CASE EXAMPLES »» Ineffective organizational arrangements. Moving water to users was poorly managed and corruption was common. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange sought to address 2 key challenges: »» Weak environment for change. Lack of consensus on models for effective engagement of the private sector, as well as lack of trust between public and private actors, to deliver service delivery goals in the water supply sector. »» Ineffective organizational arrangements. Insufficient technical knowledge to be able to manage and maintain effective public–private partnerships. STEP 1.3 DETERMINE THE CHANGE OBJECTIVE(S) What results will help overcome the institutional challenges? A change objective is the change your clients and stakeholders believe will best address the institutional challenge(s) they’ve identified. Work with your counterparts and stakeholders to answer the questions “How will we know when we have achieved the desired change?” and “What will be different?” Their answers will shape the change objective and ensure that the knowledge exchange targets measurable results. When translating an institutional challenge into a change objective, use action verbs to describe the desired results. Make sure the change objective is »» Relevant to your clients and other stakeholders, »» Timely, in that stakeholders are ready to make changes, »» Consistent with other changes or activities they are implementing, »» A good match with their social norms and values. 13 Anchor the Knowledge Exchange Common Trap »» Deciding to conduct a knowledge exchange initiative that may include, for instance, a study tour or a conference before anchoring the exchange can waste money and effort. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Change Objective in Light of Institutional Challenge Institutional Challenge Change Objective Build trust among stakeholders Pervasive environment of mistrust and and enable the conceptualization conflict; water bureaucracy had not of a different (corporate) approach transitioned from builder to manager. managing water services. Weak institutional accountability Introduce accountability, efficiency, processes for governance, finance and transparency and competition into service delivery. water supply business. Improve and modernize water Moving water to users is poorly management, with a focus on managed and corruption is common. instruments to engage communities CASE EXAMPLES receiving the water supply. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Change Objective Institutional Challenge Change Objective »» Foster dialogue between public and private sector officials on Lack of consensus, trust and effective models for public–private understanding between public and partnerships. private sector officials. »» Increase trust and create stronger relationships between public and private sector officials. Insufficient technical knowledge to be Set realistic performance standards for able to manage and maintain effective public–private partnerships. public–private partnerships. 14 Define the Knowledge Exchange KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE RURAL SANITATION IN NIGER: DEFINING PUBLIC AND STORY PRIVATE SECTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES üü The Challenge üü The Solution – Who did what? Association of Niger’s Municipalities; Niger, one of the world’s poorest The Government of Niger request- and the Journalists Network for countries, continues to face the ed support from the Water and Water and Sanitation. The diverse challenge of access to sanitation, Sanitation Program of the World team was able to address the issue particularly in rural areas. Only 27 Bank to learn how other countries of fragmentation. The journalist percent of Niger’s population has were addressing issues of rural documented the visit and wrote access to any type of sanitation sanitation and in particular the about it in the national press as a services. The country has one of the difficulties in the involvement of way to keep the team accountable highest rates of open defecation multiple ministries. Kenya and to commitments they made on the globally (73 percent). The Ethiopia were identified as countries study tour. Government of Niger, with support that had already achieved significant üü Results from its development partners, has social indicators on access to implemented various hygiene and hygiene and sanitation services. Continued interaction with private sanitation projects, but these have sector players in Kenya on how to been disparate and isolated actions. Working with facilitators from the get products into Niger or set up These actions are based on sparse, Water and Sanitation Program in a manufacturing plant in the West stand-alone intervention strategies Niger and Kenya, participants from Africa region. Several actions have and methodologies developed Ethiopia, Kenya, and Niger met taken place since the exchange. by the respective supporting initially through videoconferencing. Products are being imported partners. The Government wanted Each described what they had to from Kenya as samples for some help to clarify institutional roles offer and what was needed. The sector specialists. Niger’s disaster and responsibilities in addressing following objectives were agreed risk management project plans to rural sanitation, including creating upon: (a) learn about approaches import plastic slab for improved opportunities for engaging the to setting up transformative policy latrines in the Diffa region. The private sector. and legislation; (b) approaches Government of Niger is developing to formalizing institutional an action plan to accelerate the Three key problems were identified: arrangements for strengthened implementation of the operational »» Lack of synergy between delivery; and (c) how to create strategy for sanitation. different actors due to the behavioral change among users and how to involve the private sector. üü Instruments fragmentation of roles between Workshop; Field Visit, Study several line ministries; Niger sent a multi-disciplinary Tour, Multi-stakeholders dialogue/ »» Ineffective guidance to team on the tour, including consultation. policy-makers to ensure that representatives from Ministry of they include sanitation sector Water and Sanitation; Ministry of üü Knowledge broker: promotion among Public Health; Ministry of Primary Taibou Adamou Maiga, Senior government priorities; Education, Literacy, Promotion Water and Sanitation Specialist, »» Lack of a unified framework of National Languages and Civic The World Bank Group for action. Education; Ministry of Urban Development and Housing; Define the Knowledge Exchange DEFINE THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE IN STEP 1 YOU ANCHORED YOUR KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INITIATIVE BY: üü Linking it clearly to the development goal, üü Defining the challenges to meet the development goal, üü Determining the change objectives with your counterparts. IN STEP 2 YOU WILL: 2.1 Identify the groups of people who are needed to achieve the change, 2.2 Determine the intermediate outcomes that participants will seek from the exchange, 2.3 Identify groups and individuals with relevant and transferable knowledge and experience to share. 16 Define the Knowledge Exchange STEP 2.1 IDENTIFYING PARTICIPANTS Which individuals or groups are most likely to make this change happen? Why are they best placed to do so? The success of a knowledge exchange initiative depends on having the right people involved. First, think about those who have a stake in the issue. Then, consider those who can and will initiate the actions needed to achieve the change objective. This is a stakeholder analysis in its simplest form. These change agents can belong to different stakeholder groups (academia, civil society, government, municipalities or utilities, private sector) and be at the executive, managerial, or professional/technical level, or a combination. What they have in common is the ability to lead, influence, convene, or act on the institutional challenge. Sometimes individuals are not yet aware of the vital role they can play. In these cases, you may need to inspire them to become change agents. IDENTIFYING PARTICIPANT PROFILES To begin, talk to your clients about potential individuals and groups of people who are needed to achieve the change objective, and ask the following questions: Who will lead? üüWho will champion the cause and give momentum and enthusiasm to the knowledge exchange? Who will influence? üüWho are opinion leaders on the topic and have a broad profession- al network across the various stakeholders? Who will convene? üüWho has the capacity to bring people together to discuss the topic? Who will act? üüWho is in a position to apply what they learn? 17 Define the Knowledge Exchange Putting people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives together can result in a powerful learning experience as well as inspire networks that continue long after the knowledge exchange initiative has ended. 18 Define the Knowledge Exchange Table 1. Profiles of Potential Change Agents Stakeholder Groups Potential Change Agents Executive Level Managerial Level Technical/ Professional Level Government Agency Ministers Technical specialists National Vice ministers Managers Team leaders Regional/ Agency heads Program leaders Program staff Provincial Directors Governing Body/ Senior aides Elected officials/ Analysts Parliament/ Senior Parliamentarians Office staff Congress committee staff CEO/President Technical specialists Civil Society Managers Directors Team leaders Groups/ NGOs Program leaders Board members Program staff CEO/President Private Sector Vice presidents/ Managers Team leaders Businesses Directors Program leaders Staff Associations Board members Chief editor Section editors Journalists Media News director Producers President Program leaders Professors Academia Directors Department heads Students Board members 19 Define the Knowledge Exchange The following example highlights the role of change agents and the direct result of a knowledge exchange initiative. ROLE OF A CHANGE AGENT After a learning visit to see how Kenya was addressing supply-side issues for sanitation, two Bangladesh government officials from the Department of Public Health and Engineering were keen to more fully involve the private sector in developing low-cost plastic sanitation solutions for poor households. In Kenya, they had learned how the government had created partnerships with several large-scale private companies to foster innovation of new technologies designed to meet the needs and aspirations of the poor. Although this had not been one of their original learning objectives, the two officials were so motivated that immediately on their return they started a dialogue with a large-scale manufacturing company, including a visit to the factory. Within three months they had drafted a concept note; and within a year, the private company had begun manufacturing of a new range of sanitary products with special focus on the poor. Since this initial move, more manufacturers in Bangladesh have developed products that now provide more affordable choices to consumers from poor households. Story contributed by Rokeya Ahmed, Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group. Selecting participants is a juggling act. The list of knowledge exchange participants will change again and again as your planning progresses. This is a natural part of the process, so don’t get discouraged. Tailoring the exchange to the capacity needs of the participants is what is most important. At the same time, be careful not to lose sight of the change objective. 20 Define the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Participant profiles »» Political leadership and administrative representatives; senior leaders from the Planning and Development Departments and infrastructure Development Authorities. »» Water and sanitation utility representatives from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces. CASE EXAMPLES India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Participant profiles »» Senior officers from the Ministry of Urban Development and Planning Commission who have helped develop PPP programs in other states of India. »» Officers from the Department of Economic Affairs who guide PPP programs. »» Representatives from the Government of Karnataka who are involved in the scale up of pilot 24X7 water projects in the three cities of Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad, and Gulbarga. »» Representatives from the private sector. STEP 2.2 DETERMINE INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES What specific, measurable changes do participants seek? What does success look like? Will these changes help participants make progress toward the change objective? At this point, your knowledge exchange initiative should be anchored in the development goal and a change objective linked to project goals or to your results framework. While it is possible to reach some change objectives just using knowledge exchange, it is not very common. Since knowledge exchange is almost always a part of a larger development effort, it is more likely to catalyze progress toward the change objective than to achieve the objective on its own. This progress is measured by the achievement of intermediate outcomes. Intermediate outcomes are what we most commonly expect to see, measure, and report after a knowledge exchange initiative. They reflect what participants want to learn, how and with whom they want to work, and how they want to act. 21 Define the Knowledge Exchange Knowledge exchange can result in five (sometimes overlapping) intermediate outcomes (results). The first four outcomes can also individually or cumulatively lead to the fifth outcome of “new and improved actions”:  ew knowledge. A person is more likely to act because of a change in awareness, N attitude, or understanding.  nhanced skill. A person is more capable of acting because of a new or E developed proficiency. Improved consensus. A group with a common interest or agenda is more likely or able to act because of new knowledge, changed attitudes, shared understanding, and improved collaboration. Enhanced connectivity. A group is more likely or able to act because of new or improved relationships, greater affinity, improved trust, and reduced isolation. N  ew and improved actions. A person or group initiates or modifies its activity because of what was learned, practiced, realized, and/or as a result of shared understanding and improved relationships. Think of intermediate outcomes as stepping stones leading to the change objective. When Niger representatives visited Kenya, for example, they gained new knowledge on sanitation technologies and even purchased some products to take back to Niger. The utility staff from Pakistan used their new proficiency to implement the water utility reforms in Peshawar. Knowledge exchange can move your participants toward the objective by helping them address cognitive (know why), relational (know who), and behavioral (know how) gaps. Work with your counterparts to determine what gaps to tackle first and how knowledge exchange can address them. When defining the intermediate outcomes, think first about what personal or group dynamics are preventing progress toward the change objective. Perhaps participants are not sure about how to address a challenge, or maybe they disagree on the way forward. Another possibility is that your counterparts seek ways to take an already successful situation to the next level. Along with defining the intermediate outcomes, you will need to figure out how to measure their achievement. That is, you will need to identify indicators that show participants have learned or changed in the desired way. Table 2 will help you think through possible intermediate outcomes and indicators. 22 Define the Knowledge Exchange Table 2: Sample Intermediate Outcomes and Indicators Table 2 illustrates the following process for developing results indicators for knowledge exchange: Consider whether the change you and your participants seek is at the group or individual level. 1.  Think about the ideal changes participants seek from the exchange—what they want to learn 2.  and how they want to grow. These are the intermediate outcomes. Look at the types of progress that can be made toward the outcome. Types of progress are 3.  further illustrated using example indicators. Develop indicators based on the type of progress the exchange seeks to generate. These can 4.  then be used as evidence to demonstrate the achievement of results. Intermediate Outcome Type of Progress Example Indicators of Success New Knowledge Raised awareness At the end of the exchange, at least 70% of participants indicate they discovered new A person is more likely to performance monitoring options for utility staff. act because of a change in 25% of city government planners will be aware of awareness, attitude, the community mapping applications for Dar es or understanding. Salaam after the exchange. Improved Six weeks after the exchange, 80% of motivation/attitude participants will have taken at least two concrete steps toward a multi-institutional agreement on PPP standards. Greater confidence Nine out of ten participants self-report that following the exchange they have increased belief in their ability to bring about desired changes within their Ministries of Health for sanitation demand creation. Increased At the end of the exchange, all participants understanding describe the value of private-public partnerships to strengthen water service delivery in their countries. Acquisition of At least 90% of participants can, at the end of knowledge the exchange, identify eight key characteristics of sustainable water resource projects in their region. The percentage of correctly entered micro-finance Enhanced Skills Application of applications will increase from 45% to 95% within knowledge three months of the workshop. A person is more capable After the exchange, 75% of the farmers will be able of acting because of a new or to use the new irrigation methodology to increase developed proficiency. their production. 23 Define the Knowledge Exchange Intermediate Outcome Type of Progress Example Indicators of Success Improved Consensus Improved The percentage of team members sharing and communication articulating their views during meetings will increase from 20% to 80% within three months of A group with a the exchange. common interest or agenda is more likely or able to act Stronger By the end of the exchange, there will be because of new knowledge, coordination agreement on the roles and responsibilities of key changed attitudes, shared project delivery team members drawn from the understanding, and various ministries and agencies. improved collaboration. Increased cohesion After the exchange, all participants are unified in the need to more actively engage slum-dwellers as part of their national safety-net programs and agree to work together on developing a common approach. Stronger agreement Within one month of the exchange, the partners will have agreed upon a blueprint for a national land administration program that covers both rural and urban water resources and outlines key roles of federal and regional levels. Increased Following the exchange, absenteeism from group commitment to meetings will decrease from 50% to less than 10%. agenda/group Enhanced Connectivity Increased One year after the exchange there is 50% growth in membership the number of government institutions that report receiving help or advice through the network on A group is more water security. likely or able to act because of new or improved Increased network The number of current network members who relationships, greater density support one another in the area of social inclusion affinity, improved trust, programming will double within six months of the and reduced isolation. exchange. Increased sense of The numbers of members who invite others to join belonging the group will double (from 20 to 40) within one month of the exchange. Improved trust The percentage of network members that self- report trusting advice from other members will increase from 30% to 50% in the next annual member survey. Faster Within six months, questions posted to the online communication forum will be answered satisfactorily in an average of three days (down from eight) Fewer isolated In the next quarterly member survey at least 75% of members members will report having contracted at least one other member (e.g., by phone, email, or meeting). 24 Define the Knowledge Exchange Intermediate Outcome Type of Progress Example Indicators of Success New and Improved Preparation for At the end of the exchange, the utility and Actions action ministry partners will have agreed upon an action plan for implementing new tariff policies for A person or water. group initiates or modifies Local governments allocate a budget to replicate their or its activity/actions the good practice approaches on rural sanitation because of what was of other local governments observed during a learned, practiced, realized knowledge exchange. and/or as a result of improved collaboration and Change in routine or Following the exchange, the project team will relationships. working in new ways begin collecting beneficiary feedback on water quality for the first time. Maintenance of Within three months of the exchange, the change ministry will produce an operational manual for implementation of the new policy and form a community of practice for water regulators. Adapted from The Capacity Development Results Framework: A Strategic and Results-Oriented Approach to Learning for Capacity Development, World Bank Institute, Washington DC. (See http://siteresources.worldbank.org/CSO/Resources/228716-1369241545034/The_Capacity_ Development_Results_Framework.pdf.) Knowledge exchange design and implementation is where you as a broker have the most control. After that, it is up to the participants to act on what they learned. Aligning intermediate outcomes with change objectives prioritized by participants will increase the likelihood that something will happen once everyone goes home. Use your understanding of the change process to help shape realistic expectations about the direct results from an exchange and what areas it may influence. Donors, providers, and participants in a knowledge exchange may often expect more than can really be achieved. Managing expectations (especially unspoken ones) is important since they guide how success is perceived and defined. 25 Define the Knowledge Exchange The intermediate outcomes will vary depending on the challenges your clients and participants are addressing, how they want to address them, and who is involved. Maintain regular dialogue with participants as you design the exchange. Ask, “How will this empower you to lead, convene, influence, or act?” Ask them to weigh in on decisions and make sure every engagement contributes to the intended change. Developing the right indicators is integral to your results framework. Indicators define how progress and success are measured. Create them in close consultation with your stakeholders, especially those who will collect and use the data during and after the exchange (Table 3). The following questions may help you create useful indicators that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (otherwise known as SMART indicators).* Specific: »» Is it clear what is being measured exactly? »» Does the indicator capture the essence of the intermediate outcome? Measurable: »» Is it a measure that will be defined the same way over time and across stakeholders? »» Can data from the measure be verified to confirm its accuracy? Attainable: »» Are the results realistic considering the scope of the exchange? »» Are data available at reasonable cost and effort? »» Is baseline data available for comparison? Relevant: »» Is the measurement relevant (i.e., concrete, understandable, meaningful) to the stakeholders? »» Do stakeholders agree on exactly what should be measured? »» Will measuring the indicator be useful for making better decisions? Time-bound: »» When will the results be achieved (during implementation, right after completing the exchange, six months or one year after the exchange)? Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. * Management Review, Volume 70, Issue 11(AMA FORUM), pp. 35–36. 26 Define the Knowledge Exchange Table 3. Poor and SMART Results Indicators Examples of Why the poor examples Examples of poor indicators are inadequate SMART indicators Ministry of Health sanitation Engage is not specific enough The Director of Sanitation staff will engage with to measure progress, and attends three of the four community -nutrition measuring engagement quarterly meetings of programs after the study tour. among all ministry staff is the community- nutrition not realistic. coalition in the year following the study tour. Workshop participants will The number of staff learning Within six months of the work- learn to use macro-economic to use macro-economic shop, 80% of all medium- forecasting tools for water forecasting tools is not term budget plans for water resource management. relevant to stakeholders who resource management will are mostly interested in how be developed using macro- the tools are actually applied. economic forecasting tools. Field visit participants gained Understanding is vague and After the field visit, all a clear understanding of the difficult to measure. The participants will identify at value of plastic latrine slabs. indicator is not time-bound. least three value propositions of using plastic latrine slabs within their country context. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Intermediate outcomes »» New knowledge. Pakistani senior officials and practitioners will gain an increased understanding of institutional, governance, finance, and service delivery aspects of urban water and sanitation. »» Enhanced skills. Technical staff will gain new skills to be able to implement service management reforms identified as relevant in the Pakistan context. »» Improved consensus. Pakistani senior officials and practitioners will reach agreement on a strategy for implementing institutional reforms. CASE EXAMPLES »» New and improved actions. Senior officials and technical staff will apply their knowledge and skills to set up the Water and Sanitation Services in Peshawar as a corporate water company fully owned by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Intermediate outcomes »» New knowledge. The Indian delegation will have an increased understanding of the value of the PPP models established in Algiers, Algeria, and Alicante, Spain, and their application in the Indian context. »» Improved consensus. The Indian delegation will have greater agreement on which alternative PPP models should be considered for the water sector in Karnataka, India. 27 Define the Knowledge Exchange STEP 2.3 IDENTIFY THE MOST APPROPRIATE KNOWLEDGE PROVIDERS Which individuals or groups have the most relevant and transferable knowledge, development experience, or a potential solution? Do they have the resources and capacity to share it? A knowledge provider has a proven solution or development experience to share. Individuals, groups, or institutions hailing from the private, public, or civil sectors can all be knowledge providers. They can come from the same country or region as the knowledge seeker or from somewhere completely different. In some instances, the roles of provider and seeker are not particularly distinct, with both sides co-generating or providing and receiving knowledge on a common topic. As the broker, you are often tasked with finding the knowledge providers. When selecting them, consider whether they have: »» Demonstrated success in effectively addressing similar development challenges; »» Relevant experience in providing this knowledge to people from other places, cultures, and learning backgrounds; »» Familiarity with the cultural and historical contexts of participant groups; »» Resources to plan and implement the knowledge exchange in the proposed time-frame; »» Readiness to deliver, shown by confirmed commitment and understanding of responsibilities; »» Prior relationship with the knowledge-receiving institutions, groups, or individuals; »» Understanding of potential logistical complications and risks such as language issues or travel challenges. As you did when selecting potential knowledge-receiving participants, try to find a good mix of knowledge providers who can share different perspectives on the issue. You want to expose participants to many points of view to allow them to see how something has worked, challenges that have been overcome, and pitfalls to avoid. The more complex a problem, the harder it can be to find a suitable knowledge provider. Listen to the knowledge-receiving participants, know when their needs have evolved and adjust your plan accordingly. You may not — in fact, you probably won’t — get it right the first time. Don’t get discouraged. You and the knowledge-receiving participants will explore a range of possibilities before finding a truly fitting match. 28 Define the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Knowledge providers South Africa’s two water authorities — Johannesburg Water and Durban Water — were identified as ideal knowledge providers because they had achieved substantial progress in service delivery through institutional reform, civic engagement, and financial viability, including a focus on reaching the urban poor. CASE EXAMPLES India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Knowledge providers »» Algeria’s SEAAL (Algiers Water and Sanitation Company), including senior management, operating staff a field functionaries, and trade union representatives. »» Algeria’s Ministry counterparts and government agencies. »» Spain’s AEAS (Spanish Association of Water Service Operators) »» Aguas Alicante (Water Utilities of Alicante) and Canal de Isabel II (Madrid), including senior executives and practitioners at operational facilities. »» Local government officials from Algeria and Spain who were selected for having implemented a range of successful PPP arrangements in their cities to improve urban water asset management and service delivery. A knowledge exchange benefits immensely from a strong, well- networked broker to facilitate dialogue and build trust. The quality of an exchange is often higher when the broker knows both demand and supply sides well. When considering knowledge providers for study tours, try to avoid high tourist-value destinations. You can reduce the “junket value” of the study tour this way. 29 Define the Knowledge Exchange AfricaSan conferences spur long-term connections As part of the AfricaSan series of conferences organized by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) in 2002, 2008, 2011, and 2015, the Water and Sanitation Program worked with country sanitation task forces in partnership with other agencies such as UNICEF, the Water Supply Sanitation Collaborative Council, and WaterAid. The joint initiative was aimed at helping countries to reflect on their learning and knowledge so as to be prepared to share offerings at the conferences as well as be ready with a series of ‘asks’ from other countries. Part of the AfricaSan process has been to benchmark the progress of countries against key political commitments. Regular meetings, updates, and peer learning has led to the development of personal relationships and increased trust between the convening teams and participants such that more ‘honest’ self-assessment is now taking place when countries submit their performance scores. In addition, countries are now more able to report on their challenges and seek help from peers in other countries. At the last AfricaSan meeting in Dakar in May 2015, the country peer- learning sessions were voted the most valuable sessions of the three- day conference. Many countries have continued their own bilateral discussions after being ‘connected’ by AfricaSan. Story contributed by Yolande Coombes, Senior Water and Sanitation Consultant, The World Bank Group 30 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange KNOWLEDGE ACCELERATING UNIVERSAL SANITATION COVERAGE IN EXCHANGE STORY INDIA’S RURAL AREAS: THE STATE OF BIHAR LEARNS FROM THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL üü The Challenge delegation from Bihar visited the was learned through the exchange To accelerate efforts to attain districts of Nadia and Birbhum in from Nadia district in West Bengal. universal sanitation coverage and West Bengal. Through a series Inspired by the visit, Lalit Kumar to put focus on sanitation, the of presentations, field visits, and Singh, Senior Deputy Collector, Government of India launched the interactions with political and Jehanabad district, Bihar declared, Swachh Bharat Mission in October civic leaders in West Bengal, the “I will make my district Open 2014, which partly aims to achieve delegates from Bihar learned Defecation Free!” an Open Defecation Free (ODF) about the process adopted rural India by 2019. The sanitation to motivate behavior change, üü Instrument: Study Tour challenge is particularly severe encourage community monitoring, and convince people to change üü Knowledge Brokers: in Bihar, the third most populous state in India, with more than their mindset toward the habit of Upneet Singh, Water and 103 million inhabitants. Nearly open defecation. In discussions Sanitation Specialist, The World 85 percent of the inhabitants live among themselves, they identified Bank Group in rural areas. Bihar is also home good practices they could apply Bhavna Bhatia, Lead Operations to 2 out of every 10 Indians who in Bihar at state and district Officer, The World Bank Group. defecate in the open. On the level. The Bihar delegates, who other hand, just 18 months after had visited West Bengal armed The Water Practice team in India neighboring state West Bengal with a range of questions, and organized the study tour with launched its Nirmal Bangla (Clean some skepticism, returned home close coordination and support Bengal) Mission to achieve Open confident. “We need to shift our from colleagues of the West Defecation Free (ODF) status by implementation approach from Bengal Institutional Strengthening 2017, West Bengal’s Nadia district individual households to a more of Gram Panchayats (ISGP) was declared the first ODF district. collective, community-driven mode Project team, the Rural Water Bihar State sought to learn from . . . and look beyond hierarchies,” Supply and Sanitation Project West Bengal’s good practices in said delegate D.P. Singh, Chief for Low Income States in Bihar, implementing the Swachh Bharat Engineer, Bihar State Water and and the Leadership, Learning, Mission – Gramin (Clean India Sanitation Mission. and Innovation Vice Presidency. Mission - Rural) program. The World Bank’s External and üü Results Corporate Relations team in India üü Solution – Who did what? The Jehanabad district team in helped to disseminate information To learn from West Bengal’s Bihar streamlined the flow of on the exchange through the @ success in tackling this challenge, funds and set up a cement ring worldbankwater Twitter handle in June 2015 a 32-member production center based on what and documentation. DESIGN & DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE IN STEP 2 YOU DEFINED THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE BY üü Identifying the types of people needed to achieve the change objective. üü Considering the desired intermediate outcomes. üü Identifying ideal knowledge providers. IN STEP 3 YOU WILL 3.1 Select the participants, 3.2 Verify the change objective and desired outcomes, 3.3 Organize the design and delivery team, 3.4 Assemble the initiative. 32 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Together, you and the knowledge exchange participants will design the knowledge exchange journey to achieve the intermediate outcomes. Envisioning and mapping the journey is an iterative process that extends well into implementation as you must balance upfront planning with adaptive learning that allows you to react to emerging lessons from implementation. Your task is to closely link the design and selection of knowledge exchange vehicles/ instruments with the intermediate outcomes sought by the participants. Also keep in mind that the learning needs and interests of the stakeholders may shift during implementation, especially when addressing a complex challenge where the capacities to tackle the problems are often distributed across actors and no one actor is in full control of progress towards an objective. For example, interactions during multi-stakeholder dialogues, study tours, or conferences may give rise to new ideas, generate different perspectives on complex reform problems and solutions, or require learning on topics unforeseen during the design phase. Therefore, complex challenges tend to require multiple interventions, testing, and iteration. STEP 3.1 SELECT THE PARTICIPANTS Which individuals are best placed to benefit from the knowledge exchange and act on what is learned? In Step 2 you considered the mix of participants needed for a successful knowledge exchange initiative. Now it’s time to choose specifically who will join you in the knowledge exchange from the recipient side. In this phase, work with your counterparts and any participants already identified. Seek the champions—those who are open to reform and can drive the desired change. And don’t forget influencers, those in a position to secure stakeholder support. Once you have the perfect list, don't become too invested — it will likely change. As plans firm up, some participants won't be available, some will drop out, and others will want to join. The important thing is knowing who your exchange must include for it to be productive and orchestrating their participation, even if this means delays. Participant Checklist üüUse the development goal and change objective as a guide when selecting each participant. üüWork with your counterparts to identify participants who are lead- ers, influencers, conveners or key actors, or who have the potential to take on these roles within their institution or government. üüAsk your counterparts for a brief explanation why each participant should be included and what he or she will contribute. You can use these explanations later to ensure that any substitute participants can still make the desired contributions. 33 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Participants were selected based on the roles and responsibilities they had and would have at city, state and national level in facilitating achievement of the development goal. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Selected participants Participants from Pakistan were selected based on the role and responsibility they had (and could have) with respect to starting a utility in Peshawar. The delegation included: »» Elected politicians from national and provincial assemblies representing Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore, and Gujranwala City District Governments; »» Senior decision-makers from the Planning and Development Department, Housing and Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department, and heads of development authorities from the governments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh; »» Senior staff from Water and Sanitation Agency, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan, CASE EXAMPLES Rawalpindi, Government of Punjab; »» World Bank Pakistan staff. India and Algeria, and Spain exchange — Selected participants Participants were selected based on the roles and responsibilities they had and would have at city, state and national level in facilitating achievement of the development goal. »» Joint Secretary and Economic Advisor from the Ministry of Urban Development; »» Section Officers, Department of Economic Affairs; »» Advisor, Planning Commission; »» Managing Director, Deputy Project Director, Sanitation Engineer, and two Task Managers from Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation; »» Engineer, Gulbarga City Corporation; »» Water and Sanitation Specialists, World Bank. Consider including influential media personnel when the knowledge exchange is supporting public reform efforts. In the example of Niger exchange to Kenya and Ethiopia (page 14), they included a journalist to not only document the tour, but to also hold the participants accountable for implementation of recommendations that were made as a result of their learning. To eliminate “junket junkies,” let participants know they will be expected to complete pre- and post-knowledge exchange activities. 34 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange STEP 3.2 VERIFY THE OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES What do the participants want to learn? How do they hope to grow? What do they need in order to act, convene, influence, or lead? Now that you have identified all or some of the participants, revisit the initial work you did when starting to plan the knowledge exchange. As a group, verify that your knowledge exchange initiative is aligned with the development goal, institutional challenge, and the change objective, and that everyone is on the same page in this regard. If not, work with your counterparts and participants to clarify those aspects for them before tackling the next step. This could be done through existing sector meetings such as a water sector coordination meeting, joint sector review, or a specific event that you may have to organize. Remember that intermediate outcomes are the specific changes participants seek to realize as a direct result of the knowledge exchange initiative. These outcomes might be enhanced knowledge of a topic or a new coalition of peers to help influence change in their organization. At this time, you will need to review these as well with your participants to ensure that they are attainable and measurable. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Verify objective and intermediate outcomes The Pakistani participants agreed that they all wanted to achieve the same objectives CASE EXAMPLES and outcomes. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Verify objective and intermediate outcomes Selected participants for the knowledge exchange validated that the objectives and goals remained important. When determining and/or refining intermediate outcomes, consider: üüHolding an action planning session (either in person or virtually) to produce a draft list. You could include all or just a representative sample of the participants. üüSetting up a virtual discussion and posting the proposed interme- diate outcomes, drafted by you and your clients, for input from all participants. You can also facilitate an online conversation to encourage participants to refine/define the outcomes or propose new ones. üüChecking with the knowledge provider(s) at this time. What they know can help shape the intermediate outcomes. These conver- sations may also highlight the need for an additional knowledge provider or a replacement of the original(s). 35 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange STEP 3.3 ORGANIZE THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY TEAM In your role as a knowledge broker, how can you organize for a successful knowledge exchange? Who should be in your core design and implementation team? While technical skills needed may vary by project, most knowledge exchange initiatives include a few common roles. A team member may play more than one role in the knowledge exchange. Table 4 highlights the roles and typical responsibilities of the design and delivery team. Table 4: Design and Delivery Team Roles # Role Typical Responsibilities Related Process Steps 1. Instructional • Alignment and results orientation • Anchor Designer • Participant identification and preparation • Define • Knowledge provider preparation • Design • Participatory planning approaches • Instrument and activity selection and design 2. (Local) Delivery • Logistics and administrative support • Define Partner(s) • Identification of key contacts • Design • Preparation of knowledge providers • Implement • Facilitation • Report • Translation • Results capture 3. Professional •Knowledge of the participants, their goals, • Implement Facilitator roles, and challenges • Participant guidance • Discussion facilitation and leadership • Conflict management and resolution • Prep session and activity debrief leadership • Identification of emerging needs • Exchange adaptation, with team lead 4. Project Leader •Knowledge exchange design, planning, and • All five steps implementation • Participant and knowledge provider selection • Delivery team creation and management • Results monitoring and reporting •Participant engagement, inspiring them to act on what they learn! 5. Communications •Plans for communicating among the delivery • All five steps Coordinator team and with participants before, during, and after the exchange •Strategies for communicating with partners, stakeholders, and media before, during, and after the exchange • Reporting on results for varied audiences 36 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange As a knowledge broker, avoid centralized roles in yourself. This frees you up to monitor the engagement and react as needed, ensuring a meaningful exchange for your participants. For example, during implementation, consider hiring a facilitator and outsource event planning to local partners.. Once you have your core team on board, you will define targets, set priorities, and create an implementation plan focused on participant priorities. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Design and Delivery Team »» Task team lead »» Local delivery partners in South Africa and Pakistan (professional facilitators) »» World Bank teams offering project coordination CASE EXAMPLES India, Algeria, and Spain Exchange — Design and Delivery Team »» Task team lead »» Project task team lead and Co-task team lead »» Local delivery partners in Algeria and Spain »» Professional facilitator/synthesizer »» Administrative coordinator STEP 3.4 ASSEMBLE THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE What blend of instruments, activities, and delivery modes will help achieve the desired intermediate outcomes? Every knowledge exchange initiative is a blend of instruments, activities, and delivery modes. Planning for and selecting an appropriate mix — keeping in mind your operating constraints and opportunities — will help participants realize the desired intermediate outcomes. When assembling your initiative, follow the steps in Figure 2. 37 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Figure 2. Assembling the Knowledge Exchange Initiative CONSIDER OPERATING CONSTRAINTS & OPPORTUNITIES SELECT THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENT(S) SELECT AND SEQUENCE THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES DESIGN THE ACTIVITIES 38 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Step 3.4A CONSIDER THE OPERATING CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES What are some of the key factors influencing the potential and limits of a knowledge exchange? The potential and the limits of a knowledge exchange initiative are most often determined by the budget, people (participants, providers, and brokers), time, technology and guidance tools, and context. In each case, however, you can often turn constraints into opportunities. Budget The costs for knowledge exchange can vary dramatically depending upon its scope (number of participating countries, institutions, and activities), duration, and choice of instruments. A series of virtual dialogues can cost a few hundred dollars whereas an elaborate study tour involving participants from many countries can easily cost several thousands. Opportunities to consider: »» Look for cost-efficient ways to achieve the same results. Bring people together virtually instead of flying them across the world. Use of technology such as webinars, video- conferencing, and WhatsApp groups have dramatically changed how we can connect. »» Build knowledge exchange into larger operations. You may include it in the capacity building component of a new loan or program for results. »» Seek funding from multiple sources and other funding partners to ensure sustained and in-depth exchanges. Consider sharing the costs between different institutions or development partners who are all supporting a common goal. »» Ask knowledge providers or participant institutions to provide in-kind support. For example, the Bolivian government provided hosting services and facilities to support a community of practice it was involved in. »» For Web-based work, use available technologies (many of which are free for use) instead of building costly customized solutions. People People can include anyone involved in the exchange — knowledge-receiving participants, knowledge providers, brokers, implementation partners, team members, and others. Common constraints revolve around availability, willingness to participate, number of participants, preparedness, staffing, familiarity with the subject matter or a technology, role in the organization, and travel. Opportunities to Consider Participants »» Focus on champions and influencers of the reform effort. »» Meet with the potential candidates to help ensure have the right mix of people. Try to mitigate against last-minute substitutions. »» Ask partners and sector/country experts to help identify appropriately knowledge able people. »» Convene participants on their terms. For example, ministers tend to prefer to meet in person or in a private video-conference. 39 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange »» Make preparation a requirement of participation. This helps to ensure that you have the right level of commitment. »» Think ahead about how to remove participants who are not performing. Sharing explicit criteria for participation in advance of the exchange will help to minimize such a situation. »» Be sensitive to cultural and social norms around rank, hierarchy, and gender in mind when selecting participants. Providers »» Work with recommended providers or those with whom you are familiar. »» Work with the knowledge providers to help document and package the learning material ahead of the exchange. Oftentimes, institutional knowledge and practical experiences are not well-documented and readily available. »» Encourage providers to share learning materials prior to exchange to ensure readiness and quality. »» Ask knowledge providers to share their challenges and failures as well as their successes to provide a realistic view of real world issues. »» As a broker, look to building long-term relationships with knowledge providers and between the knowledge receiving and providing countries. For example, the water utilities in Pakistan and South Africa have entered into a long-term twinning arrangement. »» Think about ways to reward knowledge providers through public recognition such as awards, certificates, and press releases and interviews with media outlets. Brokers »» Explain to your partners the importance of the knowledge exchange and how it can influence change. »» Seek support from local delivery partners. »» Help the participants manage the change process that might arise as a consequence of the knowledge exchange. Gaining Insight on Potential Challenges The Government of Ghana wished to introduce public–private partnerships (PPPs) to improve the financing and management of irrigation projects, but lacked exposure to existing programs. Brazil’s experience in designing and implementing the Pontal Irrigation Scheme was a rich source of learning. Through a World Bank- facilitated knowledge exchange, Ghanaian officials not only learned about Brazil’s successes but also its failures. A realistic and balanced view of what Ghana may encounter in implementing PPP irrigation schemes heightened the participants’ abilities to handle risks, negotiate contracts, and build up pertinent government institutions. Knowledge Broker: Christopher Paul Jackson, Lead Economist/Cluster Leader for Agriculture and Rural Development, The World Bank Group 40 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Engage early on with the knowledge providers and prepare them for their role. Time People always underestimate the time it takes to plan and complete a knowledge exchange. The knowledge exchange Toolbox in the last tab of this guide lists typical time durations of the instruments and activities from past exchanges; it is impossible to give a precise time-frame for any one exchange. There are just too many variables, including the level of complexity and the nature of the outcomes sought. Raising awareness, for example, is often easier to achieve than building consensus. Opportunities to Consider »» Divide tasks (design, logistics, facilitation) among team members and local partners. »» Consider whether the exchange is part of a longer-term initiative or if it needs to meet immediate learning needs. You might be able to delay or cut some parts of your exchange. »» Use available technologies to minimize back-and-forth in things like logistics, planning, meetings, and preparation of materials, monitoring, and reporting. See the Quick Look at Social Media in Figure 3. Technology and Planning Resources Technology and guidance tools hold enormous potential for knowledge exchange. However, not everyone has the same level of access, familiarity, or ability to use them. Opportunities to Consider »» Use the exchange to increase participant ability with a technology that facilitates the knowledge exchange. »» Meet participants at their technological comfort level. Start with technologies and communication methods that they most often use. »» Develop contingency plans in case technology fails. »» Facilitate the use of well-tested knowledge exchange guidance tools, planning resources, templates, and road maps such as those available on the World Bank’s Knowledge Sharing Web-page: www.worldbank.org/knowledgesharing »» Use social media, as appropriate. 41 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Figure 3. A Quick Look at Social Media 5. MEASURE Learn by doing: Learn and adapt Hootsuite every day by tracking, analyzing Spredfast and measuring data in realƟme, cross data for new perspecƟves Sysomos and insights. 1. CONNECT SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS Measure, manage and understand the behavior and SOCIAL impact of your social media ia Facebook NETWORKS presence using social media analyƟcs tools. Let you interact Google Plus constantly with your audience (wriƩen LinkedIn content, images, video and links); connect any 4. RECORD Ɵme and from anywhere via desktops, smart phones, tablets or social media. VIDEO SHARING YouTube Convey complex ideas, start conversaƟons and Vine engage audiences Over 1 billion users worldwide, by sharing your content, most on mobile (ITU*) tesƟmonials, and Vimeo short interviews onli nli Share them online. social via soc wo or networks netwo MICRO- microb- rob microb BLOGGING s logs. Increases your client's realƟme exposure and interacƟon with your key 2. UPDATE content and ideas through sound bytes. You should synchronize your microblog- PICTURE ging tool to your other SHARING TwiƩer social media tools. Use images to spark interest r in your content/key inter Blogger ideas and increase your target ge audience engagement. targe Share them via social networks et net or microblogs. Synchronize for greater engagement: Content from video and picture sharing sites can be shared on your social Pinterest network and microblogging sites. Content from social networks and microblogs can be linked to content on video Flickr and picture sharing sites. Instagram Picaza 3. ILLUSTRATE THE PROS THE CONS + Facilitates the development and sustainability of professional networks across – Corporate structures may allow limited use of social networks countries, sectors and economic levels – May require negoƟaƟon with stakeholders + Available almost in every country of the planet – Differences in digital literacy levels may impact viability /usability + Most oŌen free to use – Access and cost of internet services may vary between and + Most stable, safe virtual environments within countries + Desktop, mobile, tablet, SMS accessible – Technological infrastructure may limit how social media is used + User friendly, short learning curve – Some corporate cultures do not accept/embrace social media or + DemocraƟzes knowledge creaƟon, collaboraƟon, and disseminaƟon have appropriate digital strategies + Widely recognized as a key element in professional pracƟce – In some contexts use may be discouraged as content is held by + Provides easy access to success stories and lessons learned third parƟes + Facilitates access to knowledge, those that produce it and those who wish to use it * hƩp://www.itu.int/ 42 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Operating Environment Common contextual constraints include political transition, civil or armed conflict or unrest, cultural and social norms, and language. It helps to be aware of the political economy of knowledge exchange when dealing with recipients and providers. Opportunities to Consider Political Context »» Take advantage of elections and political transitions, which can bring in new thinking and eagerness for reform. Clients and local partners can help identify change agents. Seize the moment! »» In conflict-affected areas, identify knowledge providers who have overcome similar challenges and can offer strong leadership and guidance. Social and Cultural Context »» Leverage team members and partners who are aware of cultural norms around rank, hierarchy, and gender to ensure the broadest, most rewarding experience for all participants. »» Use local facilitators in culturally and politically challenging environments, especially when participants will work in interactive groups. Language »» In multi-language exchanges, ask knowledge providers to simplify messages and reduce jargon. »» Use interpreters to ensure everyone understands each other and to encourage greater engagement. »» Seek knowledge providers who speak the same languages as participants. »» If you need to reach participants with limited literacy, select activities that focus on conversation and demonstration, and invest in learning materials with rich audio-visual components. Try not to interpret through multiple language levels (for example, from Lao to English, then English to Bahasa Indonesia). Also avoid forming mixed-language groups, if possible. Language interpretation slows the pace of an exchange considerably, can limit knowledge transfer, and results in additional logistics. 43 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Operating environment »» Budget: US$97,000. »» Participants: Government departments (senior officials and practitioners). »» Providers: South Africa mirrored participants from Pakistan. »» Brokers: The World Bank acted as a broker for the exchange. »» Timeframe: Initial timeframe was 1 year from planning to implementation. »» Technology and Resources: Audio- and video-conferences and e-mail. »» Operating Environment: One of the biggest challenges was to deliver institutional reform in Peshawar, which was facing immense security concerns as a zone on the front-lines of conflict in war against terrorism. However, achieving major institutional reforms in this challenging operating environment in Peshawar was an opportunity to build a softer image of a conflict-torn city, to show the government’s concern for the CASE EXAMPLE basic needs of its citizens, and deliver despite fighting against terrorism. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Operating environment »» Budget: US$70,000. »» Participants: Government departments (senior officials and practitioners). »» Providers: Senior executives, government officials, and practitioners. »» Brokers: The World Bank acted as a broker for the exchange. »» Timeframe: Three-months planning phase for a week-long study tour that took place during the first quarter of 2013. »» Technology and Resources: Mostly audio-conferencing was used. »» Operating Environment: With no local presence of the World Bank in Algeria and Spain, the design and delivery team worked closely with the local knowledge provider in Algiers and coordinated all the logistical details for exchange. Similarly, the team worked closely with contacts at Agbar in Spain to structure the program in Alicante. 44 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Step 3.4B SELECT THE BLEND AND SEQUENCE OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENT(S) Which instrument(s) will help participants achieve the intermediate outcomes? Instruments are the vehicles for knowledge exchange. They move the participants closer to realizing their change objectives. These instruments (Table 5) can be used alone or in combination. Each instrument has its own strengths and limitations (Table 6), with some more suitable for particular types of intermediate outcomes than others. Some instruments such as conferences require shorter term and more intense individual engagement (with other participants and content) while others such as communities of practice require a longer term and a less intense degree of individual engagement (Table 7). The strength of the instruments is fueled by the knowledge exchange activities (Table 8), which form the building blocks of instruments. The knowledge exchange Toolbox (last tab of the guide) provides detailed descriptions of each instrument, when and how to use it, and case examples. Instrument roles can vary: »» One instrument can help achieve multiple intermediate outcomes. Study tours expose participants to new ways of doing things and offer opportunities to share tacit knowledge, which may help clients recognize new opportunities, build networks, and build consensus — three distinct potential intermediate outcomes. You may design with this in mind. And be mindful that you could discover some unexpected outcomes as well. »» The same instrument used in a different project or program phase can yield different outcomes. An expert visit can help raise awareness and build consensus at the project identification stage; in the project implementation phase, it can help overcome bottlenecks and build skills through coaching and hands-on support. »» A combination (blend) of instruments can be very effective. This is especially evident when there are entrenched development issues or complex challenges such as those requiring political buy-in or the transfer of substantial technical know-how. You might start a knowledge exchange initiative, for example, with a conference to raise awareness of new development options, then form a community of practice to enhance networking and trust, and follow up with a study tour and expert visits to gain technical know-how in preparation for action. The choice and blend of activities should always target the intermediate outcomes the group would like to achieve. 45 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Table 5: Knowledge Exchange Instruments COMMUNITY OF COMPETITION/ CONFERENCE EXPERT VISIT KNOWLEDGE FAIR PRACTICE (COP) CHALLENGE A formal event in Sending a practi- A face-to-face A group of people A contest aimed at which a large num- tioner or technical knowledge sharing that interacts regu- finding and support- ber of participants specialist from a event designed to larly on a common ing new ideas and come together to knowledge provid- showcase partici- topic to learn from accelerating innova- share knowledge er country/region/ pants’ experiences, one another. tions, usually culmi- and their experi- organization to a achievements, and nating in a showcase ences on a specific knowledge seeker innovations and event to recognize topic/theme. country/region/or- market new pro- the competitors and ganization to assess grams to donors and winner(s). current circumstanc- potential partners. es and/or provide guidance on a specific challenge. KNOWLEDGE JAM MULTI- STUDY TOUR TWINNING WORKSHOP A facilitated con- STAKEHOLDER The visit or series of The pairing of one A structured event versation between DIALOGUE AND visits by an individual institution with a sim- focused on having knowers and doers CONSULTATION or group to one or ilar, but usually more participants solve (change agents) to A facilitated series more countries or mature institution for problems by work- surface hidden know- of conversations within a country or a mutually beneficial ing together on a how around targeted among stakeholders/ sites with a specific partnership. common issue, be it topics and channel peers to gain multi- learning goal and to a problem or a task. insights into action or ple perspectives and experience firsthand a concrete deliver- deeper understand- how something was able. ing, reach consen- or is being imple- sus, or encourage mented. action. 46 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Keep in mind that the choice and blend of instruments will also be influenced by »» Nature of the challenge (straightforward or complex), » Time, »» Participant profile, » Logistical constraints, »» Group size, » Resource availability. Table 6: Strength of Knowledge Exchange Instruments for Intermediate Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes Stronger Weaker study tour, knowledge fair, multi-stakeholder dialogue conference, community and consultation, knowledge of practice, competition/ jam, twinning challenge, expert visit, New Knowledge workshop workshop, expert visit, knowledge fair, conference, twinning, study tour, multi-stakeholder dialogue knowledge jam, just-in-time and consultation, community support of practice, competition/ Enhanced Skills challenge multi-stakeholder dialogue community of practice, and consultation, study tour, competition/challenge, expert visit workshop conference, knowledge fair, Improved Consensus knowledge jam, twinning community of practice, competition/challenge, expert conference, knowledge visit, knowledge jam fair/marketplace, multi- stakeholder dialogue/ Enhanced Connectivity consultation, study tour, workshop, twinning expert visit, workshop, conference, knowledge fair, study tour, knowledge jam, community of practice competition/ challenge, multi- stakeholder dialogue and New and Improved consultation, twinning Actions 47 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Table 7. Instruments Clustered by Duration and Degree of Individual Engagement You can use this table as a guide to design your exchange based on participant profiles, group size, time and logistical constraints. Degree of individual Engagement Low High Long-term Short-term Length of Engagement 48 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Instrument selection and sequencing Comprising representatives of the two countries, a working group planned the exchange that began with a multi-stakeholder dialogue in Pakistan to build consensus on the next steps for water reform. The initial dialogue was followed by two study tours in 2009 and 2013. The first study tour took high-level political leaders to South Africa for first-hand observation and understanding of the challenges South Africa had faced and overcome. The second study tour was for technical staff to enable implementation of the pending reforms. A range of multi-stakeholder dialogues and consultations were held after each tour. These talks afforded a chance to share the knowledge from the study tours with a broader group of stakeholders and to reach consensus on localizing the experience and learning from South Africa. Expert visits from South Africa were also organized to mentor and coach the Pakistani technical specialists and support their new skills and CASE EXAMPLES implementation know–how. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Instrument selection and sequencing The study tour to Algeria and Spain was planned to enable the India delegation to learn how these two countries have implemented public-private partnership in the water sector. In addition to the study tour, a case study from Colombia was also presented to the participants. In order to attain the desired intermediate outcomes, the tour program ensured that participants met senior officials and technical staff in both Algeria and Spain to get candid feedback about the change process and their roles before and after. During interviews, the Indian team explored issues relating to the trust between the public and private sector counterparts, especially in those areas where they were anticipating problems in India. After the study tour, one national-level and one state-level workshop were organized in India. During these workshops, the tour participants shared their experiences and led discussions with a broader group of stakeholders. At the end of the workshops, action plans were created for next steps to adopt or adapt the Algeria/Spain PPP models for the Indian context. “Sometimes twinning arrangements have a lot of bureaucracy because of the formal official procedures and protocols; we found that having a more informal agreement through expert visits allowed us to reach our results much faster.” ~ Masroor Ahmad, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group Step 3.4C SELECT AND SEQUENCE THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES Which activities will most help participants achieve the desired intermediate outcomes? What’s the best way to sequence them? 49 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Activities are the building blocks of the instruments and where learning takes place. As with the instruments, each activity has its own strengths and limitations and is more or less suitable for particular types of learning. The blend and sequencing of activities is more important than the activity in and of itself. Let your choice be guided by the intermediate outcomes you seek, keeping in mind the participant profile group size, timeframe, logistical constraints, and resources. Remember that the success of a knowledge exchange rests on achieving the targeted intermediate outcomes, not on delivering a predetermined set of activities. You may need to adjust individual activities within an instrument, or even the instrument itself, to ensure that learning goals are met. When trying to decide which activities to select and how they should be sequenced, consider the type of communication and interaction the participants need to engage in. The activities included in this guide are organized into four categories (Table 8). Each category emphasizes different types of communication and interaction among participants: Presentation activities primarily consist of a one-way flow of information and require use of creative techniques to engage and involve the audiences. These activities include demonstrations, expert panels, lightning talks, poster sessions, and storytelling. Discussion activities consist of multi-directional knowledge sharing requiring group participation and are often conducted after presentation-type activities. These activities include brainstorming, buzz sessions, e-discussions, knowledge cafés, peer assists, and anecdote circles. Experiential activities move beyond knowledge sharing and discussion and allow participants to experience something new, reflect on the experience, and translate the knowledge into action. These activities include action planning, field visits, fishbowls, role playing, secondments, and simulation. Analytical activities enable participants to examine and make sense of topics or situations from a prospective and/or retrospective lens. These activities include after- action reviews, focus groups, interviews, self-assessments, surveys, and SWOT analyses. Well-designed activities should allow participants to »» Experience something new; »» Internalize the significance of the new experience; »» Observe, question, reflect, and contribute their experience; »» Interact with experts and other participants and consider new ideas; »» Develop a collective understanding based on shared experience; »» Translate the knowledge into action plans; »» Summarize new knowledge in written and audiovisual formats and make these available for other stakeholders. 50 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Table 8: Knowledge Exchange Activities Presentation Activities Discussion Activities Demonstration Anecdote Circle An expert showing how to use a An exercise that involves the use product or perform a procedure; also of story themes and story-eliciting used to showcase a new product or questioning to engage a group in process in order to market and sharing their experiences. spread innovations. Brainstorming Expert Panel The generation of ideas or solutions A moderated set of presentations on about a specific topic by tapping into the same topic addressed from various the wisdom of peers and encouraging angles by a group of people with them to think of novel ideas. specialized knowledge. Buzz Session Lightning Talks A very short discussion on a narrow A series of short presentations on the topic that involves simultaneous small same or diverse topics by different group-work (usually in pairs) and speakers lasting a few minutes each as stimulates contribution from each part of a single session. member of the participant group. Poster Session e-Discussion A presentation in a poster format, A discussion that takes place on-line usually combining text and graphics, either synchronously or asynchronously. that engages presenters and participants in a conversation around Knowledge Café the content of the poster. Open, creative, facilitator-led conversations to surface collective Report knowledge, share ideas, and encourage An oral or written presentation that collaborative dialogue in a relaxed, summarizes and highlights topic- or café-type environment. theme-based key points (concepts, data, processes, lessons learned, etc.). Peer Assist A facilitated event where peers Storytelling with relevant experience share their A purposeful use of narrative that knowledge and experience, usually in describes a practical outcome and the form of best practices and lessons is meant as a trigger for individuals, learned, with a team that has requested communities, or organizations to help on a specific problem, project, consider future action. or activity. Liberating Structures! In addition to the activities in Table 8, explore the use of Liberating Structures — “simple rules that make it easy to include and unleash everyone in shaping the future” http://wwwliberatingstructures.com. 51 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Experiential Activities Analytical Activities Action Planning After-Action Review (AAR) A strategic exercise that results in A structured review process for project a personal or group road map or teams to analyze what happened, why timetable describing the specific steps it happened, and what can be done that need to be taken to achieve a better or differently in the future. single or multiple objectives. Focus Group Book Sprint A structured discussion protocol that A facilitated process that brings brings together a group of people, together a group of people to typically unfamiliar with each other but collaboratively produce a book in with a common interest, to give their three to five days. opinions on a particular topic or area. Field Visit Interview Physically going to a location that A question-and-answer session enables partici- pants to experience with an individual/- expert about a project realities directly and meet specific topic, usually following a with implementation teams and pre-determined set of questions. beneficiaries. Self-Assessment Fishbowl A survey technique to gather A small group conversation or a dialogue information on how an individual process held in a setting which includes a rates him/herself on a specific set larger group of observers/listeners. of competencies, behaviors, and/or attitudes. Role Play An interactive exercise in a contrived Survey environment that allows participants to The gathering of data or opinions experience the situation from another’s from participants using a structured point of view, apply or develop skills set of questions. to handle a conflict or a problem, and analyze the experience with the help of SWOT Analysis observers. A structured examination to identify a program or organization’s internal Secondment strengths and weaknesses as well as The temporary assignment of a person any external/internal opportunities to another department or organization. and threats (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat Analysis). Simulation A realistic, structured situation designed to engage participants in various interactions within a particular setting 52 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange – Activity selection and sequencing Instrument Stage Activity Description »» Brainstorming focused on identifying specific expectations in relation to what the participants would gain from the study tours. »» Through the action planning process, participants built consensus on what they wanted to learn from the study tour. The delegation made a power point presentation to the Chief Minister of Punjab Province. »» Participants prepared a report outlining their expectations regarding benefits from the study tour. The delegation made a power point presentation to the Chief Minister of Punjab Province.. »» Discussions resulted in more focused planning for study tours that included field visits, demonstrations, interview, and reporting. »» Participants visited 3 utilities, provincial departments, water and wastewater treatment plants, and communities; conducted one-on-one and group meetings/interviews with technical experts; benefited from demonstrations from technical experts; and rotated responsibility for chairing meetings/reporting CASE EXAMPLES output from field visits, facilitating Q&A sessions and debriefing sessions. »» A second study tour was recommended and planned. This second tour had the backing of the Chief Minister of KP Province and included technical, finance, human resources, administration and information technology officials of the province. »» The planning detailed the focus and scope of the expert visits. »» The final delivery was built on the trust and relationships cultivated during the two study tours. The visits by former managing directors of Johannesburg Water and Durban Water to Peshawar in 2011 and 2015 brought valuable guidance and hands-on support for the emerging reform process to help Pakistan customize learning from the South African model. The directors also went on field visits to fully understand the local context in which the reforms have to be implemented. »» Participants continued discussions among themselves and with the Johannesburg Water Utility and Durban Water Utility for peer-to-peer and expert guidance during the entire reform process. 53 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange India, Algeria, and Spain exchange – Activity selection and sequencing Instrument Stage Activity Description »» Brainstorming enabled the key stakeholders who participated in the study tour to come to an agreement on scope of workshop. CASE EXAMPLES »» After the brainstorming, key stakeholders determined that it was important to conduct two workshops, one focusing on participants at the national level and the other targeted at the state level. »» Reports and presentations focused on learning from the experiences of the study tour. Discussion-based activities yielded consensus for follow-up action planning. »» Knowledge that emerged from the workshops was documented and disseminated to key stakeholders. Participatory monitoring at village level The field visit to the monitoring system in the Churu district in Nambale, Kenya, was influential in strengthening the system by introducing participatory monitoring. Stenciled lettering was used to designate those households that had stopped OD. Participatory monitoring map at village level, with markings to show houses surveyed. 54 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange STEP 3.4D DESIGN THE ACTIVITIES How should each activity be designed and delivered? After selecting and sequencing the activities, you need to think about how to design and deliver them. When designing an action planning session for example, you would start with a preparatory meeting to: »» Define what you hope to accomplish, »» Assign roles and responsibilities (facilitator, key participants, other resource people for content preparation), »» Agree on a tangible output from the exercise, »» Prepare the agenda and a list of materials needed, »» Create a timeline with major milestones, »» Review budget and logistics. A single knowledge exchange initiative will consist of many activities. Some are more complex than others and will require greater planning. For example, an immersive learning experience will take serious thought and may require additional staff support to pull off, whereas a group discussion is probably something you can organize with little help. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Designing and delivering the activities The activities included in the study tours and followed by expert visits were designed and delivered by the planning and delivery team that involved participants who formed part of the Pakistani delegation. The World Bank supported this process by identifying CASE EXAMPLES opportunities to enable increased connectivity among participants and by offering project coordination and facilitation support. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Designing and delivering the activities Much of the design and delivery of the activities was done by local partners, including representatives from the public and private sectors. They also coordinated logistical support. Consider the way in which the activities will be delivered: in real time or staggered, face-to-face or virtual. Some methods are better for building trust and consensus, others promote greater participation and deeper reflection. Some are cheap, others expensive. 55 Design and Develop the Knowledge Exchange STEP 3.4E ACTIVITY DELIVERY MODES What is the best way for participants to interact? How knowledge exchange participants interact with one another or with learning content is called the delivery mode, and it can be either synchronous (occurring at the same time) or asynchronous (occurring at different times). Synchronous knowledge exchange formats include face-to-face, audio, online chat, and videoconferencing. Synchronous delivery modes are useful for encouraging dialogue and for building trust and consensus. Asynchronous knowledge exchange formats include e-learning, online discussion forums, online social networking, and e-mail. These methods are increasingly being blended with face- to-face delivery, as they provide participants with greater flexibility in access and participation, allow for sustained interaction in a cost-effective way, and encourage deeper reflection. You will need to consider these factors when choosing your delivery mode. »» Cost: Face-to-face and videoconferencing behave similarly in terms of cost. Cost per participant is less with videoconferencing, but in both cases there are few economies of scale. E-learning, on the other hand, requires a lot of up-front investment, but once it is ready it is the cheapest delivery mode. »» Access to technology: Videoconferencing, e-learning and other online activities require connectivity and technology. Many good communication platforms are free to use, or cost very little. Videoconferencing requires special equipment and facilities. »» Audience characteristics: The schedules and profiles of high level people are best suited for synchronous delivery modes such as face-to-face sessions and videoconferencing, while large or distributed audiences are best reached through asynchronous delivery modes. »» Literacy (including digital literacy): Your participants should feel comfortable with the technology used for delivery in order to engage effectively in the activity. »» Language: Accommodating multiple languages can be challenging. Simultaneous inter- pretation is easier for presentations and more structured activities. Asynchronous activi- ties allow time for translation. »» Cultural background and individual learning styles: Some people prefer learning passively (for example, through presentation or demonstration) and others prefer active, experiential learning (for example, through role play, simulation, or dialogue). »» External environment: Disasters and unrests/conflicts can affect the possibility of travel, convening, or access to technology. ü ü The Challenge 56 Disaster RiskManagement Honduras is among the countries IN STEP 3 YOU DESIGNED Agency (COPECO), the THE KNOWLEDGE Ministry EXCHANGE BY most affected by climate change of Environment (MiAmbiente), selecting by üü triggered and disasters the participants natural the Ministry of Planning and events. Its high vulnerability to External Cooperation (SEPLAN), hurricanes, ü verifying üfloods, the change objective and landslides and desired outcomes. and the Honduran Association of üü organizing poses significant your delivery development Implement the team. Municipalities (AMHON). to the safety challenges and risks Knowledge üü assembling of its population. In light ofthe knowledge this, The exchange initiative. exchange group held Exchange preparatory workshops before Honduras has taken embarking on a visit to Colombia IMPROVING DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN IN STEP HONDURAS: 4 YOU WILL INCORPORATING RISK MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE STORY INTO LAND PLANNING USE the 4.1 Guide participants along their learning journey 4.2 Orchestrate engagement and build relationships important steps toward adopting in May 2014. The study tour üü Results 4.3 Systematically document a more proactive disaster risk your implementation and included lectures and Q&A track results Honduran authorities agreed management (DRM) approach. sessions and semi-structured on a Strategic Action Plan to It established a formal national peer-to-peer learning activities continue refining disaster risk DRM system (SINAGER) in with national policymakers, and management in the country. This 2009 to develop capacities for visits to national and local techno- plan included recommendations to risk reduction, preparedness, scientific agencies. Delegates met clarify institutional responsibilities, response, and recovery from with the Colombian entities that formulate guidelines and tools for disasters. However, Honduran led the development of policy resilient development planning, authorities lacked the institutional frameworks and instruments in and implement a national strategy capacity for mainstreaming land use planning for regional to enhance technical assistance disaster risk considerations into and municipal governments. to municipalities. The Action Plan development planning processes. They visited the municipalities is under implementation with Specifically, Honduras needed of Bogota and Manizales, support from the Bank-financed to find ways to better define which have implemented the Disaster Risk Management Project. institutional responsibilities and approach. A perception survey Inter-institutional coordination has enhance technical assistance to was designed and implemented been strengthened, particularly municipalities to achieve resilient during the exchange to measure between central agencies and development planning. objectives reached and results local government. Support to attained. Participants also gave municipalities is underway to help üü Solution – Who did what? semi-structured interviews and them integrate DRM considerations Honduras requested help to learn videotaped testimonies to illustrate into development planning more about how other countries how this knowledge exchange processes through technical have implemented strategies contributed to building capacities. assistance and capacity building. to integrate DRM initiatives into In the medium term, these efforts After the study tour, a workshop in will contribute to land use planning territorial planning practices at all Honduras helped to systematize that incorporates DRM aspects administrative levels. Colombia, the learning experience. Attendees more effectively, thus promoting selected as the knowledge- included officials of COPECO; the providing country, has more more resilient local development.. Ministry of Justice, Human Rights, than 15 years of experience with Government and Decentralization üü Instruments consolidated policy and planning (SDHJGD) with responsibility for Study tour, workshops. frameworks that mainstream DRM land use policies; MiAmbiente; and environmental concerns and AMHON. This participation üü Knowledge Brokers across watershed and municipal from the widely assorted relevant Enrique Pantoja, Operations boundaries. The World Bank entities facilitated detailed Adviser, The World Bank Group Group brokered the exchange discussion about lessons learned based on its long-standing in Colombia and how these might Ana Campos Garcia, Senior DRM engagement in Colombia apply to the Honduran context. Disaster Risk Management and Honduras. The Honduran delegation included participants Specialist, The World Bank Group from the Honduran Implement the Knowledge Exchange IMPLEMENT THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE IN STEP 3 YOU DESIGNED THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE BY üü Selecting the participants, üü Verifying the change objective and desired outcomes, üü Organizing your delivery team, üü Assembling the knowledge exchange initiative. IN STEP 4 YOU WILL 4.1 Guide the participants along their learning journey, 4.2 Orchestrate engagement and build relationships, 4.3 Systematically document your implementation and track results. 58 Implement the Knowledge Exchange In order to translate your design into real-world results you need to become a brilliant navigator and facilitator, shifting course as participants’ needs evolve and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. This is not an easy role to assume; you will have to take a step back and release some control. Your aim should be to provide opportunities for participants to assume leadership over their own learning journey. »» Don’t fall in love with your plan! »» Even if you began with the perfect design, expect to make some mid- course corrections. Implementation happens in the real world, not at the desk. »» Planning is key, not the plan! »» Remember that this is not about you. It is about the participants. Make decisions based on a clear understanding of their needs. STEP 4.1 GUIDE THE PARTICIPANTS ALONG THEIR LEARNING JOURNEY How can you facilitate a genuine learning experience for participants and empower them to act? As a knowledge exchange guide, your role is to help participants: »» Overcome any obstacles they might have in achieving their desired learning outcomes; »» Reflect on and internalize their learning and document their experience; »» Coalesce around action plans to achieve change. STEP 4.1A HELP PARTICIPANTS ACHIEVE THEIR LEARNING OUTCOMES It helps to recognize that participants think and react at different speeds. Some will get it right away and take off running. Some will not. Others will wait and see before making any commitments. Try and find a pace that is acceptable to all, even if it is not perfect for everyone. Discuss possible course corrections with participants whenever possible. If you need to make a change without consulting first, inform participants and other stakeholders of the decision and make sure you have majority support before proceeding too far. Focus on facilitating an experience that allows participants to: »» Plan and prepare for what they will see, learn, and do; »» Try something new; »» Internalize the significance of what they do and reflect on its application in their own contexts; »» Observe, ask questions, share thoughts, and contribute their own experiences; »» Interact with experts, other participants, and new products and approaches; »» Develop a collective understanding with other participants; »» Take action on what they learn. 59 Implement the Knowledge Exchange Check in with participants frequently to determine where they are relative to the change objective, intermediate outcomes, and indicators. You may find that you have to adjust the activities within a knowledge exchange instrument, or even the combination of instruments to ensure that goals are met. You may also have to realign resources and revise timelines. STEP 4.1B HELP PARTICIPANTS REFLECT ON AND INTERNALIZE THEIR LEARNING AND DOCUMENT THEIR EXPERIENCE During implementation, one of your key contributions is helping participants internalize their learning and document their experience. The Toolbox (last tab of this guide) provides detailed guidance on activities to achieve this. Here are a few additional tips: »» Introduce simple techniques for self-documentation early in the exchange. Provide examples, templates, and guidelines. This step is especially useful for field visits and other learning expeditions. »» Encourage participants to keep a journal (written, photo, audio, or video). A simple notebook and a pen is a great enabler. Go the extra mile and print the knowledge exchange title and date on the cover. People will use it, keep it, and refer back to it. »» Allocate reflection time at the end of each day. Ask participants to use this time to journal and share with the group. “During a study tour to Uganda and Kenya with participants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, we used hand-held videos to capture thoughts and reflections on the field visits each evening and during the journeys between sites. As a result, we collected video recordings that were very useful to understand evolving participants’ concerns, emergence of ideas, and proposals for action.” ~ Emily Rand, Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group »» Set up an online group space and ask participants to post content, questions, and thoughts from the day. Monitor it and regularly refer to it to increase participant engagement. »» Encourage participants to create a simple, visual representation of day or event highlights. Hang the results on the wall and ask participants to tour the “group gallery.” As an extra step, have them add to one another’s representations as they walk around. »» Capture group reflection on flip charts or, even better, on post-it notes that you stick to the wall. This “data wall” is a great way to collaboratively capture and sort information. It can help a team surface new insights and identify emerging patterns during implementation. »» Track contributions by developing meaningful and frequent checkpoints and refining indicators for the expected outcomes. This will help you improve activities and respond to the “real” needs of participants. Indicators are covered in detail in Step 2 (see page 15). 60 Implement the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Reflecting, internalizing, and documenting During the exchange, there were several opportunities for interaction that encouraged participants to look beyond immediate results. The first study tour focused on functional CASE EXAMPLES issues which ended up leading to discussions on broader issues such as management and sustainability with the subsequent instruments used. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Reflecting, internalizing, and documenting Participants were encouraged to take notes, photos, and videos throughout the study tour. At the end of each segment of a knowledge exchange, ask participants to reflect on what they learned and share their key takeaways or “big ideas.” Record these for your evidence base. STEP 4.1C HELP PARTICIPANTS COALESCE AROUND ACTION PLANS TO ACHIEVE CHANGE Another aim of the implementation journey is that participants will come together around action plans and feel empowered to change things. You can facilitate this group enthusiasm by: »» Having participants apply their learning early on in the exchange initiative, following up with “application check-ins” at regular intervals, and concluding with more detailed action planning. »» Asking them, during application check-ins, to identify how this experience helps them address their unique challenges. How does it apply to their context? What constraints or gaps still need to be addressed before change can happen? End-exchange action planning will be guided by participants’ desired intermediate outcomes and change objectives (which may shift during the exchange). This activity can range from drafting a simple road map of next steps for individual participants to creating a group action plan with multiple stakeholders. “On return from the study tour to Brazil, a round-table was held in India to share the learning and inferences from the visit with other functionaries in the Ministry of Urban Development and Planning commission, several of which were incorporated into the approach note on regulation of the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation (UWSS) sector. The note formed the basis for the Ministry of Urban Development to articulate its position on and support for UWSS regulation in deliberations held for the 12th Five-Year Plan in 2011. One of the study tour participants from West Bengal is also leading the thought process and reforms of the Kolkata Municipal Water and Sanitation Authority.” ~ Vandana Bhatnagar, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group 61 Implement the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Action plans for change The political leadership was engaged right from the start. For this exchange, the CASE EXAMPLE engagement of political leadership was not only instrumental in arriving on a consensus but was also useful in addressing the bureaucratic hurdles. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Action plans for change A technical expert conducted a session at the end of the study tour to help participants identify and synthesize the key takeaways that could help inform decision-making on the project design and that could also be shared with others upon their return. What participants take away from the knowledge exchange will help them change the way they (and others) do things. These change agents will contribute to better policies, products, and services for others. STEP 4.2 ORCHESTRATE ENGAGEMENT AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS How can you ensure participant needs are being met? How can participants support one another and become collaborators for change? Orchestrate engagement. As stressed in earlier steps, engaging with your participants and knowledge providers is integral to good knowledge exchange. During implementation this is especially true. Here is a checklist on how to engage for success: Orchestrating Engagement üüSolicit input early. This helps stakeholders get involved and stay involved. üüDeal with people at a personal level. üüBuild trust. The more participants are involved and the more you listen, the more they will trust you. üüEscalate and resolve doubts, and deal with entrenched and non- cooperative participants at an early stage. üüAcknowledge active participation. üüBe a model “host”; encourage similar behavior from your delivery team and even participants. üüMake sure this is a consultative process. Your participants are your best allies in making this journey successful. Publicly acknowledge the good work of knowledge providers and delivery partners. 62 Implement the Knowledge Exchange Build relationships. Delivery is about relationships — aligning people intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically. Relationships can inspire, support, inform, and facilitate the learning process and action toward the change objective. As a broker, you should look to strengthen relationships with knowledge providers as well as between knowledge seekers and providers. Most importantly, you should help participants build relationships among each other. They will gain big dividends later in terms of collaboration and ongoing learning and support. “The exchange allowed us to strengthen our personal relationships and realize we were all supporting the same goal. We started the trip as individuals with a common goal but we ended as a team, determined to reach the goal together” ~ Taibou Maiga, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, The World Bank Group Building relationships with and among participants üüBe personable. Get to know everyone, know their work, be cognizant of their primary learning objectives, and ask them to share their experiences with the group. üüBuild in ample time for participant networking, socializing, and group collaboration. These networks may endure and perhaps become the most significant driver of change in the longer term. üüEncourage participants to mingle. Ask them to work, talk, meet, eat, and play with members of the group they don’t know well, or in certain activities pair up participants from different streams of work. Mixing things up like this not only gives them a chance to learn about areas outside their immediate expertise, it also helps them build a richer set of relationships to tap into. üüRecognize commitment. Openly recognize and commend participants for taking time away from their desks, families, and lives for this exchange to grow personally and professionally. Encourage them to make the most of this special opportunity and get to know each other. Remember that building relationships is an incremental process, so you will want to be sure to systematically allocate enough time for it in your knowledge exchange. Your delivery team is now more important than ever. You can’t get bogged down in the daily planning and logistics. You will need to be paying attention to what’s happening (or not!), anticipate challenges, and steer participants to their desired destination. 63 Implement the Knowledge Exchange Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Relationship building The collaboration between officials of Peshawar (Pakistan) and Durban (South Africa) CASE EXAMPLE was cultivated during the exchange and continues several years on. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Relationship building Debriefing sessions were organized throughout the study tour so that participants had a chance to reflect on what they were learning and to consider their next steps. STEP 4.3 DOCUMENT IMPLEMENTATION AND TRACK RESULTS How can you adjust to necessary changes in direction? How can you track these changes? How can you capture real-time evidence of results? As you navigate the implementation terrain, change objectives may shift (especially in more complex situations) as will the indicators you initially identified with your participants. Unexpected results may also emerge. That is why it is critical to capture results as they happen. Doing so will help you and your participants know whether you’re on the right path or need to take another route. Find simple ways to document milestones, highlights, and lessons. Consider the following questions as you begin implementation: »» Is the effort to capture more than the value of what you can get? »» How will you use this information once you’ve collected it? »» What decisions can be made based on this information? Keep it simple! Lots will happen in the course of a single knowledge exchange. You can’t capture it all. 64 Implement the Knowledge Exchange If you systematically document and organize findings as you implement, you will: »» Dramatically reduce the time you spend in post-implementation reporting, »» Help translate new learning and experience into future planning and action, »» Facilitate future check-ins and progress tracking with participants and key stakeholders. Here are a few simple ways to gather feedback during implementation. »» Get together over dinner and drinks with the group. This is the simplest (and tastiest) way to capture participants’ impressions. It also builds relationships and trust. »» Record your own impressions, including key decisions, in a simple journal or blog. »» Ask participants to share photos and videos after each activity. Lead by example. Create a group distribution list or community page to facilitate sharing. (Refer back to Figure 3, A Quick Look at Social Media in Step 3 for more ideas.) »» Include a documented after-action review process. (See Toolbox in last tab of guide.) »» Seek regular feedback. Often the best feedback makes you rethink the plan. If possible, redesign with participants as a way of engaging them and empowering them in the process. »» When possible, use a shadow documenter to achieve objectivity. Implementation is a full-time engagement, so do not expect to keep up with your regular work. Take care of any other urgent business up front and block out your schedule well in advance. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Documenting the implementation journey The implementation journey was documented through: »» Session summaries from chairs (participants), »» Photos, »» Key points documented for follow up. CASE EXAMPLES India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Documenting the implementation journey The implementation journey was documented through: »» Individual participant notes, »» Joint report by the knowledge facilitators, »» Notes from debriefing sessions, »» Interviews with staff in the utilities, »» Expert interviews. 65 Implement the Knowledge Exchange 66 Measure & Report the Results KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE SPREADING THE WEALTH: LOCAL LEARNING STORY BROUGHT TO SCALE üü The Challenge replicate a safe water supply helped 1.67 Bangladesh has a wealth of 5.  Commit their own budget for million people. And disseminating excellent development projects, replication lessons learned for running open but many of them remain budget meetings and union Allocate resources through open 6.  information service centers isolated when they should be budget planning benefited 0.55 million people. shared and brought to scale. In order to address this, the Support peers in replicating 7.  The total number of beneficiaries Horizontal Learning Program projects of HLP good practice sharing is (HLP) fosters collective learning Collectively inform policy changes 8.  steadily increasing; in FY13, the and accountability amongst These learning initiatives projected number of beneficiaries local government institutions, recognize that expertise lies in is approximately 5 million people. enhancing local capacity to scale- experience, not in income level or “While visiting Chowgacha I up and sustain good practices. schooling. They prioritize building discovered a unique solution üü The Solution – Who Did What? on local practices and knowledge, to arsenic contamination. After and help increase networking coming back [from this knowledge In Bangladesh, the Ministry and communication across social exchange] we adapted and of Local Government, Rural and cultural divides. The HLP also replicated this approach in our Development and Cooperatives monitors and evaluates good own context. This has now spread facilitates the HLP with support practice replications, budget to the entire upazila and beyond.” from 32 Developing Partners. The commitments and the number of - Ranihati Union Parishad HLP offers a filter for policymakers people reached through Chairman, Chapai Nawabganj to view what can be replicated each exchange. Sadar Upazila at scale with local knowledge and resources. It focuses on a üü Results üü Instruments broad range of good practices From 2007 to 2012, 303 union related to good governance and Community of Practice parishads in Bangladesh allocated improved service delivery. Local 6 million dollars for the replication Workshop stakeholders decide what, how and of 17 good practices learned from when to learn through knowledge their peers. These allocations Study Tours exchange. Together they yielded amazing results. In FY12 alone, 3.6 million people benefited Multi-stakeholder Dialogue and 1. Identify their own good practices Consultations with concrete and measurable from the replication of good practices through HLP. Scaling-up üü Knowledge Brokers indicators good practices in total-sanitation Santanu Lahiri and Mark Ellery, 2. Share good practices with peers eco-friendly villages aided 1.37 Water and Sanitation Program, 3. Select what they want to learn million people. Sharing success Bangladesh, The World Bank 4.  Choose what they want to tactics for building and maintaining Measure & Report the Results MEASURE & REPORT THE RESULTS IN STEP 4 YOU IMPLEMENTED THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE BY: üü Guiding the participants along their learning journey. üü Orchestrating engagement and building relationships. üü Systematically documenting your implementation and tracking results. IN STEP 5 YOU WILL 5.1 Synthesize implementation data, 5.2 Measure effectiveness across expected and unexpected results, 5.3 Report results. 68 Measure & Report the Results In many ways your knowledge exchange journey is almost complete. üüBy anchoring the exchange you set the context and identified the players. üüYour stakeholders defined their intermediate outcomes and established indicators for determining whether they successfully achieved them. üüTogether, you and the knowledge exchange participants designed the knowledge exchange journey to achieve the intermediate outcomes. üüLastly, you used knowledge exchange instruments and activities to help participants gain experiences they needed to tackle the institutional challenges to reaching their development goal. In Step 5, it’s time to focus on what came out of the exchange—what worked and led to learning and inspiration, what did not work and why. You will share the story of your journey, prepare participants to share their stories, and think about next steps to maintain the momentum for change. Remember that this knowledge exchange may be just one leg of a much longer journey toward achieving the development goal. The importance of this segment of the journey will depend on how well you can demonstrate the exchange moved participants farther along toward the desired change. Reporting on Long-term Exchange Initiatives Large knowledge exchange efforts (i.e., those involving various instruments and spanning years such as the AfricaSan example in Step 4) require a different approach than smaller, short-term exchanges. In these cases, you need to develop a monitoring plan to examine the initiative’s direct results and influence at multiple stages. These stories take longer to develop but often have more substance. If possible, describe how one or two individual participants have benefited and applied their learning from one exchange to the next. Personal stories add depth to the numbers and analysis. STEP 5.1 SYNTHESIZE IMPLEMENTATION DATA Measuring your results starts with synthesizing your data. During implementation you documented the experiences and feedback of both knowledge seekers and providers. This information, along with your own reflections, describes what the exchange was achieving. When you begin your synthesis, this information may look like a bunch of random notes, flip charts, journal entries, videos, or photos. However, as you review and translate these records into something more useful, you will be able to see how change is progressing. Look for the direct results that arose from the knowledge exchange as well as what the exchange has influenced. 69 Measure & Report the Results Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Synthesis Because of the pace of reforms in Pakistan, synthesizing the implementation data was incorporated as part of the exchange. Each session ended with a summary provided by CASE EXAMPLE one of the delegates, who also chaired that session. In addition, a consultant/professional facilitator was present in South Africa to capture these summaries and synthesize them during action planning sessions. Another facilitator was available in Pakistan to support the reporting of the results. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Synthesis A multimedia presentation with narrated/storytelling was created by the team leader using a collection of pictures taken during the study tour. Here are steps to help you synthesize your data: 1. Write down the intermediate outcomes and associated indicators that you decided on in Step 2. 2. Collect and review any notes captured during implementation. 3. Look for patterns or connections within the data and synthesize these. For example, similar reactions from participants to a particular activity or relating to a common idea could be synthesized by a word, phrase, or participant quote. 4. Group data as contributions to intermediate outcomes. Refer to the indicators as evidence that intermediate outcomes were achieved. 5. Single out any indicators that provide a strong potential for, or evidence of, a broader effect on a change objective/institutional challenge (for example, a participant who said she would draft a new law to improve early childhood education). 6. As you synthesize and group, look for gaps in results data. For example, perhaps you don’t know what participants plan to do differently after the exchange. 7. Consider ways to fill information gaps. You may, for instance, interview the participants or ask them to share with you their post-event reports, key takeaways, or action plans. Here is a great way to organize your results and identify unexpected outcomes. Write each intermediate Then transfer your data Stand back and observe.  utcome and associated o points to sticky notes Try different configurations. indicator/s on a sticky note  of a different color You’ll most likely see and place these on a wall  (synthesize similar ideas some data points don’t fit  in a horizontal line like into one note) and your expected outcomes. headers in a table. place them where you Separate these from the rest think they best fit. and see if you can come up with an appropriate heading. In many cases you will have to supplement the data you collected during an exchange with additional information to tell the full story. 70 Measure & Report the Results STEP 5.2 MEASURE RESULTS A well-designed and implemented knowledge exchange initiative achieves many results. Some can be directly attributable to participants’ experiences with the knowledge exchange instruments and activities. Some results occur only after everyone goes home (literally or figuratively) and apply what they have learned. STEP 5.2A MEASURE ACHIEVEMENT OF INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES Showing that participants have achieved their intermediate outcomes is as simple as providing data relating to your identified indicators. Use the Template 1 below (or adapt if needed) to log evidence of expected outcomes. If you did not develop indicators earlier, do so now. Template 1. Measuring Achievement of Intermediate Outcomes Were participants expected to … To what extent was this How do you know?* achieved? Gain new knowledge? Participants are more likely to act because of changed attitude, improved Small Large understanding, or learning. Enhance skills? Participants are more capable of acting because of what they have learned or how they have Small Large applied new knowledge or skills. Improve consensus? Participants with a common interest or agenda are more likely or able to act because Small Large of new knowledge, changed attitudes, shared understanding, and improved collaboration. Enhance connectivity? Participants are more likely or able to act because of new or improved relationships, Small Large greater affinity, improved trust, and reduced isolation. Initiate new and improved actions? Participants or groups of participants modify their activity because of what Small Large was learned, practiced, or realized. * Link to the measurable indicators you established in Step 2. 71 Measure & Report the Results Table 9. Ways to Gather Information on Results Intermediate Outcomes Sample Ways to Measure Results New Knowledge üüE-mail participant survey 6 weeks after the exchange. üüInterview participants in person at the end of the exchange. üüAsk participants to give presentations on the last day of the exchange. üüUse a knowledge-based pre-test and post-test with exchange participants. üüVideo participants each day on a study tour Enhanced Skills üüReview monthly application of skills (e.g., error logs, number of reports) at 1, 2, and 3 months after the exchange. üüUse a skills-based pre-test and post-test of exchange participants. üüSurvey participants about the application of skills 9 months after the exchange. üüDirectly observe participant performance 6 months after the exchange. Improved consensus üüAttend weekly team meetings to observe collaboration. üüReview meeting minutes to determine if the group has been able to reach consensus on key issues. üüFollow-up with group members to assess progress toward change objective. üüSend email survey to team members at 3, 6, and 9 months after the exchange to self -assess effectiveness of collaborations. Enhanced connectivity üüReview documentation of group to determine if it is growing (e.g., more individuals, strategic partners, member organizations) at 3, 6, and 9 months after the exchange. üüInterview members about their experience with group (e.g., numbers of conversations with other members, trust in peers, satisfaction with peer responses) before and then again 6 months after the exchange. üüTrack data from quarterly surveys of group member activity (e.g., conversations with group members), satisfaction (e.g., useful guidance), and results (e.g., what came from Improved actions üüDocument participants’ agreement on an action plan at the end of the exchange. üüCall (or e-mail) participants 3 months after the exchange to learn if they have started new (or improved) processes within their organizations. 72 Measure & Report the Results We can rarely anticipate everything that will come out of an exchange. There will always be surprises, which you will also want to capture. These unexpected outcomes are, hopefully, positive. Yet even less-than-desirable results offer useful lessons and opportunities for future knowledge exchange initiatives. Refer to the steps you took to synthesize your data in Step 5.1. If any notes are not aligned with your expected outcomes, add these to your list of unexpected outcomes, along with any evidence of particular improvement. If you lack evidence of results at this stage, Table 9 suggests how to obtain additional input from your participants. Pakistan to South Africa exchange — Intermediate outcomes and results »» New Knowledge. Senior officials and practitioners from Pakistan gained a deeper understanding of the institutional reform process that took place in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa. Their observations of practical examples provided the basis for identifying bottlenecks and developing a road map of what was required to undertake institutional reforms in Peshawar. »» Enhanced Skills. During the second study tour, technical staff benefited from in- depth training on many aspects of the service and delivery management. »» Improved Consensus. The Pakistani delegation, impressed by the decentralized urban management in South Africa, and in particular with the institutional and governance structure of water and sanitation utilities in Johannesburg and Durban, became determined to find ways, together, to move forward with reforms. CASE EXAMPLES »» New and Improved Actions. Ongoing collaboration between Peshawar and Durban water authorities resulted in the implementation of the reform process with the leadership of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. India to Algeria and Spain exchange — Intermediate outcomes and results »» New Knowledge. Alternate models for service delivery arrangements based on public private partnership arrangements are being explored for implementation of 24/7 water supply projects within the India context. In particular this helped inform thinking among the project counterparts at the state level. »» Improved Consensus. There was improved agreement among various state/ local counterparts on the model for engagement of private sector under the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization Project. This included provisioning for a municipal company model to enable improved coordination and accountability vis-à-vis the private operator. 73 Measure & Report the Results To measure results, focus on observable or easily documented changes such as an increase in the number of team members sharing their views during meetings or in products delivered on time and within budget. It is also much more efficient if you can find information that illustrates the results of your knowledge exchange (for example, a formal agreement between two partners in a coalition) without having to collect your own data. STEP 5.2B ASSESS PROGRESS ON THE CHANGE OBJECTIVE Knowledge exchange initiatives are also designed to address an institutional challenge. Look for evidence that participants have been able to have influence on the change objective they set out for themselves. It may be that the exchange propelled participants down a different path altogether. In this case, there may be unexpected results at this level as well. Use the following template to guide your inquiry about the influence of your knowledge exchange on the change objective(s). To attribute these results to your exchange you will need to describe how it was achieved, including measuring the effectiveness of what happened. Template 2: Assessing Progress Toward Change Objectives** Which category(ies) of change objectives Was it How do you know?** did you expect the knowledge exchange influenced? to influence? Weak environment for change characterized Yes by weak stakeholder ownership, lack of consensus on a development approach, No or failure to conceptualize or consider a better approach. Somewhat Inefficient policy instruments characterized Yes by weak administrative rules, laws, regulations, standards, and other formal incentives that No the sector uses to guide actions toward a development goal. Somewhat Ineffective organizational arrangements Yes characterized by inadequate systems, financing, staffing, incentives, and other No resources that institutions use to achieve a development goal. Somewhat Strong intermediate outcomes can often indicate success or progress toward a **  change objective. 74 Measure & Report the Results Systematically look for unexpected results. If you do not purposefully look for them, they will not likely surface. If possible, follow up with participants six to nine months after the exchange. Using social media, online survey tools, or interviews can further your understanding of what else the exchange may have influenced. Sample Post-Exchange Participant (or Client) Checklist üüWho has been able to apply what they learned? üüWhat have they been able to achieve? üüWhere have they been able to bring about change? üüWhen were they able to do it? üüWhy are the changes important (i.e., to the change objective and/or development goal)? üüHow did the knowledge exchange enable these results? It generally takes a fair amount of time for institution-level changes to happen. When they do, multiple variables are usually involved, not just a knowledge exchange initiative. This makes attribution tenuous; still, reviewing for connections with your knowledge exchange is an important step. It will help you determine whether a knowledge exchange initiative is the right strategy or whether a different approach may be needed. Quantitative techniques, with their various analytical tools, may be limited for examining complex systems. To design a good survey, for example, you must already know what you are looking for and how that information may manifest in the particular context. Qualitative research, on the other hand, can help you build rich portraits of a people or place, and map relationships among people, places, cultures, and institutions.*** ***Based on Design Research for Media Development, published by Internews and available for free online at http://www.internews.org/ 75 Measure & Report the Results Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Direct results and influence achieved in Pakistan Knowledge Direct results Influenced results exchange (Intermediate outcomes) (i.e., influences on instruments institutional challenges) Pakistani senior officials and practitioners came together to discuss and reach agreement on strategy development for MULTI- implementing institutional reforms. STAKEHOLDER DIALOG AND CONSULTATION This resulted in solidifying the plan for moving forward in relation to enhancing their knowledge as to how other countries implemented such reforms. The Pakistani delegation was impressed In December 2013, Water and and deeply motivated by South Africa’s Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) decentralized urban management of was incorporated as Pakistan’s first STUDY TOUR water and sanitation. This improved corporately governed and autonomous consensus in finding ways to move citywide urban utility with its own Board forward strategically to implement of Directors. institutional reforms. In September 2014, the services delivery CASE EXAMPLE A government-appointed committee mandate was transferred to WSSP along worked on carrying out analytical with staff and assets through a Services and diagnostic studies for water and and Asset Management Agreement sanitation improvement and proposed (SAMA). three institutional and governance options to the Chief Minister: Informal twinning arrangements resulted from the initial exchange between »» Establish a water and sanitation Durban and Peshawar. agency/authority. »» Establish new citywide utility. »» Establish an autonomous, ring-fenced company carved out from the existing seven institutions through “functional amalgamation.” After visiting South Africa, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa requested technical assistance from the World EXPERT VISIT Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program in carrying out institutional and service delivery assessment of the water sector in Peshawar city to improve services. The assistance also included having the former Managing Director of Johannesburg Water and Durban Water visit Peshawar in 2012 and 2015 to share, support, and guide the reform process with the leadership of the provincial government. 76 Measure & Report the Results India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Direct results and influence achieved in India Knowledge Direct results Influenced results exchange (Intermediate outcomes) (i.e., influences on instrument(s) institutional challenges) Participants gained a better understanding of the different STUDY TOUR models as well as how public and private engagement works. It became apparent to the Indian CASE EXAMPLE delegation how a municipal company can be helpful in enabling alternate structures of public-private partnerships (PPP). Increasing awareness of models Ongoing discussion and knowledge through sharing of the results from sharing about PPP models that WORKSHOPS the study tour. Results at national would be applicable in the Indian level focused on innovation and context. policy. Results at state level focused on the regulatory processes and the role of the public counterpart. At the city level results focused on the technical steps needed to move forward. STEP 5.2C ASSESS DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION Now that you have measured results, take time to reflect on the factors that contributed to the successes (or failures) of the exchange. Demonstrating the quality of the design and implementation is a necessary — though not the only — factor in even indirectly attributing results to the exchange. The following questions related to each step will help you uncover what made your exchange successful (or not). Step 1 Anchor »» Was the exchange focused on a high priority issue for key stakeholders? »» Was the exchange initiated and completed in a desirable timeframe for building capacity? Step 2 Define »» Were the right people and institutions (providers, seekers, broker) involved? »» Was the exchange prepared by both the knowledge provider and seekers? 77 Measure & Report the Results Step 3 Design »» Was there a clear alignment between the development goal, change objective, intermediate outcomes, and selected instruments and activities? »» Was there enough time and adequate resources (human, financial, technological, etc.)? Step 4 Implement »» Did the exchange have adequate attendance and participation? »» Were you and participants able to adapt to changing circumstances as necessary? Knowing what did not work and why is another form of success! Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Design and implementation changes In order to enable participants to fully benefit from the multiple opportunities for engaging with the knowledge providers and to appropriately apply lessons learned, the design and implementation of the exchange were accordingly adjusted. India, Algeria, and Spain exchange — Design and implementation changes The exchange was grounded within the existing Bank-funded Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization Project. Consequently, some working relationships were already in place when the exchange was approved and the knowledge providers and the participants CASE EXAMPLE from India were selected. The participants included senior officers from the Ministry of Urban Development and Planning Commission, officers from the Department of Economic Affairs, and representatives from the Government of Karnataka who were already involved in the scale-up of the pilot 24/7 project in three cities (Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad, and Gulbarga). One of the major challenges was arranging logistics for on-the-ground support in Algeria and Spain. Without a local World Bank presence in these countries, the project team relied heavily on logistical and coordination support from the local delivery partners. And although the planning took longer, the direct involvement of the local delivery partners helped to build stronger ownership from the knowledge providers with whom they already had strong ties. Overall, the knowledge exchange was successful both in terms of logistical support and in relation to the intermediate outcomes sought (gaining new knowledge and improving consensus). The participation of the project’s joint team leaders in the study tour was invaluable in facilitating dialogue with senior government officials on key takeaways and drawing relevant inferences for project design. 78 Measure & Report the Results Results from Other Knowledge Exchanges Knowledge Direct Results (i.e., Influenced Results Exchange intermediate outcomes) (i.e., influences on Instrument institutional challenges) An effective knowledge Increased advocacy sharing network created for policies that offer that supports training and small-scale rural farmers COMMUNITY OF research related to policy government-backed PRACTICE implications of climate financing to address the change on small-scale impacts of climate change rural farming. on their yields. Program staff at the Increased the number of Ministry of Health programs administered learned and used new by the Ministry of WORKSHOPS project management Health that achieved techniques to improve annual budgetary and the effectiveness of their performance objectives. programs. Roles and responsibilities Strengthened clearly defined among stakeholder ownership in the different government implementing an effective MULTI-STAKEHOLDER agencies involved in the e-government strategy. DIALOG AND CONSULTATION maintenance of a new e-government portal. Immediately after the exchange üüHave you asked participants what tools would help them put their new knowledge into action? üüIf it would help for participants to stay connected, is there a simple way to arrange that such as setting up a listserv, providing a list with contact information, or creating a Facebook or LinkedIn group)? Following Up 3, 6, or 9 Months after the exchange üüHave you sent periodic reminders and tools for sharing what participants learned such as a one-page summary of key results to date, or PowerPoint slides that they can include in a presentation to colleagues)? üüHave you reminded participants to notify you when they see changes that have been influenced by your exchange? üüDo the initial results achieved by some participants offer ideas on how to expand those results to others? üüHave participants reported back to you when they have presented what they learned to others in their organization or elsewhere? 79 Measure & Report the Results STEP 5.3 REPORT RESULTS Now it is time to pull everything together. The approach and format, which you use for reporting results, depends on the audience that you are trying to reach as well as your goal(s). Identify the audience. Typical audiences include management, exchange sponsors, exchange participants, decision-makers (parliamentarians and policy-makers), civil society groups, and others interested in learning more about knowledge exchanges. Define goals. What do you want to communicate to your target group(s)? Your aim might be to raise awareness of the outcomes achieved, influence behavior of mid-level management, advocate for reform among policy-makers, or inform sponsors about next steps. Your communication goals will shape what, how, and when you connect with each target audience. Develop a plan. Results can be conveyed in many different ways. The right plan depends on your audience and goals. Determine what each audience would need to know in order to meet the goals for that group and how often they should be updated. You should then decide on the minimal information needed to meet those requirements. To raise awareness of civil society groups, for example, you might decide to share results on a few key progress indicators three months after the exchange; whereas to influence the behavior of policy-makers, you may choose to report on the whole exchange, including the participants, instruments, results, lessons learned, etc., at both six months and one year after the exchange. Pick a reporting format. For your audiences, determine what reporting format(s) will most effectively achieve your goals (see Table 10.) Disseminate the results. You now have all the pieces for reporting on the results of your knowledge exchange. In most situations, however, sharing (or disseminating) the results requires more than just announcing that the results are available. You will often have to promote your results to garner people’s attention. You may, for example, want to present the results at professional conferences or as brown-bag lunch events for colleagues. E-mailing influential stakeholders such as bloggers, funding agencies, or leading academics can also help spread word about the information available. Share your experiences. Sharing your own experiences will give you insights into your next knowledge exchange journey as well as add to the collective understanding of what works and what doesn’t in knowledge exchange. Share your results, for example, in a brief video or a blog post. You can post at South-South Opportunity (www.southsouth.info), the Knowledge Management for Development community (www.km4dev.org), the Knowledge Hubs Community of Practice (www.knowledgehubs.org), or email to your colleagues and also share your results with the team that prepared this guide at http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/. 80 Measure & Report the Results When it comes to communicating results to most audiences, less is more. Pakistan and South Africa exchange — Reporting results Participants prepared a report of the results of the overall exchange and disseminated it within their provincial governments. Key lessons learned by Pakistani participants: üüA happy customer is a paying customer. Viable and sustainable service provision rests on good revenue collection, and good payment levels depend on delivery of good quality services that meet citizens’ needs. CASE EXAMPLES üüPrivatization of water services is not a precondition for success. Public sector utilities achieve high-level performance by contracting out selected aspects of service provision as appropriate. Outsourcing can also be used to gain cost efficiencies or quality — the work can be done better or more cost-effectively by a contractor. üüCrises and conflict situations provide opportunity; it’s how you avail and maximize the opportunity. India to Algeria and Spain exchange — Reporting results The results from the exchange were shared with key stakeholders (internal unit and management) via email. In addition, a report of the results, including all technical presentations as well as documents and other materials, were shared with the government agencies that participated in the exchange. 81 Measure & Report the Results Table 10. Sample Formats for Reporting Results Type Use when you want to… Summary report Convey key results to audiences who only require limited information and have limited time. Final report Inform audiences who want to understand the exchange process and get detailed results (for example, others that might undertake similar exchanges, funding organizations, academics). Results story Communicate to a broad audience, including those less familiar with the topic area. Other short written formats such as Convey key information on the exchange process and results to synopses, memos, audiences who only require an overview, especially useful when press releases reporting on results during implementation. Presentation, briefing, or webinar Have two-way communications with audiences who require brief summaries of results and are oriented toward decisive action (for example, executives, management staff) or when you want to customize information for several different audiences. Periodic informal Update those involved with the exchange, especially meetings, Facebook stakeholders such as internal audiences or partners to build update, or blog rapport around the goal and foster on-going relationships. postings Internet-based resources: Web Communicate to the general public and other audiences page, e-mail blog, quickly and at relatively low cost. Can allow audiences to Facebook page customize content so they get only the results they want. This method should generally be used in combination with others to accommodate audience biases due to differing patterns of technology use. 82 Measure & Report the Results END ONE JOURNEY, BEGIN THE NEXT Now that you have reached the end of the knowledge exchange journey, it is time to take stock of what you learned as a broker. You can then use this knowledge to scale-up the experience or to inform the design of future exchanges. Applying lessons to future decisions and actions is an important component of the journey. This is also a good moment for a team debrief and lessons sharing through an after-action review (in Toolbox, page 163). After designing, implementing, and reporting on a knowledge exchange initiative, take a moment to reflect — on your own and with your team — on what went well, what did not work, and what could be done differently next time. Review your assessment of the design and implementation from Section 5.2C and consider the following: Step 1 Anchor »» Were you able to work closely with counterparts and stakeholders to anchor the exchange? »» Did you set (and communicate) realistic expectations for the knowledge exchange? Step 2 Define »» Did stakeholders agree on practical results that participants could actually achieve during or after the exchange? Step 3 Design and Develop »» Were the right people part of the design and delivery team? Could you improve how the design process was managed? Step 4 Implement »» What should you have been watching for more closely? Did you wait too long or act too quickly? Step 5 Measure and Report Results »» Does the data adequately illustrate what the exchange achieved? 83 KE STORY ( placeholder) Measure & Report the Results KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE LEARNERS BECOME TEACHERS: MULTIPLYING STORY THE IMPACT OF BREAKTHROUGHS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE üü The Challenge September 2009, linking Kenya SRI in several regions. Over the In 2008 and 2009, Kenya suffered with India, where SRI practices years, three more knowledge severe droughts leading to were already seeing success exchanges were organized by water and food shortages. The at scale; with Rwanda, where WBI to track SRI results, provide government was looking for ways farmers in International Fund for timely knowledge, and facilitate to address these problems. Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects have achieved tangible peer support for practitioners üü The Solution – Who Did What? results; and with Madagascar, and researchers. As a follow-up In 2008, the World Bank Institute where SRI was first developed. to the knowledge exchange (WBI) produced a learning toolkit, For many participants, especially over the GDLN, WBI facilitated based on experience in Asia, on farmers, it was the first time they SRI expert visits from India and a new method of rice cultivation, ever met their peers from another Japan to Kenya, to give hands-on called System of Rice Intensification continent. Some claimed it “an field training. The WBI and IFAD (SRI). This set of innovative rice eye opening event,” and “such also organized a study tour for growing practices required less an encouragement,” boosting Kenyans to visit India. As a result, water and fewer seeds, and yet their morale. the number of SRI farmers in brought higher yields. It is a That year, two farmers in Mwea, Kenya increased steadily into good example of climate-smart Kenya’s most important rice agriculture that can build farmers’ the thousands. growing region, obtained the WBI resilience to climate change. learning toolkit and became the üü Results In 2009, at the request of the first farmers in Kenya to try SRI Witnessing solid farmer field World Bank Nairobi Office and techniques. “I got eleven bags of results from SRI for two to three local researchers, the WBI team paddy from my quarter-acre trial, seasons, the Kenyan national designed and organized a series of compared to the usual eight bags irrigation board organized South-South knowledge exchange for that plot. But what’s amazing national workshops and farmer initiatives on SRI. These initiatives was that each bag weighed 95kg field days to share experiences; included video-conference based for the SRI paddy but only 80kg for the conventional method. In universities allocated funds to multi-stakeholder dialogues, peer support PhD students to research consultations, and discussions the following year, I converted all my two acres to practice the SRI SRI; the private sector made organized through the Global Development and Learning method,” said Moses Kareithi, local weeders for farmers as Network (GDLN), as well as expert pioneer SRI farmer, Kenya. demand rose; innovative farmers visits and national workshops. Encouraged by the initial developed new tools to adapt the The first knowledge exchange results, Kenya researchers and practices to their local soil and was launched through GDLN in government decided to scale up climate conditions, and some even started biochar and learn from Kenya’s SRI application. »» Keep the knowledge practical, organic composting in SRI fields. The World Bank team responded aided by visual learning tools. The government engaged Jomo quickly organizing a knowledge The goal is that within a short Kenyatta University of Agriculture exchange in October 2012 that time, participants can observe and allocated funds to facilitate connected Malawi with Kenya the results and impact. This farmer-to-farmer learning and over the GDLN. This time Kenyan will encourage up-scaling. cross-region learning. farmers and researchers became »» Go beyond just spreading proud knowledge providers, By 2012, over 3,000 farmers were knowledge, to create new sharing their first-hand experience “teachers” to increase adopting SRI methods in Mwea with about 50 Malawians. This alone, and more farmers followed learning impact. knowledge exchange also in three other regions. Over the engaged practitioners from India, üü Instruments years, the farmers who adopted who were happy to see Kenya’s Multi-stakeholder Dialogue and SRI have reported consistent progress and the new interest Consultation increases in yields, more crop from Malawi. Recently, Norway resilience during droughts, and Expert Visit has launched a new program to reduction in farm input, such support scaling up SRI in Malawi Workshop as labor, seeds, and water. and other Africa countries. Farmers noted less conflict over Study Tour water during water shortages üü Lessons Learned üü Knowledge Broker due to much lower demand for »» Identify/target the right group Mei Xie, Senior Water Resources water under SRI. Pumping was of stakeholders for a sustained Specialist, The World Bank subsequently reduced, saving period of time, for the Institute energy and minimizing carbon knowledge to take root. emissions, both from fuel and from »» Ensure that the change agents paddy fields. include a critical mass of multi- Hearing about this success, the stakeholders. This helps build Malawi Ministry of Agriculture in local ownership of the new 2012 asked the Bank to help it knowledge and a community of practice. 85 Glossary »» Change agent. An individual who has a stake in the issue and who can and will initiate the actions needed to achieve the change objective. »» Change objective. The change needed for participants to address the institutional challenges. »» Counterpart. The individuals or groups with whom you engage in relation to a project or program and/or whom you identify as your clients. Counterparts often request the support of the broker to facilitate a knowledge exchange and are consulted at the earliest stages of planning and design. Counterparts can refer to knowledge seekers or providers, depend- ing on who you work with. Some counterparts may be involved as actual participants. »» Development goal. The result or achievement that would address a problem of ultimate concern to your stakeholders. »» Indicators. Evidence of the achievement of intended intermediate outcomes from your knowledge exchange that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (otherwise known as SMART indicators). »» Institutional challenges. Problems in three areas that limit the realization of the develop- ment goal. These include the environment for change, policies for change and organiza- tional arrangements for change. »» Intermediate outcomes. New knowledge, enhanced skill, improved consensus, increased connectivity, and new and improved actions; these are results at the individual and group levels and are stepping stones towards the change objective. »» Knowledge exchange broker. An intermediary organization or person that facilitates the exchange of knowledge through the creation of linkages between knowledge seekers and providers. »» Knowledge provider. A knowledge provider is someone who has a proven solution or development experience to share. »» Knowledge seeker. A knowledge seeker is an individual or institution who would like to explore solutions to a challenge. »» Participant. A participant is an individual who is taking part in the knowledge exchange initiative. Participants may be knowledge providers or seekers. »» Stakeholder. A stakeholder is an individual and/or institution that has a stake in the success of a knowledge exchange initiative. 86 THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX 87 ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX 88 THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX 89 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 90 SECTION I. INSTRUMENTS 91 SECTION II. ACTIVITIES 139 1. Short-term Engagement 1. Presentation 1.1 Conference 93 1.1 Demonstration 141 1.2 Expert Visit 97 1.2 Expert Panel 142 1.3 Knowledge Fair 101 1.3 Lightning Talks 143 1.4 Study Tour 105 1.4 Poster Session 144 1.5 Workshop 110 1.5 Report 145 2. Medium-term Engagement 1.6 Storytelling 146 2.1 Competition/Challenge 115 2. Discussion 2.2 Knowledge Jam 119 2.1 Anecdote Circle 148 2.3 Multi-stakeholder Dialogue/ 2.2 Brainstorming 149 Consultation 123 2.3 Buzz Session 146 3. Long-term Engagement 2.4 E-Discussion 147 3.1 Community of Practice 129 2.5 Knowledge Café 148 3.2 Twinning 133 2.6 Peer Assist 149 3. Experimental 3.1 Action Planning 155 3.2 Book Sprint 156 3.3 Field Visit 157 3.4 Fishbowl 158 3.5 Role Play 159 3.6 Secondment 160 3.7 Simulation 161 4. Analytical 4.1 After-action Review 163 4.2 Focus Group 164 4.3 Interview 165 4.4 Self-assessment 166 4.5 Survey 167 4.6 SWOT Analysis 168 90 THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX INTRODUCTION Every knowledge exchange initiative is a blend of instruments, activities, and delivery modes. This toolbox is your resource to plan for and select an appropriate mix to help participants realize their desired intermediate outcomes. It includes brief descriptions, practical how-tos, and case examples for a range of instruments and activities introduced in step 3 of this guide. The toolbox has two sections: Section 1: Instruments provide a detailed description of each instrument (vehicles for knowledge exchange), when and how to use it, and case examples. Section 2: Activities provide detailed description of each activity (building blocks of instruments) when and how to use it, and case examples. 91 INSTRUMENTS The role of instruments can vary; some instruments require shorter term and more intense individual engagement while others require a longer term and less intense degree of individual engagement. SHORT-TERM ENGAGEMENT MEDIUM-TERM ENGAGEMENT LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT 92 THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLBOX INSTRUMENTS SHORT-TERM ENGAGEMENT 93 WHAT IS A CONFERENCE? A formal event in which a large number of participants come together to share knowledge and experiences on a specific topic/theme. BEST USED FOR »» gaining new knowledge. »» outreach to a large number of participants, especially when targeting high-level audiences ›› as single or multi-day events. ›› with multiple thematic tracks / immersion in select topics. ›› with parallel workshops and knowledge fairs dealing with the same topic or theme. »» networking, building partnerships, and strengthening communities. »» in-depth knowledge exchange activities designed to support knowledge transfer. »» giving a topic high visibility or launching global initiatives. »» communicating program impact or changes in strategy. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 94 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 6+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare a concept note »» Determine budget and sources of funding »» Decide on target audience »» Identify implementation team »» Select event location (country, city) »» Identify possible partners »» Visit event location to identify possible venues or seek help from local partners »» Create project database and conference action plan 3+ MONTHS before event: »» Select hotel/conference venue »» Contract all vendors, including hotel/venue, local event manager, catering, transportation, and interpretation (if needed) »» Contract speakers and resource persons (TORs) »» Send out invitation and registration materials »» Make travel arrangements and prepare per diem for sponsored participants and speakers »» Monitor progress on logistics »» Create conference handbook for participants/speakers, including agenda, resources, bios, hotel information, and travel information 1 MONTH before event: »» Follow up and confirm all logistics (hotel, travel, transport, per diems, catering, conference room/s, media, technology) »» Ensure all participants have proper documentation to travel DELIVERY PHASE »» Coordinate with local event manager on all logistics, including hotel, participants, catering, transportation, technical support, etc. »» Disburse per diem as needed »» Monitor participants’ attendance »» Debrief daily with implementation team and prepare for next day FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Gather all invoices and cross-check with receipts »» Close out finances and create a statement of expenditures »» Conduct evaluation »» Create a final report, including lessons learned and follow-up actions 95 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR CONFERENCE Brainstorming and action planning meeting to agree on key change objectives PLANNING e-Discussion to identify participants, key speakers, and partners and to decide on implementation team Expert panel to discuss trends and challenges, followed by a Q & A session DELIVERY Buzz session on the challenges presented by experts Report on key findings and proposed possible solutions Field visit organized on second day to get firsthand experience Poster session organized on last day to present main takeaways of field visit and other key findings Survey distributed to assess impact and usefulness of conference FOLLOW-UP Action planning to prioritize key findings and follow-up actions CASE EXAMPLE — CONFERENCES CAN HAVE MORE IMPACT WITH FIELD VISITS Reclamation projects in China’s Loess Plateau provide a powerful example of how environmental conservation can be integrated with poverty reduction and sustainable agriculture. To learn from the Loess Plateau experience, 24 watershed officials from ten African countries attended a two-day conference in Beijing, and visited reforestation and watershed programs in Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces. The delegates learned about ecosystem rehabilitation, the Community Driven Development approaches to watershed/soil management, and ways to design, finance, and monitor watershed projects. The knowledge and skills they gained helped improve the confidence and motivation of African delegates to implement successful water and soil conservation efforts. “The challenge is to bring all the concerned parties together to have one integrated watershed management approach,” said John Philip Olum, CEO of the National Water Resources Authority in Kenya. “I now see that multi-sector collaboration is possible, because I have seen it [in China].” Tanzania has since applied new knowledge to improve irrigation practices, Ghana to help implement new watershed programs, and Malawi to incorporate local knowledge into an integrated watershed management project. Source: The World Bank, Improving Water and Soil Conservation in Africa to Enhance Sustainable Agriculture and Poverty Reduction Efforts, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/result-story/2123 96 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Remember that conferences require in-depth planning and early engagement with partners. »» During the planning stage, decide on the activities you want to capture in their entirety and the ones for which you only want to record key messages. »» Consider having a welcome team greet participants at the airport, hotel, and conference venue. »» Don’t over-schedule participants! Allow for sufficient breaks during sessions for participants to network. A lot can happen over coffee! Delivery »» Run a few sessions such as a knowledge café or a world café, which require groups to share their knowledge while working on a common theme. »» Capture participant experience and feedback via brief video interviews. Consider Social Media »» Tweeting or microblogging tools, such as Twitter: Attendees frequently use these to report out conference activities, network, and engage with participants beyond the conference. »» Photo sharing tools, such as Flickr or Instagram, are a great way to crowdsource conference photos by using a designated hash tag. Build buzz by occasionally sending a sneak peek of the conference preparations — the planning team in action, samples of food to be offered, etc. A hash tag can link the photos by theme. »» Social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Google+, and Facebook can facilitate conference registration and engagement with the participants. These sites have tools to promote the event and manage event entry on-site as well as extend networking opportunities beyond the conference. 97 WHAT IS AN EXPERT VISIT? Sending a practitioner or technical specialist from a knowledge provider country/region/organization to a knowledge seeker country/region/organization to assess current circumstances and/ or provide guidance on a specific challenge. BEST USED FOR »» enhancing skills and developing a new proficiency. »» gaining an in-depth diagnosis of a development challenge and recommendations for adapting a good practice or solution to the local context ›› over the span of several days or as a series over the span of months, as needed. ›› with small groups of participants. ›› with expert-to-expert interaction. ›› at the institutional level. »» getting hands-on guidance and coaching or mentoring through various stages of implementation. »» times when travel to the knowledge supplying country is not possible (for whatever reason). KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 98 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 3+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note »» Identify experts: ›› prepare TORs ›› start contract process ›› prepare briefing package with all relevant material including cultural, social and political landscape of recipient country »» Decide on type of interaction (face-to-face, virtual, or both) »» Identify logistical needs and relevant vendors 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Contract vendors, resources needed for documenting visit (photographer, equipment, etc.), and interpreters if needed »» Organize pre-visit session with all concerned parties (through video-conference or conference call) »» Follow up and confirm all logistical arrangements (visas, hotel, flights, etc.) 1+ MONTH before event: »» Design post-visit evaluation and monitoring »» Provide briefing package and knowledge materials to experts DELIVERY PHASE »» Start with local participants/expert hosts sharing their challenges and expectations from the visit »» Capture content through video, blogs, note taking, etc. »» Organize daily check-ins and briefings to stay on track with objectives FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Document process and lessons learned »» Evaluate each partner (vendors) »» Organize follow-up activities (face-to-face or via video-conference) »» Consider return expert visit or study tour »» Close out finances 99 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR EXPERT VISIT Brainstorming through video-conference to meet and agree on the scope of the mission PLANNING e-Discussion to prepare concept notes Expert panel, face-to-face, and webcast with visiting experts, government officials, implementing agencies, civil and private DELIVERY sector representatives to understand multiple perspectives on the topic Demonstration, face-to-face, with visiting experts and implementing agencies to share how similar solutions have worked in another context Focus group, face-to-face with different stakeholder groups for experts to understand views of wider stakeholder groups or communities on local challenges as well as on solutions being proposed Fishbowl, face-to-face with experts and wider stakeholder group to support multiple perspectives and as an alternative to debate on difficult topics Action planning session, face-to-face and online, to develop a road map of next steps FOLLOW-UP CASE EXAMPLE — EXPERT VISITS TRANSFER SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY Nepal learned quickly from Pakistani experts and avoided a financial crisis. By 2009 financial experts could see that banks in Nepal were dangerously overexposed to inflated real estate and equity markets. Nepal’s Central Bank needed assistance to evaluate the country’s commercial banks and assess the damages that could result from economic shocks. Models used in developed economies for evaluating banks were unsuited to the circumstances of a small developing country and an international search for help would take too long and be too public. Nepal needed help quickly and quietly. Experts from the State Bank of Pakistan were brought in to demonstrate a simple model for evaluating and stress testing bank exposure. The skills gained through the exchange helped Nepal’s Central Bank to quantify the level of risk to which its commercial banks were exposed, pass regulations to maintain financial stability, and helped the Government of Nepal establish contingency plans in the case of a bank failure. All this in just six weeks! Source: The World Bank, Using Stress-Testing to Enhance Bank Regulatory Capacity and Maintain Financial Stability in Nepal, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/result-story/1720Planning 100 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Choose experts with a strong background in the area of development challenge being addressed. »» Set clear goals and expectations. Make sure you know what you want to get out of an expert visit. If you have not thought through how to involve participants, the exchange can end up being just a series of presentations. Delivery »» Conduct an in-depth diagnosis and analysis through problem solving. »» When possible, include field visits and interaction with wider stakeholder groups for the experts. Consider Social Media »» Tweeting or microblogging using tools such as Twitter allows you to broadcast interesting findings or reports from the expert visit and engage a wider stakeholder group. »» Blogs available through Google+, WordPress, and other sites can be used to document expert visit progress, gather feedback, and build a community around the topic. 101 WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE FAIR? A face-to-face knowledge sharing event designed to showcase participants’ experiences, achievements, and innovations and market new programs to donors and potential partners. BEST USED FOR »» forging networks and partnerships ›› at a global, country, community, or institutional level. ›› as a single-day or multi-day event. ›› for a large number of attendees. ›› in multiple modes (face-to-face and/or virtual). »» raising awareness. »» sharing innovations and/or identifying good practices. »» getting visibility for team efforts on a particular project or topic. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 102 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 12+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare a concept note »» Prepare call for proposals »» Send out call for proposals »» Create communication, promotion, or public relations strategies »» Develop visual identity and graphic design of the fair »» Identify venue »» Invite target groups to prepare booths and provide guidelines 6+ MONTHS before event: »» Evaluate proposals »» Prepare press releases and news items »» Use social media to encourage discussion and report about the event »» Create or update website »» Analyze proposals to design and facilitate sessions »» Reserve or loan facilities, meeting rooms, IT devices, and catering »» Recruit and instruct an audiovisual support team managing amplification, video, demos, music, IT requests 3+ MONTHS before event: »» Draft agenda and program »» Hire and prepare facilitators »» Prepare stationery and promotional materials »» Support participants with travel and accommodation arrangements »» Finalize list of participants »» Finalize structure of sessions applying appropriate methods and tools »» Meet with participants to clarify session objectives DELIVERY PHASE »» Ensure booths are set up »» Open the fair by welcoming participants and introducing each booth »» Ensure the fair is properly documented with video and/or photographs »» Interview participants FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Conduct evaluation »» Update the fair site with videos, photos, stories »» Disseminate highlights »» Send thank you notes 103 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE FAIR Discussion, face-to-face or virtual, among organizers to agree PLANNING on scope of knowledge fair Knowledge café to enable creative sharing of ideas around DELIVERY common interests among those in attendance Peer assist to draw lessons from practitioners’ experience Poster session to enable informal knowledge sharing Anecdote circle to enable knowledge sharing and reflection in smaller groups After-action review session with leader of each booth to draw on lessons learned FOLLOW-UP CASE EXAMPLE — A KNOWLEDGE FAIR CAN HELP GIVE VISIBILITY TO BEST PRACTICES The Regional Caribbean Initiative on Keeping Boys Out of Risk was showcased in a knowledge fair at the World Bank’s Annual Meetings in 2010. The objective was to provide an opportunity to share innovative ideas, experiences, and best practices that target at-risk youth. The Fair highlighted and promoted successful replicable activities that prevent youth from engaging in risky behavior. It also showcased the finalists of the Caribbean Contest, Keeping Boys Out of Risk, who shared their activities for keeping at-risk youth engaged. Source: The World Bank, Regional Caribbean Initiative on Keeping Boys Out of Risk, http://go.worldbank.org/Z6LCE8JI0 104 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Start with a clear idea of who the knowledge suppliers and knowledge recipients will be. »» Consider combining knowledge fairs with conferences and as a follow up to competition/challenges to showcase winning projects. »» Make sure you have a communication or marketing plan in place for widely publicizing the fair. »» Select a venue that allows for a lot of foot traffic. »» Plan to have technicians on hand in case things break down. Delivery »» For overall cohesiveness, use a common structural look for the displays; however, let individual vendors decide what will be part of their own display. »» Encourage innovative presentations and poster sessions. »» Capture what happens during the knowledge fair with photos, videos, interviews, etc. Consider Social Media »» Tweeting or microblogging tools such as Twitter can be an effective way to engage your audience on the topic of your knowledge fair by sharing photos and stimulating real-time conversations. »» Networking tools such as Facebook and Google+ can help you market your knowledge fair and generate buzz before the event. Share the schedule and photos to engage your champions and prompt conversations. 105 WHAT IS A STUDY TOUR? A visit or series of visits to one or more countries or sites by an individual or group with a specific learning goal in mind; participants experience firsthand how something was or is being implemented. BEST USED FOR »» gaining new knowledge. »» raising awareness of what is possible ›› with a designated coordinator for the host and the visitors. ›› with no more than 25 participants; ideally less than 20 participants. ›› as single or multi-country/area tours. ›› over the span of several days or even weeks. »» seeing and learning different ways of doing things. »» forging networks and partnerships with people working in similar areas. »» developing shared understanding and motivation for collaborative action among different stakeholder groups. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 106 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE DELIVERY PHASE 4+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note with dedicated »» Coordinate with local event manager budget on all logistics, including hotel, »» Confirm participants participants, catering, transportation, »» Get formal agreement with host technical support, etc. countries or knowledge providers »» Disburse per diem as needed »» Identify implementation team »» Monitor participants’ attendance »» Develop tentative agenda to help plan »» Debrief daily with implementation for logistics team and prepare for next day »» Prepare TORs for facilitator »» Start coordination of logistics: security clearance, medical requirements FOLLOW-UP PHASE (vaccination, etc.) flights, visas, hotel, local transportation; translator if »» Document process and lessons learned needed and share with participants »» Contract vendors »» Conduct complete assessment of exchange 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Evaluate each partner (vendor) »» Process participants’ expenses »» Share draft agenda with host country/ »» Close out finances knowledge provider »» Ask host to provide background materials »» Decide how to document study tour and contract resources (photographer, cameraman, journalist) »» Secure per diems »» Check for dietary restrictions and medical insurance »» Consult with participants on draft agenda and desired field visits »» Finalize participants list 1+ MONTHS before event: »» Create study tour handbook (including agenda, resources, participant and speaker details, surveys, health information, hotel location and country protocol) »» Confirm all logistics are in place (visas, hotels, flights, etc.) »» Share study tour handbook with participants 107 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR STUDY TOUR Action planning with participants and host/s to prepare a road map for the study tour PLANNING Discussions, face-to-face or virtually with key partners and participants both in provider and recipient countries to discuss agenda and scope of study tour Presentations from both provider and recipient countries to share experiences DELIVERY Field visits to see firsthand what is possible and interact with project implementers and beneficiaries Peer assist sessions to gain input on specific challenges from peers and practitioners from knowledge provider country Interviews with key decision-makers, practitioners, and project beneficiaries and to record feedback from participants Poster sessions to share findings and lessons learned with a larger stakeholder group FOLLOW-UP Surveys and interviews to gain feedback from participants Action planning sessions to define how to adapt findings in own context CASE EXAMPLE — A STUDY TOUR CAN HELP BUILD NEW PARTNERSHIPS The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh recognized the need to better prepare its officials with skills required in designing new policies in promoting inclusive, environment-friendly green economic growth. Added to this need were the tools required to coordinate the roles of different sectors involved. Mexico had made progress in stipulating green economic growth across different sectors of its economy and so was a clear choice to be a knowledge provider. In May 2013, Indian officials visited Mexican counterparts at the federal level and in the states of Oaxaca and Quintana Roo. These visits afforded first-hand learning about Mexico’s experience in making urban and rural development more environment friendly and inclusive of all social groups. The Indian officials transferred that acquired knowledge into new green growth-oriented policies that now include a benefit- sharing mechanism in hydropower development and payment for ecosystem services. Stronger coalition building and network coordination among different stakeholders, including civil society and academia, resulted in the amendment of existing legislation and the adoption of the Himachal Pradesh Sustainable Tourism Development Policy in November 2013. Source: The World Bank, Sharing Experience in Promoting Green Growth, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/story/ sharing-experience-promoting-green-growth 108 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Involve all participants (hosts and visitors) in the planning, to understand expectations on both sides. »» Plan your study tour in-depth, not only in terms of venue and logistics, but also in terms of overall sequencing of activities and participant engagement before the actual visit. »» Get the right people involved. When selecting participants, consider not only what they can contribute but also what they bring to the group dynamic. »» Identify local partners to help you navigate a country’s cultural, social, and political landscape. »» Decide on how to distribute per diems (up front, daily, in cash, etc). Check with local banks for cash limits. »» For longer study tours, include down time to re-energize participants and keep them motivated. »» Plan to document lessons learned and disseminate them among participants within one month of visit. A follow-up workshop can also be considered to check how participants are taking forward their learning. Delivery »» Know the level of each participant in the delegation. Protocols may differ depending on seniority. »» Allow adequate travel time for field visits and dedicate enough time in the field. »» Have interactive sessions with relevant stakeholders to maximize visit. »» Create a social space for participants to network and explore ways to adapt lessons learned to their own context. »» Be prepared for emergencies. If possible, try to involve colleagues from host country. Consider Social Media »» Social networking tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+ can help spread the word and create a buzz in advance of the study tour. Social networking also enables participants and knowledge providers to connect early. »» Tweeting/microblogging tools such as Twitter or Tumblr provide a unique opportunity for participants to report out activities and engage a wider global audience. »» Photo sharing tools such as Flickr are a great way to share photos taken during the study tour. »» Blogging platforms such as WordPress can be used to document progress and gather related materials. 109 WHAT IS A WORKSHOP? A structured event focused on having participants work together to solve a common problem or perform a task. BEST USED FOR »» enhancing skills or developing a new proficiency. »» addressing specific knowledge and learning needs that require a structured learning environment ›› at a global, regional, country, community, and/or institutional levels. ›› for a small number of people (maximum 35). ›› in multiple modes (face-to-face or virtual). »» writing reports, documenting opinions and suggestions, or creating collaboratively developed plans on a specific issue. »» building networks and skills to help launch new initiatives. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 110 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 3+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note »» Identify and select location »» Identify and select facilitator, speakers, and other resource people 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Create an agenda »» If possible, visit location in advance to determine if it fits objectives of the workshop - space, technology, catering, etc. »» Select, invite, and register participants »» Consider travel arrangements for sponsored participants and speakers, including accommodation, travel, per diem, visas, etc. 1 MONTH before event: »» Finalize all content and materials, including facilitation materials (flip charts, note pads, name tags, etc.) »» Arrange and finalize all technology equipment needed (laptops, projectors, microphones, recording instruments, etc.) DELIVERY PHASE »» Prepare all facilitation materials before the start of the workshop (pens, copies, flip charts, etc.) »» Review objectives for the day with participants, including agenda and methodology »» Summarize results of the day and go over next steps »» Conduct evaluation FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Close out all finances - invoices, travel reimbursements, expenditures »» Prepare a completion report and report the results of evaluations »» Document the process and share lessons learned with key stakeholders 111 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR WORKSHOP Action planning, face-to-face and virtual, with key stakeholders to define scope of workshop, agree on participants, and select PLANNING facilitator Buzz session to engage every member of the audience group early in the workshop (can also be used as an effective ice- DELIVERY breaker) Expert panel to get multiple perspectives on a topic of focus Presentation to communicate key concepts Role play to apply newly learned proficiency/skills and practice key concepts Action planning to determine next steps and how to implement them e-Discussions via video-conference to keep up momentum from the workshop FOLLOW-UP Report to share learning from the workshop with a wider stakeholder group Book sprint to further develop and engage the workshop participants as an ongoing community of practice CASE EXAMPLE — WORKSHOPS CAN DEEPEN KNOWLEDGE Honduras has been one among those countries most affected by climate change and disasters triggered by natural events. This unwelcomed distinction made Honduran officials recognize the need to strengthen the country’s institutional capacity for mainstreaming disaster risk considerations into development planning. Colombia had experience with this disaster risk management effort. A Honduran delegation was organized with officials from various agencies. Before embarking on a study tour to Colombia in May 2014, the Honduran delegation held preparatory workshops with Colombian participants and also with World Bank staff who acted as the knowledge brokers. The workshop helped to set the agenda for the study tour. Delegates met with the Colombian entities that led the development of policy frameworks and instruments in land use planning for regional and municipal governments. After the study tour, another workshop in Honduras, attended by representatives from all the relevant agencies, helped to systematize the learning experience. This participation facilitated detailed discussion about lessons learned in Colombia and agreement on a strategic plan for applying these to the Honduran context. Source: The World Bank, Improving Disaster Risk Management in Honduras: Incorporating Risk Management into Land Use Planning, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/story/improving-disaster-risk-management-honduras- incorporating-risk-management-land-use-planning. 112 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Have clear and concise objectives so participants are aware of the expected outcomes. »» Determine your team’s existing expertise to plan, conduct, and follow-up. Pay particular attention to content and facilitation expertise. »» Make sure you test any audio-visual systems ahead of time. »» Ensure location is large enough for participants to separate into small groups. Delivery »» Create a detailed workshop agenda, taking time to list exactly which activities will occur. »» Include activities that allow participants to apply learning in their own context. »» Reinforce key concepts you want participants to apply. »» Consider whether to implement the workshop synchronously, asynchronously, or both, depending on whether the participants are scattered geographically and on the size of your travel budget. Consider Social Media »» Tweeting or microblogging with tools such as Twitter provides a unique platform for attendees to report out workshop activities, as well as engaging other attendees using a designated workshop hash tag. »» Social networking sites such as Facebook, Google+, Tumblr and others allow you to promote the event easily. They can also serve as a repository from which participants can access all materials and sessions/activities during and after the workshop. Many of these sites have tools for conducting online surveys to gather feedback, as well. »» Photo sharing tools such as Flickr and Instagram are a great way to share photos taken during the workshop using a hash tag. Those unable to attend can access workshop content through these tools. 113 One instrument can help achieve multiple intermediate outcomes. For example, study tours expose participants to new ways of doing things and offer opportunities to share tacit knowledge, which may help clients recognize new opportunities, build networks, and build consensus – three distinct potential intermediate outcomes. You may design with this in mind, and remember that you may discover some unexpected outcomes as well. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 114 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENTS MEDIUM-TERM ENGAGEMENT 115 WHAT IS A COMPETITION/CHALLENGE? A contest aimed at finding and supporting new ideas and accelerating innovations, usually culminating in a showcase event to recognize the competitors and winner(s). BEST USED FOR »» gaining new knowledge. »» providing recognition and rewards for innovative ideas. ›› at a global, regional, country, local, or institutional level. ›› in multiple modes (face-to-face or virtual). ›› with jury of experts. ›› according to a set of guidelines. »» helping launch new initiatives. »» showcasing quality work. »» generating new ideas. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 116 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 6+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note »» Identify organizing committee »» Identify facilitator »» Set meeting with organizing committee, facilitator, and key players to define scope of competition, nature of awards, and juror profile, and assign roles and responsibilities 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Identify and set a date for competition or deadline for receiving proposals »» Identify and select the tools for launching the competition and define the process for the competition »» Solicit proposals or market and promote competition »» Set meeting with organizing committee, facilitator, and key players to go over the selection and award process 1+ MONTH before event: »» Appoint award committee »» Depending upon how you plan to announce the awards, arrange for logistics of the award ceremony »» You may also decide to announce the winners online and then later honor the awardees in a knowledge fair 1 WEEK before event: »» Review and finalize all logistical aspects DELIVERY PHASE »» Register participants/competition winner(s) »» Document award ceremony with video, photographs »» Conduct interviews with competition winner(s) »» Hold networking and knowledge sharing activities FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Conduct evaluation »» Disseminate the results of the competition »» Close out finances 117 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMPETITION AND AWARD CEREMONY e-Discussion with staff and consultants to create a set of criteria for judging submissions PLANNING Survey used by a team of judges to determine winners and runners-up Poster session where each winner presents their idea visually DELIVERY Lightning talks for contestants to very briefly and convincingly market their idea Interview of winner(s) Survey to document lessons learned FOLLOW-UP After-action review to determine what needs to be adjusted for future competitions CASE EXAMPLE — A COMPETITION/CHALLENGE CAN LEAD TO ACTION St. Lucian program managers and technical staff in the Ministries of Youth, Education, and Labor and some NGOs visited Brazil, Honduras, Panama, Jamaica, and Costa Rica to learn best practices used in programs for reducing crime among boys and promoting tourism. After the visits, the St. Lucian delegation supported a regional competition to identify best practices in school, school-to-work, and community-based programs for at-risk boys. Competition winners received funding to attend a conference in Jamaica and produce and disseminate brochures about their winning proposals. Subsequently, each country team participating in the conference drafted an action plan for promoting and developing at-risk youth programs in their country. Before this initiative there was no evidence-based approach available in St. Lucia; now successful case stories are available online to assist the entire region. Source: The World Bank, St. Lucia and the Caribbean Collaborate to Support “At-Risk” Boys, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/result-story/2592 118 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Identify a set of criteria for jurors. »» Make sure you select experienced professionals as jurors. »» Identify and roll out a marketing plan for the competition. »» Consider pairing a competition with a knowledge fair. Delivery »» Maintain a transparent and fair process for selecting the finalists and winners of the competition. »» Determine what type and level of incentives you need to interest people in the competition. Consider Social Media »» Microblogging tools such as Twitter generate buzz and build awareness of the competition. Use them for open dialogue on the benefit of the competition and its rules and solicit feedback to help improve the competition’s overall implementation. »» Use photo sharing tools such as Instagram to visually document your event and invite audience members to submit photos using a designated hash tag. This will drive traffic back to your site. »» If you need to market your competition and generate buzz before the event, use a social networking site such as Facebook to share the logistics and rules of the competition, engage your champions, and prompt conversations. 119 WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE JAM? A facilitated conversation between knowers and doers (change agents) to surface hidden know-how around targeted topics and to translate knowledge into action. BEST USED FOR »» initiating new and improved actions. »» eliciting hidden know-how around targeted topics ›› with brokers (doers or change agents) who are driven to make sense of the ideas, as they are charged with the responsibility to act. ›› in a systematic and efficient way. It is a five-step process and the primary elicitation process takes approximately 90 minutes. »» channeling knowledge into action by explicitly propelling the group towards a deliverable from the knowledge exchange. »» solving problems using a task force model: the brokers’ deliverables drive the agenda. »» surfacing facts, ideas, and insights that no one person could have on their own. »» inquiring safely into what did or could happen, capturing participants’ words, protecting anonymity. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 120 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 3+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note stating where tacit knowledge of experts and teams could improve processes, accelerate innovation, or expand margins »» Identify originators (knowers) and brokers »» Set topic and scope of project »» Identify facilitator 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Conduct planning meeting with facilitator and representatives from originator and broker groups »» Draft the agenda for the “discover-capture” step. The discover-capture step is the central piece of the five-step knowledge jam process and is where the tacit knowledge is elicited and captured. »» Choose virtual or in-person forum »» Plan social media role »» Identify champions in originators’ and brokers’ organizations »» Have facilitator interview several participants 1 MONTH before event: »» Prepare logistics for the discover-capture step, including templates and Web conference technology »» Set up collaboration or social media tools DELIVERY PHASE »» Set up space -- physical or virtual (if physical, originators face brokers) »» Open discover-capture event by describing why it’s needed »» Set ground rules: e.g., use shared data, drive for clarity, offer anonymity, use a parking lot, demonstrate “common curiosity” (everyone must participate and help grow the shared insights) »» Use scaffolding to capture participants’ words »» Capture all comments for everyone to see using an overhead projector or a shared desktop tool, using the discover-capture template FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Finalize all notes from discover-capture event with the help of participants, who validate quotes, and guard appropriate anonymity »» Draft executive summary and send to all participants »» Facilitator assists brokers to extend insights to fit their organization’s issues »» Brokers follow up with originators on open issues »» Brokers translate discovery into action »» Facilitator works with the brokers and originators to ensure action is taken, measured, and reported back to the sponsor 121 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE JAM A knowledge jam involves a five-step process: 1. Select »» Brainstorm with sponsor face-to-face or virtually, to select the topic 2. Plan »» Interview participants to foster curiosity »» Organize the knowledge jam, agree on role of each player, and prepare scaffolding (e.g., agenda) »» Conduct focus group with knowledge originator and broker to draw up a list of topics for discover-capture step 3. Discover-capture »» Use scaffolding and good facilitation to engage the group in sharing experiences »» Use conversation disciplines: Poster of openness, Pursuit of diversity, and Practices of dialogue 4. Broker »» Share collective knowledge draft with brokers and originators and refine with their input. Brokers can meld learning into methods, products, and solutions for their home organizations »» Use e-discussions to follow up with brokers and originators regarding implementation 5. Reuse »» Measure the use of the knowledge in practice and the return on investment CASE EXAMPLE — KNOWLEDGE JAM CAN MAKE AN “IMPROVISED” SUCCESS REPEATABLE A team of engineers with Intel Solution Services did a proof of concept for the first Wifi installation on commuter trains in August 2006. Heralded in the local press, the team had overcome considerable obstacles within a tight time frame, and Intel wanted to streamline, codify, and potentially offer the process to other clients. The knowledge jam helped Intel Solutions Services designers (brokers) understand how the team of engineers (originators) met their design objectives, despite antennae deterioration issues, vibration issues, challenges of negotiating track time with rail operators, and insufficient poles to back haul the signal to a network operating center. During the knowledge jam the brokers were able to get a clear picture of the hidden costs and time requirements in such an effort and to begin to define the full construction strategy beyond this proof of concept. Source: Sharing Hidden Know-How. 2011, Jossey Bass/Wiley  122 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD »» Make sure that the brokers have the authority to act. Hold a planning meeting with representatives of the originator and broker groups to outline the agenda and determine what the participants will capture during the knowledge jam. »» The process can be accelerated to capture knowledge before it “walks out the door.” As knowledge jams are usually done virtually, do pre-interviews and get participants’ photos to improve trust. »» Edit the knowledge jam notes and send them to participants within 24 hours. Have them make corrections or share additional thoughts. »» Don’t let up – work with brokers to help them translate the knowledge into action. »» Sometimes you need multiple knowledge jams as topics need more attention, or you need to include another originator or broker. »» Use a template for capturing notes in real-time with three columns: Topics (prepared ahead, with one row each), Discussion (to capture words of the speakers), and Summary (often filled in after the event). »» Consider using social media: ›› Collaborative tools are great for knowledge jams: Google docs for sharing and editing documents concurrently, Google Hangouts for video conferencing, YouTube for sharing video, and a photo sharing app to create a photo album of the knowledge jam (if participants agree). IDEA JAMS VS KNOWLEDGE JAMS Idea jams (face-to-face or virtual) involve the wisdom of the crowds principle; in contrast, knowledge jams focus on a generative conversation among a smaller group of people. If virtual, an idea jam involves many people interacting in an online space during an allotted timeframe. Online jams maintain the same principle of any online forum. Registered users add comments, respond to other users, and generate dialogue by interacting with other users from around the world in real time. The Jam methodology was designed by IBM and has been used since 2003 to promote virtual debate that is focused, involves asynchronous participation, and is held for a limited time. It is concerned with the exchange of ideas based on experience, knowledge, and lessons learned. 123 WHAT IS A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION? A facilitated series of conversations among stakeholders/peers to gain multiple perspectives and deeper understanding, reach consensus, or encourage action. BEST USED FOR »» facilitating trust and communication among key stakeholders. »» enhancing commitment to agenda/group. »» sharing practical experience and diverse perspectives. »» strengthening multi-stakeholder coalitions. »» increasing access to resources and practitioners. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 124 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 4+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note »» Identify delivery/ implementation team »» Determine budget and funding »» Select dialogue/consultation format (face-to-face, virtual, or both) »» Identify possible venues »» Develop an action plan 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Select and confirm venues »» Contract all vendors, including hotel/venue, event manager, catering, and interpretation »» Draft terms of reference for moderator/facilitator »» Prepare all materials »» Organize consultation meetings »» Send out invitations »» Plan for monitoring and evaluation 1+ MONTH before event: »» Prepare agenda »» Send resource materials to participants »» Contract moderator/facilitator »» Confirm agenda with participants and resource people »» Prepare survey »» Plan for documenting implementation DELIVERY PHASE »» Register participants »» Review housekeeping information »» Motivate and empower participants »» Document exchange »» If delivered virtually, ensure all sites participate equally, coordinate session management by checking on connections, Web streaming (if any), and interpretation (if any) FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Conduct survey »» Document process, lessons learned and follow-up actions »» Edit videotapes (if available) based on objectives and follow-up actions »» Implement next steps »» Report on results 125 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR MULTI-STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE/CONSULTATION Brainstorming meeting, face-to-face or through video- conference, with organizing team to agree on modality PLANNING Focus groups with key stakeholders to agree on scope, speakers, and participants Interview of some participants to gauge interest Expert panel to open session and report out DELIVERY Peer assists to transfer tacit knowledge from one group of peers to another Knowledge café to surface collective knowledge Anecdote circle to engage the group in sharing their experiences Survey to gather feedback and assess lessons learned FOLLOW-UP Action planning describing how participant(s) will apply the learning gained e-Discussions between practitioners to continue conversation CASE EXAMPLE — DEVELOPING A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS THROUGH A SERIES OF CONSULTATIONS Following protests against all the oil and gas operators on Sakhalin island, the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC) developed a plan to comply with policy requirements of potential lenders, and initiated a consultative and participatory process to improve its relationship with indigenous people on the island. The objectives were to (i) mitigate project impact on indigenous peoples, and (ii) provide a framework for the delivery of socio-economic benefits to indigenous communities. The process included »» a first round of consultation events with community leaders, members of the indigenous communities, and other stakeholders involved in the oil and gas industry to agree on the plan’s objective; »» guidance and feedback to the company team preparing the plan from a Working Group of company staff and consultants, as well as representatives of the Sakhalin Indigenous Minorities Peoples Council; »» a second round of consultations and a report for stakeholders with a tentative outline of the project components; followed by »» a third round of consultations (which lasted three months) to assess the proposed mitigation measures and social program benefits that had been developed based on previous rounds of consultations. Source: The World Bank Extractive Industries Sourcebook, Stakeholder Consultation, page 53 126 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Consider using dialogues or consultations when the challenge is weak stakeholder ownership and the participants need to reach agreement on local, regional, or global issues. »» Include a strong planning component, including assessing support for the dialogues among key players. »» Determine what would be necessary to move towards this collaborative process. »» Make detailed background information available that can move stakeholders toward informed decisions. »» Invite people who will contribute to the dialogue or consultation and who will be affected by the outcome. Delivery »» Have a facilitator skilled in collaborative processes. »» Closely track and document any recommendations or agreements coming out of the process. Consider Social Media »» Social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Google+ can be used to identify experts and engage with them. »» Online conferencing tools such as Google+ Hangouts for one-to-many exchanges. »» Twitter chats with a designated hash tag are good for curating content and topics. CASE EXAMPLE —MULTI-STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUES HELP NATION BUILDING In a society afflicted by 25 years of insurrection and civil strife, dialogues are proving an effective nation-building tool. In South Sudan, dialogues teach citizens about interacting with the world’s newest government, and help appointed and elected officials address their constituents’ needs. »» In the northwest city of Wau, youth engaged with six elected state and national legislators on issues that included improved education and jobs, among other concerns. »» In the capital city of Juba, physically disabled persons challenged elected representatives and appointed officials to pay greater attention to their needs and support greater participation of the physically disabled in all levels of government. »» In the northern city of Malakal, citizens petitioned their elected representatives to help provide clean water wells so they would not have to draw water from the Nile River. Many other dialogues (sometimes referred to as community issue forums or constituency dialogues) took place in numerous communities across the nation. They all shared these features: »» Rigorous preparations preceded the dialogues; trained facilitators engaged community leaders and built trust. »» Multiple focused small group discussions in convenient locations maximized opportunities for community participation in defining problems and identified people who were capable and willing to speak for the community. »» Ground rules were clearly established and reinforced at every opportunity. »» Organizers emphasized seeking solutions and defining common strategies rather than merely airing grievances or complaints. »» Moderators and other volunteers received training to carry out their roles in the dialogues. The dialogues’ success depended on well-designed preparation along with a commitment from civil society, legislators, and officials to follow up. In this way participating communities saw that even if there were no immediate results, their concerns were heeded-- these dialogues are meaningful and not cosmetic exercises. Source: Larry Ekin, Communications Consultant, National Democratic Institute 127 The same instrument used in a different project or program phase can yield different outcomes. For example, an expert visit can help raise awareness and build consensus at the project identification stage; in the project implementation phase, it can help overcome bottlenecks and build skills through coaching and hands-on support. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 128 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENTS LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT 129 WHAT IS A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE? A group that interacts regularly on a common topic to learn from one another. BEST USED FOR »» enhancing connectivity and strengthening relationships among peers »» energizing professional networks ›› at global, regional, country, community, and institutional levels. ›› in multiple modes (face-to-face and virtual activities). ›› as formal or informal arrangements. ›› with a lead coordinator for management purposes. »» sharing experiences, lessons learned, and best practices. »» generating new ideas. »» capturing and sharing tacit knowledge. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 130 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 4+ MONTHS before event: »» Prepare concept note, identify target members, establish community value proposition »» Determine human resource needs both within and outside your team »» Hire community manager 2+ MONTHS before event: »» Choose collaboration platform, confirm payment issues, and clear any security concerns »» Prepare community launch plan/engagement plan - key activities and tasks to be performed and by whom, including a social media outreach strategy for recruiting members 1+ MONTH before event: »» Arrange an online or offline event (soft launch) to begin engaging champion members »» Set up site analytics »» Test and troubleshoot platform with initial members 2+ WEEKS before event: »» Create content for the community: blogs, photos, videos, etc. »» Ask identified community champions to invite new members »» Officially launch community DELIVERY PHASE »» Execute community engagement plan - welcome new members, send newsletter updates, survey members, organize and advertise meetings, webinars, conferences »» Grow community: set membership growth and engagement targets »» Measure community: use website analytics, track community membership and participation, create a list of benchmarks and indicators to track over time »» Report progress monthly and annually »» Check in with membership and partners regularly, make adjustments as needed FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» If decision is made to terminate or transition community, prepare a transition or termination plan »» Communicate the plan to community members regularly, and openly seek their input well in advance »» Document the process and lessons learned 131 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE Action planning meeting to clarify target audience, value proposition, engagement plan, benchmarking and implementation goals of the community PLANNING Focus groups of community members for feedback on platform features, content, design, and ease-of-use A series of peer assists with experts from the field to create regular content and activity for the community DELIVERY Interviews, surveys, e-discussions, anecdote circle, and various storytelling activities help develop and grow the community Poster session as part of a conference to increase awareness of the community FOLLOW-UP Survey to assess what worked and what didn’t CASE EXAMPLE — A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR CONTINUOUS KNOWLEDGE SHARING At the conclusion of a November 2012 virtual global consultation round-table that brought together more than 150 participants from multiple countries and sectors on the topic of Incubating Innovation for Off-Grid Electrification, attendees expressed a clear need for a common platform where dialogue could be continued. As a result, the Telecom-Energy Initiative’s Online Collaborative Platform was launched in December 2012. This online community of practice brought together a coalition of key energy, telecom, financial and non-profit sector stakeholders seeking to harness energy demand from the telecom sector infrastructure to spur energy supply to the 1.2 billion people remaining without energy access throughout the developing world. It has provided a virtual space where knowledge, ideas and opportunities can be shared and created through interactions among a wide range of stakeholders representing over 60 countries and 300 organizations. Source: The World Bank, Telecom-Energy Community of Practice, http://wbi.worldbank.org/wbi/stories/innovations-rural-electrification-building-stakeholder-coalitions 132 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Consider recruiting topic experts who can provide cutting-edge knowledge and experience to community members as volunteers or additional staff for the community. »» Learn the unwritten rules of your target audience: how they behave both on- and offline, where they go to get information, what times of day they are more likely to be online, and what their interests are. »» Consider the value proposition when developing your community engagement plan: what will participants get from this community they cannot get elsewhere? »» Clarify expectations and include a detailed list of planned activities or events. Delivery »» Identify and encourage champion members (i.e., those who contribute actively to the community). Consider Social Media »» Web 2.0 tools to facilitate collaboration and connections. »» Social Networking tools such as Facebook to increase awareness and generate buzz about the community. »» Google Apps for seamless collaboration among community members through access to YouTube, Google maps, and online conferencing with Google+ Hangout. Participants can also share and edit documents with Google docs. »» Twitter for increasing engagement within your community. Use it to broadcast events, report out recent activities, share photos, and host online events such as Twitter chats. A BOOK SPRINT CAN BRING OUT TACIT KNOWLEDGE IN A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE Governments around the world spend an estimated US$9.5 trillion every year through contracts. Yet contracting information is often unavailable for public scrutiny. Adding to the problems stemming from lack of transparency, money spent through these contracts is often poorly managed or misappropriated. Open contracting, norms and practices for increased disclosure and participation in public contracting, can address these challenges. The World Bank Institute brought together seventeen practitioners from the open contracting CoP, representing countries ranging from Brazil to Afghanistan, in a unique facilitated process called a book sprint – a race to collaboratively write and publish a ”how to” guide to open contracting in five days. The richness of this process goes beyond the product itself to include the conversations that took place while producing the book. The book sprint allows for the sharing and capturing of knowledge that often remains tacit and rarely gets codified. It helped establish a common language and understanding of open contracting. Most importantly, the community-building component created a sense of trust, ownership, and belonging. “It’s not really the book that truly matters, but the spirit of the collaboration to produce it.” – Open Contracting book sprint participant Source: Norma Garza, Knowledge Management, WBIOG - Open Contracting Team 133 WHAT IS TWINNING? The pairing of one institution with a similar but usually more mature institution for a mutually beneficial partnership. BEST USED FOR »» initiating new and/or improved actions »» enabling long-term cooperation ›› at the institutional level as one-way or two-way twinning. ›› to meet the needs of both institutions involved. ›› as a formal or informal arrangement. »» sustainable cooperation that continues after project completion. »» enhancing organizational capacity. »» integrating training and technical assistance. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 134 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS HOW TO USE IT PLANNING PHASE 7+ MONTHS before event: »» Option 1 – you are approached by an organization for a twinning arrangement »» Option 2 – you identify the need for a twinning arrangement; i.e., you have identified your learning or skills gap Prepare a project plan (based on option picked) »» Option 1 - clarify expectations and agree on objectives »» Option 2 ›› prepare RFP for twinning arrangement ›› collect proposals from knowledge providers ›› select twinning partner 5+ MONTHS before event: »» Knowledge provider and recipient organization jointly ›› prepare work plan ›› draw up twinning agreement/contract with detailed budget, project team, time frame and key milestones »» Develop a monitoring plan »» Hire an auditor to review contract 1 MONTH before event: »» Organize a meeting to agree on launch DELIVERY PHASE 12+ MONTHS »» Have experts from recipient institution implement the activities as agreed in contract »» Organize (virtual or face-to-face) monthly meetings to touch base, assess progress, and brief on new developments »» Monitor progress of twinning arrangement through quarterly reports FOLLOW-UP PHASE »» Conduct project review mission »» Conduct evaluation of twinning arrangement »» Prepare final report »» Consider creating a community of practice to continue partnership and skill sharing to maintain momentum »» Close out finances 135 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — SEQUENCING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR TWINNING ARRANGEMENT Series of e-discussions between to two institutions Action planning to lay out objectives and key capacity PLANNING outcomes and settle on a project team Focus groups to monitor project implementation and brainstorm on possible solutions to challenges DELIVERY Secondment arrangements to effectively share knowledge and build capacity A series of peer assists, organized by each of the secondees from the partnership, allowed staff to share experience, exchange best practices, and strengthen the coalition Exit interviews of secondees FOLLOW-UP Survey to determine and evaluate the final results Action planning session to implement lessons learned CASE EXAMPLE — A TWINNING ARRANGEMENT CAN ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY In 2009, the World Bank asked the Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and Teaching (CATIE), which had developed various silvopastoral techniques to rehabilitate landscapes degraded from livestock production, to provide technical assistance to Tugi village in the Gutah Hills of the North West Region of Cameroon, where the ecological conditions are similar to those in the highlands of Central America. Under a twinning arrangement, CATIE advised and supported the Akwi Memorial Foundation (an NGO devoted to alleviating poverty in West Cameroon) in implementing the Tugi Silvopastoral Project (TUSIP). With consistent support, TUSIP’s innovations and approaches are helping to improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of small-scale crop and livestock production in Tugi village. Source: The World Bank,Trading Knowledge about Sustainable Agro-Pastoral Techniques, http://wbi.worldbank.org/sske/result-story/2161 136 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS TIPS FROM THE FIELD Planning »» Allocate enough time to develop the twinning project; make sure you identify the appropriate partner. »» Plan, plan, plan, and then plan some more, especially for formal twinning arrangements. »» Attain commitment and understanding at all levels of both organizations. »» Ensure financial and operational impacts are clear and accepted by all parties. Delivery »» For long-term sustainability, make sure that both your organization and your selected partners have the organizational maturity to handle the in-depth commitment that twinning entails. Consider Social Media »» Use tools such as WordPress and Tumblr to create blogs for documenting progress and lessons learned from the twinning. 137 A combination (blend) of instruments is very effective, especially when there are entrenched development issues or complex challenges, such as those requiring political buy-in or the transfer of substantial technical know-how. You might start a knowledge exchange initiative, for example, with a conference to raise awareness of new development options, then form a community of practice to enhance networking and sustain learning, and follow up with study tours to build trust and client ownership of new reforms. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE INSTRUMENTS 138 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES PRESENTATION ACTIVITIES DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES Demonstration Expert Panel Anecdote Circle Brainstorming Lightning Talks Poster Session Buzz Session e-Discussion Report Storytelling Knowledge Café Peer Assist 139 ACTIVITIES The activities are organized under four categories: presentation, discussion, experiential and analytical. Each category emphasizes different types of communication and interaction among participants. EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES ANALYTICAL ACTIVITIES Action Planning Book Sprint After Action Focus Group Review Field Visit Fishbowl Interview Self- Assessment Role Play Secondment Survey SWOT Analysis Simulation 140 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES PRESENTATION ACTIVITIES Demonstration Expert Panel Lightning Talks Poster Session Report Storytelling 141 DEMONSTRATION WHAT IS A DEMONSTRATION? An expert showing how to use a product or perform a procedure; also used to showcase a new product or process in order to market and spread innovations. A DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Ensure that the expert has good »» at the implementation stages of a pedagogical skills and adapts the project. demonstration for the needs of the audience. »» for smaller groups (5 to 20 people). »» Make follow-up discussion, practice USE IT TO and/or performance support available to help with practical application in the »» apply knowledge or master a process. participant context. »» have a high level of participant »» It helps to have two people running a involvement. demonstration activity—one to run the »» share practical experience or process demonstration and the other to speak steps. about what is being demonstrated. »» share innovations and good practice. »» Encourage the expert(s)/presenter(s) »» enable knowledge transfer within one’s to embrace questions and concerns, own context. delve deeper to clarify, and involve the rest of the participants in answering questions. »» Make sure that each participant has an opportunity to practice what was demonstrated. 142 EXPERT PANEL* WHAT IS AN EXPERT PANEL? A moderated set of presentations on the same topic addressed from various angles by a group of people with specialized knowledge. AN EXPERT PANEL MAY BE ORGANIZED HOW TO USE IT »» virtually or face-to-face. »» Choose panelists for their knowledge, »» as a moderated activity. communication skills, and effectiveness as speakers. »» at the delivery stage of a project. »» Provide panelists with background USE IT TO information about participants and the relevance of the topic area for them. »» provide multiple perspectives on a topic. »» Hold a briefing (virtual or face-to-face) with panelists at least two weeks before »» raise awareness about a topic or an the event to familiarize the moderator issue. and all the panelists with the content of »» lend credibility to a topic by providing the presentations. an expert perspective. »» Encourage participants to learn about »» enable knowledge sharing. the topic before the event; provide or suggest appropriate background documents. This communication can be done virtually. »» Good moderation is critical to the success of an expert panel. »» When planning the activity, consider what you will do if ›› you are running out of time. ›› there are too many participants, or not enough. ›› your desired panelists require compensation -- do you have an adequate budget? ›› you can’t get enough panelists to participate. ›› one or more panelists can’t participate at the last minute. ›› the equipment malfunctions. Keep in mind that an expert panel is not useful by itself when the learning * objective is to apply, analyze, or integrate knowledge, or to create information. 143 LIGHTNING TALKS WHAT ARE LIGHTNING TALKS? A series of short presentations on the same or diverse topics by different speakers lasting a few minutes each as part of a single session. LIGHTNING TALKS MAY OCCUR HOW TO USE IT »» virtually or face-to-face. »» Organize lightning talks like “speed »» as a moderated activity with each talk dates.” The idea is that participants lasting five minutes. can experience many different ideas in a short amount of time. »» with experienced practitioners. »» Advance preparation is key to a USE IT TO successful outcome. Have presenters work with a coach or facilitator to »» raise awareness about one or more prepare for the talk. topics in a short amount of time. »» Ask each presenter to do a dry run of »» report on project or group results and their presentation to ensure that all good practices. goes as expected. »» enhance individual or group capacity »» Give presenters a checklist that to prepare succinct reports or addresses what they are expected to presentations. do during the session to stay on track, »» offer new perspectives. and what to expect after they are done. »» Sequence the lightning talks so the audience can make sense of the issues being presented. Consider the overall message of the talks. 144 POSTER SESSION WHAT IS A POSTER SESSION? A presentation in a poster format, usually combining text and graphics, that engages presenters and participants in a conversation around the content of the poster. A POSTER SESSION MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED FOR »» Provide clear guidelines for poster creation, display, and engagement, »» a specific time-frame—posters are such as available only during certain times. ›› the dimension of the poster. »» an open time-frame—posters remain available for perusal at any time during ›› the type of poster (print, virtual). an event. ›› when and how posters are »» face-to-face delivery showcased. ›› tend to be displayed in one location, »» Include opportunities for presenter- usually in a large room or designated participant interaction and provide space that may be part of an exhibit clear instructions as to how such hall. interactions take place. ›› may include a reception to emphasize »» Organize a Best Poster award, if the informal tone of the poster appropriate. session. »» Include the e-version of the posters on »» virtual delivery your website as follow up. ›› synchronous. »» Increase visibility and follow up by interviewing poster presenters. ›› asynchronous. »» Include the presenter contact ›› both synchronous and asynchronous. information on the poster itself for USE IT TO those who want to have a follow-up conversation. »» encourage continued reflection/ »» Create an informal and relaxed interaction on a topic. atmosphere during the poster session. »» showcase results/innovations or The whole idea is to get presenters increase visibility of a topic or theme. and participants talking about their »» accommodate a large number of projects at their leisure. participants. »» Consider it as an alternative to a »» support network building and informal presentation or sequencing it with knowledge sharing. a presentation, especially if you are trying to get participants to become aware of and increase the visibility of the overall results. 145 REPORT WHAT IS A REPORT? An oral or written presentation that summarizes and highlights topic- or theme-based key points (concepts, data, processes, lessons learned, etc.). A REPORT ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Prepare a reporting tip sheet for the presenters. Consider sharing the »» virtually or face-to-face (oral). following tips: »» as a moderated activity (oral). ›› Develop one overarching theme or »» for large audiences (either oral or key message and support that with written). no more than two or three secondary »» to structure/standardize the core points. message (either oral or written). ›› If you are doing an oral presentation, »» at any stage of a project. keep it to 20 minutes; shorter oral presentations tend to be more USE IT TO effective. »» share results from a project/survey/ ›› If you use PowerPoint or other assessment or to provide an update. software, highlight main points by »» raise awareness, especially on topics simply showing a headline or a few where information is difficult to obtain. key words. This technique will keep the audience focused on what you »» stimulate new perspectives. have to say and not what is on the »» capture and reuse tacit knowledge. screen. »» enable knowledge sharing. »» Use illustrations, examples, and stories that contextualize the information for the audience for both oral and written reporting. »» End a report activity by summarizing or highlighting key messages. 146 STORYTELLING* WHAT IS STORYTELLING? A purposeful use of narrative that describes a practical outcome and is meant as a trigger for individuals, communities, or organizations to consider future action. STORYTELLING MAY INCLUDE HOW TO USE IT »» reference to original source, if story is »» Use relevant visual hooks when you being re-told. are sharing a story to capture the »» context to set the scene. audience’s attention. »» people involved. »» Create a solid narrative, with beginning, middle, and end. Keep in »» challenge that triggered the mind that the beginning and the end intervention/action. are critical -- they are what tend to stay »» description of intervention/action. with the audience. »» results and lessons learned. »» Make sure the key message or »» images and objects. inspiration for action comes through. »» Use true stories and keep the story USE IT TO simple so that you don’t overwhelm the »» share and capture tacit knowledge. audience. »» support deep understanding. »» draw and focus attention on a topic. »» enable knowledge sharing. * Storytelling is often sequenced with the anecdote circle activity when the goal of the exchange is to elicit multiple experiences based on a theme. 147 ACTIVITIES DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES Anecdote Circle Brainstorming Buzz Session e-Discussion Knowledge Café Peer Assist 148 ANECDOTE CIRCLE WHAT IS AN ANECDOTE CIRCLE? An exercise that involves the use of story themes and story-eliciting questioning to engage a group in sharing their experiences. ANECDOTE CIRCLE MAY BE ›› conflict resolution. ORGANIZED »» collect stories to evaluate complex projects. »» around themes using anecdote-eliciting questions. »» enable knowledge sharing. »» for settings with a group of 4 to 12 HOW TO USE IT participants »» Consider recording what is being ›› often the participants are peers. said during the anecdote circle. This ›› often the participants have worked on way you can harvest stories from the the same project. transcript. »» with participants sitting in a circle or at »» Make sure that you engage a facilitator a round table. who is experienced in guiding and not »» with a facilitator experienced in leading. The group members should be ›› anecdote-eliciting questioning sharing with each other, not telling their techniques. stories to the facilitator. ›› blending with the group. USE IT TO »» support process change such as ›› team and relationship building. ANECDOTE CIRCLES VS FOCUS GROUPS Anecdote circles differ from focus groups in the following ways: »» Thematic – eliciting experiences rather than opinions »» Exploratory – exploring themes rather than having a hypothesis in mind »» Neutral – the results emerge as experiences are shared rather than expecting to identify a correct answer. 149 BRAINSTORMING WHAT IS BRAINSTORMING? The generation of ideas or solutions about a specific topic by tapping into the wisdom of peers and encouraging them to think of novel ideas. A BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Since the key goal of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as »» as a facilitated activity that motivates possible—original ideas or ideas participants to contribute ideas or that build from each other—select a solutions. brainstorming topic that is relevant to »» at the initial stages of a project or participants. process. »» Quantity is what counts during »» virtually or face-to-face. brainstorming, not quality. It is important that participants be aware USE IT TO that “no idea is a bad idea.” »» generate new and creative ideas. »» Organize the session well: Make »» generate lists/checklists. sure the brainstorm questions and »» facilitate problem solving, consensus guidelines are clear and that all building, and teamwork. participants understand the question and the process. »» motivate participants to invest in an idea or solution. »» Encourage solutions from all participants; one or two people should »» enable knowledge sharing. not dominate the conversation. »» A successful brainstorm should result in many bold and unique ideas that can then be analyzed, prioritized, and applied in relevant contexts. Q-STORMING VS BRAINSTORMING Q-storming is very similar to brainstorming. Rather than seeking new answers and solutions, the goal of Q-storming practice is to generate as many new questions as possible around a specific topic. By doing so, you come up with open questions that could help you think through the challenge or problem that has to be resolved, or a difficult situation that has to be navigated. This method is particularly effective when the team is confronted by a problem for which the solution has to be fully owned and implemented by the people involved in the Q-storming exercise, and the solution has to come from within. 150 BUZZ SESSION WHAT IS A BUZZ SESSION? A very short discussion on a narrow topic that involves simultaneous small group work (usually in pairs) and stimulates contribution from each member of the participant group. A BUZZ SESSION MAY BE ORGANIZED HOW TO USE IT »» with a large number of participants »» Carefully consider the outcomes you and as an activity within a workshop or seek from a buzz session. Here are conference. some examples of how to use a buzz »» with an experienced facilitator who session effectively: is able to easily adjust the flow of the ›› Follow a presentation with a buzz activities, if needed. session. Ask audience members to talk for five to ten minutes to the USE IT TO person next to them about how key »» tap into the knowledge and experience points in the presentation relate to of each participant. their own experiences. This dialogue »» energize the group or as an icebreaker. will bring out new perspectives and may also reduce questions, or lead to »» identify needs/solicit quick feedback more informed questions, from the on a narrow topic. audience. »» support generation of a large number ›› Structure a buzz session so that of ideas. two to three participants take »» generate group-level questions for turns interviewing each other. The speakers. facilitator(s) may instruct participants »» re-focus on core issues. to allow each to talk for three to five minutes without interruption and then have a five minute discussion as a group. ›› Use a buzz session as an icebreaker at the start of a workshop with a brief one to two minute discussion on a narrow topic of common interest or expectation. 151 E-DISCUSSION WHAT IS AN E-DISCUSSION? A discussion that takes place online either synchronously or asynchronously. AN E-DISCUSSION MAY BE ORGANIZED HOW TO USE IT »» as an open informal discussion. »» Consider using an asynchronous »» as a moderated discussion. e-discussion when you need scheduling flexibility. Participants do USE IT TO not need to be available at a fixed time to discuss a topic; they may »» engage members of a community of engage at their convenience within practice. the established parameters of the »» examine topics in depth and allow for e-discussion. deeper reflection. »» Also consider the following questions »» support coaching/mentoring. as you plan an e-discussion: »» enable planning and collaboration ›› Are the expected outputs of the at any stage of a project or program e-discussion clear? -- especially among geographically ›› Have you decided how to conduct dispersed teams. the e-discussion session? »» plan agendas with several participants ›› How involved should the moderator and sustain learning and engagement be in the e-discussion? among workshop and conference participants. ›› Is this going to be an open-ended, free-flowing discussion? Or are specific outcomes expected? ›› How have you ensured that all participants can access the e-discussion? ›› Will the selected tool accommodate the number of people wanting to participate? ›› How will you capture the results of the e-discussion session? »» Provide moderator and participants with information on how to use the e-discussion tool/environment. »» Provide clear instructions on how participants can ask questions, provide feedback, etc. 152 KNOWLEDGE CAFÉ WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE CAFÉ? Open, creative, facilitator-led conversations to surface collective knowledge, share ideas, and encourage collaborative dialogue in a relaxed, café-type environment. A KNOWLEDGE CAFÉ ACTIVITY HOW TO USE IT MAY BE ORGANIZED »» Establish the café etiquette and environment to enable open dialogue »» virtually or face-to-face. through conversations. Rules might »» as a part of large conferences, include listening carefully, taking turns workshops, and knowledge fairs. in the conversation, and contributing your thinking. USE IT TO »» Use good questions to drive the »» provide multiple perspectives on a conversation. Keep the following in topic. mind when writing the questions: »» surface and collect tacit knowledge ›› Use open-ended questions (questions and experience from a large group of that do not have a yes/no answer). participants. ›› Use questions that encourage inquiry »» support collective learning and build instead of advocacy. networks. ›› Test the questions ahead of time with »» identify best practices. key individuals to ensure that they are easy to understand. »» Consider organizing your questions in idea/issue clusters for easier linking of conversation results to the core ideas/ issues. »» An experienced facilitator is key to the success of a knowledge café. Also consider including scribes and note- takers to harvest the knowledge being shared. 153 PEER ASSIST WHAT IS A PEER ASSIST? A facilitated event in which peers with relevant experience share their knowledge and experience, usually in the form of best practices and lessons learned, with a team that has requested help on a specific problem, project, or activity. PEER ASSISTS ARE ORGANIZED HOW TO USE IT »» as facilitated sessions. »» The host team should have clear »» for groups of no more than 15 or 20 outcomes and deliverables in mind. people, which include the Host Team »» Timing is key -- it should allow for the (asking for input/assistance) and the learning to feed into action. Resource Team (peers from outside the »» Ensure that the resource team team sharing knowledge and insights). members bring recent experience and »» either as a short session (90 minutes) or practical knowledge to share on the long session spread over several days. topic. You don’t have to bring in the The length depends upon most senior people. ›› the complexity of the challenge. »» Select an experienced facilitator who ›› the geographic range participants are can maintain a balance between telling coming from. and listening and prioritize action ideas and recommendations. USE IT TO »» Keep the following core process steps »» solve a specific business challenge in mind: -- generally more useful for solving ›› Ensure resource team participants adaptive challenges. clearly understand the context »» enable knowledge transfer among (including past efforts) and peers. challenges. »» support collective learning, cross- ›› The resource team should ask linkages, and networking. questions and have a dialogue with the host team to develop a »» stimulate new perspectives and new good understanding of the issues lines of inquiry. (background materials can be sent »» increase willingness to learn from one ahead of time to resource team). another—establish an open culture of ›› After the resource team has learning in an organization. discussed the challenge and possible solutions, the host team needs to take the recommendations from the resource team without interrupting or defending past efforts and decisions. ›› Make sure to have a formal conclusion and feedback session at the end of the peer assist to summarize the outcomes. Generally someone from the host team will do this. 154 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES Action Planning Book Sprint Field Visit Fishbowl Role Play Secondment Simulation 155 ACTION PLANNING WHAT IS ACTION PLANNING? A strategic exercise that results in a personal or group road map or timetable describing the specific steps that need to be taken to achieve a single or multiple objectives. ACTION PLANNING MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» The facilitator of the action planning activity should provide clear guidelines »» as a facilitated activity that guides to participants about how to create participants through action planning. an action plan; most importantly, the »» at the national, regional, community, facilitator should guide the participants institutional, and/or individual levels. in writing a realistic plan. USE IT TO »» For an effective action planning activity, participants should consider using the »» apply and/or localize knowledge. following steps: »» create a tangible output and road map ›› Define what needs to be for follow-up action. accomplished. »» encourage ownership of follow-up ›› Assign roles and responsibilities. actions. Also identify key stakeholders, as »» enable knowledge transfer. successful implementation depends on buy in from relevant stakeholders. ›› Prepare a list of activities, decide what is feasible (consider cost and resources), and prioritize. ›› Break activities into discrete, measurable steps. It helps to write the projected actions as separate tasks that are both realistic and attainable. Make sure to identify the individual and/or organization responsible for each task. ›› Create a timeline with major milestones. 156 BOOK SPRINT WHAT IS A BOOK SPRINT? A facilitated process that brings together a group of people to collaboratively produce a book in three to five days. USE IT TO HOW TO USE IT »» capture tacit knowledge. »» Identify and bring practitioners »» codify knowledge, practitioners’ or key stakeholders together to experiences, and lessons learned. collaboratively write a book. »» exchange knowledge and results. »» The facilitator will guide participants through the different steps of »» create a tangible product – produce a collectively producing a book: book. concept mapping, structuring, writing, »» build, further develop, or engage a composing, and publishing the book. community of practitioners or team. For an effective book sprint, consider using »» encourage ownership of follow-up the following sequence: actions. »» Define what you hope to accomplish »» enable knowledge transfer. and write a short concept note. »» Identify who will coordinate the book sprint and assign team member roles and responsibilities. »» Identify resources. »» Prepare TOR and identify facilitator. »» Work with facilitator on book sprint planning. »» Finalize budget. »» Identify participants and invite them. »» Identify venue. »» Finalize logistics. »» Begin planning follow-up to the book sprint. »» Participate in book sprint. »» Immediately after sprint, publish book in e-book format, possibly hard copy version, and set up print-on-demand service. »» Disseminate book online, via social media, and in face-to-face events; invite people to provide input. »» Begin follow-up and use set up process to incorporate feedback into later book versions. 157 FIELD VISIT WHAT IS A FIELD VISIT? Physically going to a location that enables participants to experience project realities directly and meet with implementation teams and beneficiaries. A FIELD VISIT MAY BE ORGANIZED TO HOW TO USE IT »» last for one or several days. »» Assign a field visit lead from both the »» include a team consisting of receiver and provider side to finalize the logistics for the visit. ›› a team lead, who works closely with organizers on the field visit program; »» Since many field visits include a is the point of contact during the visit. team of visitors, it is important to make sure that all team members are ›› visitors, who contribute to field visit prepared. Depending on the purpose conversations and report based on and formality of the visit, it may be their expertise. important to prepare a visitors guide ›› observers, who participate in field that outlines roles and responsibilities visit but do not have any reporting and includes all relevant background responsibilities. information and documentation. USE IT TO »» Schedule a pre-brief for the field visit team to review documents, clarify »» gain new knowledge and/or learn any questions, and also agree on the directly from a project or program. desired outcomes from the visit. »» establish direct contact with »» Consider providing a reporting beneficiaries, community members, template for participants to record and/or key stakeholders. their reflections. »» identify good practices. »» Consider having a daily debrief for the »» build networks and partnerships. field visit team to share and capture »» support decision-making. key takeaways and reflections. »» Ensure that the field visit report (detailing the outcomes and next steps) is prepared and shared with relevant stakeholders in an interactive and engaging format/forum. 158 FISHBOWL WHAT IS A FISHBOWL? A small group conversation or a dialogue process held in a setting which includes a larger group of observers/listeners. A fishbowl is an experiential exercise that enables active participation through discussion by those inside the “fishbowl” and active observation by those outside of the “fishbowl.” Think of the fishbowl as a center stage with observers sitting around it. A typical fishbowl setup has an inner circle of chairs for about five to eight people with more chairs for observers set around the inner circle. A FISHBOWL MAY BE ORGANIZED AS HOW TO USE IT AN OPEN OR CLOSED SESSION. »» Fishbowl requires an experienced coach who, in addition to good »» Open fishbowls allow anyone in the coaching skills, is knowledgeable about audience to join the fishbowl during the subject matter. the discussion. »» Identify and work with the coach to »» Closed fishbowls engage the decide on the structure of the activity. participants in the fishbowl as intact groups, joining and leaving the ›› Is it going to be an open or closed fishbowl as one. fishbowl? ›› How much time will you allow for the USE IT TO interaction within the fishbowl? »» increase understanding of difficult or ›› How many fishbowl rounds are there controversial topics. going to be? »» support multiple perspectives and ›› Do you need a facilitator in addition debate. to the coach to ensure a smooth »» support problem-solving, especially transition as members of the audience for complex problems with no single- enter and leave the fishbowl? answer solutions. ›› Can the selected venue be set up »» encourage active listening and for a fishbowl conversation that reflection. also offers good visibility for those observing? »» enable knowledge transfer. »» Based on your expected results, prepare the observers’ checklist. What should observers pay attention to? ›› content, and/or ›› process »» At the end of each fishbowl, be sure to provide a summary of the key points, using the observer’s checklist as a guide. 159 ROLE PLAY WHAT IS A ROLE PLAY? An interactive exercise that allows participants to experience a situation from another’s point of view, apply or develop skills to handle a conflict or a problem, and analyze the experience with the help of observers. A ROLE PLAY ACTIVITY MAY BE ›› Determine which roles are needed ORGANIZED for the scenario and establish the characteristics of each role. »» as a combination of virtual and face-to- ›› Cast the roles, either by soliciting face interactions. volunteers or suggesting individuals »» at any stage of a project. to play particular roles. »» with decision-makers and practitioners. ›› Provide participants with a synopsis of the role they are to play. USE IT TO ›› Advise remaining participants what »» encourage different or new behavior. they should look for and note as »» encourage exploration and discovery. observers. »» develop appreciation for another’s ›› Facilitate the discussion and analysis. point of view. »» To be effective, role plays should be »» strengthen consensus among multiple unscripted and allow spontaneous stakeholders. action and conversations among the »» develop skills to handle a conflict or participants. In the discussion and make difficult decisions. analysis phase ›› ask the role players to comment first HOW TO USE IT on the enactment to set the tone of »» Provide guidance for those the discussion. participating in the role play. ›› ask observers to Participants need a set time limit and ‹‹ discuss what took place during the clear objectives. role play. »» Do not underestimate the importance ‹‹ offer their own related experience of the facilitator in a role play. and knowledge, not just their »» Use the following checklist to prepare opinions. and conduct a role play. ‹‹ discuss how the role play situation ›› Identify an overall objective for the or problem relates to their work. role play. ‹‹ suggest how the situation could ›› Define the problem and establish a have been addressed differently or real-life scenario that is relevant to more quickly. participants. 160 SECONDMENT WHAT IS A SECONDMENT? The temporary assignment of a person to another department or organization. A SECONDMENT ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Make sure to have a formal agreement and terms of reference for a »» across departments within a single secondment. Consider including the organization. following in that agreement: »» across organizations – from home ›› exact duration, with start and end organization to host organization. dates »» with a formal agreement ›› payment responsibilities (Memorandum of Understanding). ›› duties to be performed »» for a specific duration. ›› performance supervision and USE IT TO evaluation responsibilities, including leave »» develop new proficiencies or enhance skills and expertise. ›› notice period for changes to the agreement, especially if the »» enable knowledge transfer. agreement allows for extension »» support transparency and openness. ›› contacts for home and host »» encourage different or new behavior. organizations and departments »» support deep understanding of a ›› approval signatures subject area. »» Through a secondment, participants are able to contribute as well as gain new knowledge and skills. »» At the end of the secondment, the secondee takes new skills back to the home organization/department along with in-depth understanding of other contexts. 161 SIMULATION WHAT IS A SIMULATION? A realistic, structured situation designed to engage participants in various interactions within a particular setting. A SIMULATION ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Developing a simulation is time and resource-intensive. It requires detailed »» virtually and/or face-to-face. planning and expertise. »» to last for a few hours or days, »» In the planning phase, you need to depending on its complexity. ›› identify the purpose of simulation: »» with the involvement of an experienced education, research, training, decision facilitator and/or team of facilitators making, planning, socialization, and resource people. communication or other. »» for decision-makers and practitioners. ›› decide on the nature of the »» at any stage of a project. interaction among players and between players and the game. USE IT TO ›› decide on the media in which the »» practice new skills in a realistic, “real- simulation will be represented and world” environment. played. Examples include cardboard, »» develop proficiency in handling a paper, or plastic playing pieces in complex role or specific equipment. board games; metal figures and »» enable knowledge transfer. model buildings in tabletop games; »» analyze a given situation in depth. and virtual worlds and figures in a computer game. For digital games, »» support deep understanding of a media technology includes all kinds of subject area. digital technologies, such as software programming, video technology, digital animation, and network languages. »» See if there is an existing simulation and/or game available that you can use before creating a simulation from scratch. »» Do a full run-through of the simulation and/or game before the learning event. Debrief and encourage the pilot-testing group to evaluate their experience. »» Capture the pilot group’s feedback to improve the simulation and/or game and better align it with learning objectives before the launch. 162 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ANALYTICAL ACTIVITIES After-action Focus Group Review (AAR) Interview Self- Assessment Survey SWOT Analysis 163 AFTER-ACTION REVIEW WHAT IS AN AFTER-ACTION REVIEW (AAR)? A structured review process for project teams to analyze what happened, why it happened, and what can be done better or differently in the future. DURING AN AAR, THE PARTICIPANTS HOW TO USE IT ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS »» Keep in mind the following if you are the team leader and are facilitating »» What were the anticipated results? an AAR: »» What were the actual results? ›› Remain unbiased. »» What produced the actual results? ›› Do not permit personal attacks »» What will the team sustain or enhance? among team members. »» What are some future opportunities to ›› Engage all team members in apply what was learned? providing feedback and solutions. AAR MAY BE ORGANIZED »» Within a knowledge exchange initiative, AARs can be conducted at »» as a formal or informal review process. various times: after an event, activity, »» with an external facilitator or with the task, etc. team lead as facilitator. »» Create and maintain an open and trusting environment during an AAR so USE IT TO that participants may speak freely. This »» capture best practices and identify is important to achieve best results. lessons to be learned from implementation experience. »» capture multiple perspectives of what happened and why. »» encourage feedback for improved performance. »» enable knowledge transfer. 164 FOCUS GROUP WHAT IS A FOCUS GROUP? A structured discussion protocol that brings together a group of people, typically unfamiliar with each other but with a common interest, to give their opinions on a particular topic or area. A FOCUS GROUP IS ORGANIZED ›› be objective. »» generally for groups of six to eight. ›› listen well. »» with a facilitator experienced in focus- ›› draw people into conversations in a group processes. group environment. »» as a facilitated interview-based ›› foster an atmosphere that enables interaction that also allows for group information sharing. discussion. »» Prepare an introduction script that »» to be brief; however, it should last at least ›› explains the purpose. one hour. ›› explains how the focus group will be »» to record the discussion and its conducted. outcomes. ›› describes the facilitator’s role. USE IT TO »» Make sure you explain to participants »» test assumptions for improved decision- how you will capture their opinions. making. »» Consider using consent forms, »» test target audience response/reaction especially if the focus group is to be to products/services/campaigns before audio or video recorded. they are launched. »» Select a room that is conducive to »» support development of a strategic discussion. focus. »» Prepare minutes or a summary document »» encourage participants to build on in a timely fashion (within three to five each other’s perspectives. days after the focus group session is completed); review carefully before making HOW TO USE IT decisions about next steps. »» Find an experienced facilitator who can FOCUS GROUP VS QUESTIONNAIRE A key difference between focus groups Focus groups can capture more qualitative and interviews is that focus groups include information than a questionnaire because multiple participants, which allows a discussion is organized around an interview discussion with several perspectives about approach. Questionnaires, however, are a project or a topic. Unlike interviews, focus better for reaching a much larger audience; groups allow participants to build upon one you don’t have to schedule face time (virtual another’s responses and come up with ideas or face-to-face). they may not have thought of on their own. FOCUS GROUP VS INTERVIEW 165 INTERVIEW WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW? A question-and-answer engagement with an individual about a specific topic, usually following a pre-determined set of questions. AN INTERVIEW ACTIVITY MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Before conducting the interview, prepare your questions and a clear »» with well-known experts and protocol. Share these with the practitioners. interviewee ahead of time. »» following a formal, semi-formal, or »» Be ready to dig deeper into the informal protocol. topic with follow up and clarification »» in real-time, virtually, or face-to-face. questions. »» to be captured and shared. »» Make sure you capture the interview in print, or as an audio or video USE IT TO recording. »» raise awareness about a topic, issue, or »» Decide how you plan to promote and cause. share the interview. »» capture tacit knowledge. ›› Depending on your audience, you »» lend credibility to a topic by providing may select one or more ways to an expert perspective. disseminate the interview: print, »» share practical experience. radio/podcast, and/or video/TV. »» enable knowledge sharing. ›› If you plan to broadcast the interview, consider if it is going to be live or pre- »» replace a presentation. recorded and edited. CELEBRITY INTERVIEW A celebrity interview allows high-profile Celebrity interviews can be conducted in a individuals to structured or informal way. It is important for the interviewer to establish rapport with the »» express their perspectives on a topic or celebrity being interviewed. theme. »» contribute to the mass appeal of a development initiative. »» give visibility to social causes. 166 SELF-ASSESSMENT WHAT IS A SELF-ASSESSMENT? An evaluation of how an individual rates him/herself on a specific set of competencies, behaviors, or attitudes. A SELF-ASSESSMENT MAY BE HOW TO USE IT ORGANIZED »» Prepare a self-assessment plan that includes »» using online or paper surveys. ›› the goal of self-assessment. »» as an in-person interview. ›› when to begin the assessment. »» at the beginning or end of a project. ›› how often to assess. USE IT TO ›› who will complete the assessment. »» learn what participants need from the »» Create self-assessment instrument. knowledge exchange. »» Compare results of self-assessments to »» gauge changes in participant at least one of the following: competencies, behaviors, or attitudes ›› actual performance data after the exchange. ›› manager assessments ›› industry standards »» Draw lessons learned. 167 SURVEY WHAT IS A SURVEY? The gathering of data or opinions from participants using a structured set of questions. A SURVEY ACTIVITY MAY BE ORGANIZED ›› Check that the questions are not »» virtually and/or face-to-face. general, ambiguous, or leading. »» in real-time with immediate feedback. ›› Follow good practice in designing the response options. »» over a set period of time. »» Use close-ended questions when »» at any stage of a project. appropriate and if you plan to aggregate USE IT TO responses. Developing the right questions is more time-consuming »» monitor progress. up front, but makes analysis of results »» evaluate results. simpler. »» capture participants’ perspectives and »» Use open-ended questions when opinions or surface areas of consensus. you require a narrative response, and »» conduct a needs assessment or prioritize limit the number of response options. areas of action. Carefully consider your capacity to process open-ended responses and how »» enable knowledge sharing. you will use them; narrative responses HOW TO USE IT require more intensive data analysis for interpreting the results. »» Use surveys before, during, or after a »» Use balanced rating scales and label knowledge exchange to make learning each option on the scale to increase the more relevant, interactive, and useful for likelihood that respondents understand the participants. the scale. »» Surveys are effective polling tools to ›› Provide space for additional prompt discussions, surface areas for explanation or comments at the end of consensus or stakeholder ownership, and your survey. prioritize important next steps or action items and outputs from knowledge »» Pretest your survey before distribution— exchanges. ideally, with individuals similar to your respondents. »» Make sure you are asking the right questions. Once you determine the right questions for your context, check that they are written clearly and concisely. Keep the following in mind: ›› Include simple instructions. ›› Use brief, tightly focused questions that cover one subject. 168 SWOT ANALYSIS* WHAT IS A SWOT ANALYSIS? A structured examination to identify a program or organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses as well as any external/internal opportunities and threats (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threat Analysis). A SWOT ANALYSIS MAY BE ›› Opportunities »» conducted by a facilitator. ‹‹ What opportunities are open to you? »» done individually by participants or in groups. ‹‹ What trends could you take advantage of? »» face-to-face or virtual. ‹‹ How can you turn your strengths USE IT TO into opportunities? »» manage and eliminate weaknesses. ›› Threats »» help increase awareness and as a ‹‹ What threats could harm you? prelude to strategy formation. ‹‹ What is your competition doing? »» stimulate new ideas and uncover ‹‹ What threats do your weaknesses opportunities. expose you to? »» enable knowledge transfer. »» Ask participants to identify the relative importance of strengths, weaknesses, HOW TO USE IT opportunities and threats in relation to »» Create a worksheet to help participants the knowledge exchange context. document their answers to these key »» Determine how you will analyze the questions: answers and debrief with participants. ›› Strengths ›› Consider creating a SWOT chart that ‹‹ What do you do well? shows the results visually. ‹‹ What unique resources can you ›› Consider how you will involve the draw on? participants in consensus building. ‹‹ What do others see as your ›› Consider using the final SWOT strengths? analysis matrix to identify additional knowledge exchange needs or build ›› Weaknesses a road map of next steps. ‹‹ What could you improve? ‹‹ Where do you have fewer resources than others? ‹‹ What are others likely to see as weaknesses? * A SWOT analysis is sometimes referred to as an internal-external analysis. THE ART OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners in the Water Sector