5 characteristics of successful knowledge and information intermediary organisations

Presented at 3rd Workshop of I-K-Mediary Network

Catherine Fisher, Institute of Development Studies

5 characteristics

A clear purpose and a service to match

An implementation model that enables you to deliver

A favourable institutional environment and enabled individuals

Reputation and relationships

Ability to evolve, innovate, adapt and spot opportunities

But first a word on capacity

Everyone has capacity and it can increase and decrease

Capacity exists at different levels that impact on each other

- individual, organisation, sector, society

Different kinds of capability make up capacity

Elements of Capacity

1. A shared purpose and a service to match

Work out what problem your service is addressing and base all decision around that

Its ok to innovate and take risks recognise you are doing so

Always keep the bigger picture in mind to enable day to day autonomy and strategic innovation

1. A shared purpose and a service to match - how to uphold

Do initial research consumerate with the level of investment in set up

Have feedback loops (M&E) and ability to change in response

Create culture of debate and discussion in the implementation team and build in time for reflection

2. An implementation model that enables you to deliver

Based on the resources you have – human, financial, technical and organisational

Based on realistic assumptions about how people will interact with your service

Realistic long-term financial model

2. An implementation model that enables you to deliver - how to uphold

Combine new and existing staff resourcesWork to challenge ideas that technology will solve everything (typically information projects over invest in infrastructure and under-invest in people)

Don’t expect your service to generate revenue but some do by charging for certain services that subsidise others

3. A favourable institutional environment and enabled individuals

Right kind of support from senior management – strategic not interfering

Located within the right part of the organisation – not seen as service for the org

Competency based team given autonomy and invested in

3. A favourable institutional environment and enabled individuals – how to uphold

Make the case for what you do to senior management, positive communications

Recognise requirements for knowledge work may be different from other kinds of jobs, how far can you bend the rules?

Look at job descriptions from other organisations if competency based recruitment not typical

Include staff development in proposal budgets where possible

4. Reputation and relationships

You need trust and credibility with users and contributors – possibly through brand rather than direct relationships

Relationships to enlist support and protect space to operate – government, donors, senior management in your organisation

4. Reputation and relationships – how to uphold

Clear values and brand

Invest in ongoing relationship management with the people that matter

Make the case for what you do (examples of impact can help as can relationships with peers)

5. Ability to evolve, innovate and spot opportunities

Applies to both purpose of your service and its design and delivery

Recognise and respond to changing context for your stakeholders (eg changing technology, other services)

Recognise changing priorities for donors (eg rising topics, aid/financing modalities)

5. Ability to evolve, innovate and spot opportunities – how to uphold

Advisory board

Monitoring and evaluation and ability to listen to feedback

Professional development of staff

‘Outcomes based’ rather than ‘activity based’ relationship with donors (relates to measuring impact)

3. Reputation and relationships – how to uphold

Clear values and brand

Invest in ongoing relationship management with the people that matter

Make the case for what you do (examples of impact can help as can relationships with peers)

2. Established intermediaries have been joined by new kinds of hybrid intermediary actors

Libraries, extension and media still important

Everyone is an intermediary now!

But emergence of new, deliberate programmes that don’t fit into old categories

“my understanding of intermediary roles has been blown up! There are horizontal roles, vertical roles, one-way, two-way, multi-way, 360 degrees”

3. A range of intermediary roles – engaged and behind the scenes

Just in case and just in time

Both roles needed to make a difference

4. The origins of intermediary actors matter and shape how the role is played

Librarians, extension workers, researchers interpret and play the role differently

Cross fertilisation of ideas is powerful!

5. No universal acceptance that knowledge and information intermediaries are required

Some thought direct connections were more important , no need for brokers

Others question value of multiple perspectives

Just a new bunch of jobs?

Intermediaries ‘contribution

1. Making information edible

Summarising, synthesising or translating

Switching communication channels

Responding to info needs

2. Enabling access

Digitising information

Preserving information

Organising information

3. Creating demand for information

Promoting value of research

Information literacy/capabilities

4. Supporting marginalised voices to be heard

Showcasing less prominent voices

Searching out less obvious material

Using leverage to create spaces for engagement

5. Supporting marginalised voices to be heard

Showcasing less prominent voices

Searching out less obvious material

Using leverage to create spaces for engagement

6. Creating alternative framings

Bringing together non-mainstream material /voices

Highlighting different ways of seeing an issue

Intermediaries ‘contribution

Discussion questions

What examples do you know of this different kind of contribution?

In which areas is your service active and how?

Are there types of contribution missing?

Recommendations for intermediaries

Go beyond being a repository

Engage with political nature of the role

Collaborate for info flows

Develop standards and professionalise the role

Remember…

“…the champion for the issues and ideas emerging from the conference will be the I-K-Mediary Network…”

Lets discuss!