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

Thank you

Peter Jones

Redesign Researchpeter@redesignresearch.com

University of Toronto

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.