pdc 2008 toward participatory organizations
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Presentation for paper: Socialization of practice in a process world: Toward participatory organizations. In Proceedings of Participatory Design Conference 2008, Indiana University, Oct 1-4 2008.TRANSCRIPT
Socialization of Practice in a Process World
Toward Participatory Organizations
Peter H. JonesRedesign Research
University of TorontoInstitute for 21st Century Agoras
Participatory Design Conference 2008 Indiana UniversityOctober 3, 2008
What’s the (wicked) problem?• Our organizations need help. We live with/in the
unlivable. In many firms, the values of efficiency, hierarchy, central control have reached unsustainable extremes.
• Leaders attempt change (transformation), but this is usually instrumental only.Zuboff, 1998 “Mommy & Daddy are not at home.”
• Business research & “design thinking” unhelpful to changeMost of this is short term, goal-oriented, not socially responsive
• Continue to see inability to learn as org culturesThe new is valorized (managers, processes)
What’s (at least one) “answer?”
Socializing … an organic process that diffuses artifacts & activities throughout an organization, creating a web of connections that supports sustainable organizational practices.
How is this PD?(With apologies to Briggs & Makice) Macro-participation in a large organization
Focus of design is enlarged: organizational artifacts
Design of new process or practice is shared activityUsers of new process are internal customers, contribute to design.
Structure of this artifact is conceived by design –design process unfolds over weeks
Strategy, Vision: Direction
Processes: Org routines in production
Practices: How things are done, but also where innovations emerge. Some grow into processes.
Mintzberg “The Structuring of Organizations”
Organization as platform for evolving practices(Processes are what the firm recognizes)
A case study•Large (2B + USD) retail systems provider•Spent >5 years developing “best practices”•Planned a “revolutionary” product (with customers & tests)
•Tech evolved, & UX changed over long period•Development team sequestered - (to “innovate”)
Kept the project secret from rest of the company - until ready to release
Corporate PersonaA 100 year old Fortune 500 type firm with very traditional mgtHierarchical, internally competitive, Argyris “Model I”
The governing Values of Model I are:
Achieve the purpose as the actor defines it Win, do not lose Suppress negative feelings Emphasize rationality
Primary Strategies are: Control environment and task unilaterally Protect self and others unilaterally
Processes institutionalizedFormer UX process failed UX goals, deliverables, feedback “pre-defined”
By product & marketing managementNo latitude to share fuzzy, emergent findings from field
Repeatable, measurable, defined routines▫Process view assumes portable “plug & play,” e.g. RUP▫Consistent training of all using process▫Lines of authority & expertise form (quickly)▫ Imported processes rarely sustainableAnd processes work against knowledge & growth.
After this project failed in market …•Company reorganized UX as a small team•With a small budget – Consultant + 2 staff
To develop prototypes & practices for interim product
•“Best practices” replaced by actual user feedback•Developed new practices & shared results openly (Model II, structuration)
•Hopeful speculation: As socialization worked here, it may work in any Model I or Model II firm.
SW Dev
ProductMarketing
Design Consultant
1. No UX competency.Initial team formed for project.
SW Dev
ProductMarketing
Design Consultant
2. Project connects team across departments.
SW Dev
ProductMarketing
UX Consultant
3. Project produces artifacts, starts sharing resources laterally to other projects.
4. Demand increases: Skill building, recruiting, & management follows.
Project A
Project B
Project C
Project A
Project AUX Group
Practices in a Process World• Practice development is often disrupted by well-
meaning intervention of management, imposing best practices & “repeatable processes.”
• New processes institutionalized by management are often “brittle,” compete for resources & standing
• Direct learning & competency development at the front lines become strategic competencies that grow the firm and sustain its competitive position.
Practices socialized• Build an organic demand & interest in the (UX)
practice. Consult laterally to other projects as capacity builds.
• Collaborate with managers and other roles to integrate practice into business processes. This ensures takeup by meeting common needs across lines /
processes
• Provide awareness sessions, discussion, & education as needed to fit resources to the process.Assessment and renewal, staffing, building competency.
Participation enacted in organization differently over time
For rare, knowledge-based skillsets such as UX, design, research, or internal startupsLeverages available resources with expert support (to plan, generate prototypes, etc.)Projects serves as autonomous testbeds, allowing refinement of practice until “sharing readiness”
“Improv design” in theorganizational laboratory
Conclusions•Socialization as macro-method for participatory
organizational practice design
•Leverages weak ties & generates strong demand among resources in an org network.
Can develop “functionally similar” processes (e.g. UX) from unique, appropriate knowledge assets.
•Follows a resource-based view of strategy: A firm grows from its unique competencies, not copyable processes.Competitive base formed from unique use of knowledge
Empirically & Theoretically Relevant
Organizations attempt to grow their markets
Driven to innovate, to create something new to compete
Requiring new skills & knowledge ….Penrose: The relationship between theory and history is not ‘‘an opposition’’ but one of ‘‘genuine complementarity,’’ descriptive, workable, not universal and pervasive.
Empirically & Theoretically RelevantEdith Penrose (1959) Theory of Growth of the Firm
‘‘Experience . . . develops an increasing knowledge of the possibilities for action and the ways in which action can be taken by . . . the firm. This increase in knowledge . . . causes the productive opportunities of a firm to change . . . ’’
Theoretical Support
PD supports “organic” local co-management▫Line-level responsibility for work practices▫Situated action / front line practices▫Community of practice / learning
Supported in organizational theory by▫Structuration (Giddens, Orlikowski)
▫Learning organizations (Argyris, Senge)
▫Action driven processes (Weick)
We must find new ways to lead.
Conformer Culture
Achiever Culture
Role shift
Risk & Vulnerability to
learn
Headroom for participation
Systems, Structures, Processes
Innovation
Dependent
Leadership
Independent
Leadership
Interdependent
Leadership
From Center for Creative Leadership, 2008
The new ideal org culture is participatory. How to get there?
Participatory RelevanceLucy Suchman (2001)
‘‘… there are invariably participants who have an interest in thinking about what they’re doing, and whether it makes sense, and how it could be done differently. Often these people are first line supervisors. … They are people who really know the work and are in a position to take something of an overview, to reflect on how things are being done.”
Practices socialized• A significant organizational need
Bring rapid, lightweight methods to solve obvious problems.Have management present the success & lessons learned.
• For any practice, determine needs across projects. Provide P2P (tactical) services as internal consultants.
• Develop practices by meeting product needs. Engage customers in the field & bring peers to observe.Cocreate user models in participatory design with other roles.
22
Organization / Management / Employees
ProductManagement
Marketing
Executive Management (Strategic Apex)
SoftwareDevelopment
Pro
du
ctP
roje
ctP
roce
ssP
eop
le
Project B: Supply Pipeline
Project C: Online Education
Project A: Retail Store Management
Timeline8-12 months
5-6 years
2 years
1 year
Ongoing – people change roles
SupplyReleased
Online EdReleased
4-8 months2-4 months
Retail ProductStarted
Retail ProductReleased
Feedback cycle:
User Experience
Organizational Case Study
“How to grow” is a strategic question
“How should we grow sustainably” is a values question
“How do we grow new practices?” is empirical.