Article Idea:
Enabling Work Practice
suggested by chuck kukla on 2008/05/14
The Distributed Work research group at MIT just recently published its report
“Enabling Work Practice”.
The essence of this report suggests that knowledge-based approaches to improving work are useful only if the ability of a firm to use this knowledge is also addressed. Knowledge begets capability and capability begets action. The effective transfer and exchange of knowledge through good interface design relates directly to the performance of any firm.
A brief of the report follows:
The value or advantage of a firm is derived from what a firm can do; its competencies and capabilities.
This knowledge is widely distributed across individuals, which must be marshaled in an effective way.
We found that organizations know more than they seem able to do.
Our research identified that missing, poorly designed or misplaced interfaces of all types including those that are computer, paper and socially based, inhibit a firm’s ability to marshal and use their knowledge effectively.
Interfaces that are difficult to use or are missing, limit the amount of information exchange. Interfaces that are confusing create uncertainty and degrade the confidence in the information being exchanged as well as the trust between the individuals involved.
The implication is that a firm’s capability can not be improved simply by better training, new facilities, adding more information or communication technology, trying new organizational structures or importing best practices from other firms.
A closer examination of how work is carried out and how information is exchanged is required, whenever work is changed, relocated, split between locations, new technology added or re-focused
An interface model of a firm is an essential new tool for improving work.
Want to see this idea turned into a story?
3 people said yes. | 0 people said no.
Be the first to comment on this idea!