Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
current project context. This supplementary knowledge is provided through associated
discussions in the users' groups and their private annotations and, of course, captures
lessons learned from completed or current projects.
If no relevant knowledge is available, the user has encountered a gap in the
knowledge and may write a quick private note that he can attach to the current part of
the process model. In case he is a member of a group that is allowed to discuss this
model he may raise the problem in the related discussion. Other users may be able to
help, possibly they had been confronted with a similar problem formerly and had
written a private note to remember the solution. Then they may bring this note into
the group discussion.
Either-way, if a new solution or conclusion turns up and finds approval, it may be
added as a new experience to the experience base. The process model would be
adapted periodically as substantial feedback is accumulated from the discussions and
the new experiences.
indiGo is more comprehensive than other approaches to organizational learning
(Tautz 2000, Bergmann 2001, Kluge 1999, Minor & Staab 2002) because it bridges
the gap between informal, communication-oriented knowledge and formal,
organization-oriented knowledge and provides a socio-technical solution that covers
individual knowledge usage as well as social knowledge creation.
3
indiGo - The Methodology
How an organization can accomplish process learning using the indiGo platform (its
technical side) is the core of the indiGo methodology.
3.1
Introduction by Bootstrapping
The indiGo methodology is in itself structured in terms of a process model, called the
indiGo model for process learning. The self description of the indiGo methodology
through indiGo process models offers the opportunity to 'bootstrap' indiGo, that is, to
apply indiGo to itself. First, it allows to have a test run of both the methodology and
the technical infrastructure during the introduction of indiGo. Furthermore, since the
persons involved in the indiGo introduction directly perform and experience this
approach, it will be their prime interest to resolve occurring difficulties. Therefore, the
members of the organization can rely on a tested infrastructure and a consolidated
team to support them in the roll-out phase.
The bootstrap approach to introducing indiGo also implements three feedback
cycles: A process-related, an organization-specific-methodic, and a general-methodic
one. The process-related feedback cycle is the application of the indiGo methodology
to the processes of the organization. The organization-specific-methodic one is the
continuous improvement of the indiGo methodology at a specific organization. The
general-methodic one is the feedback of experience gained by introducing the indiGo
methodology by the supporting organizations, thus improving the generic process
model of indiGo.
