CINFO has enlisted the support of IPK to investigate how development organisations in Switzerland are strategically adapting to the impending exodus and brain drain posed by the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, along with the potential vacuum of invaluable experience it may create.
“Rethinking Knowledge Management” invited not only a reevaluation of KM as a discipline but also challenged us to rethink the very ways in which we manage knowledge about Knowledge Management effectively. If the inherent notion of rethinking KM held merit, then surely this research couldn’t and shouldn’t culminate merely in a traditional report. While some practices exist regarding how institutions are addressing this issue, any semblance of best practices (or even a blueprint) had to betray the intricate complexities of the matter at the heart of it. Moreover, adhering to the core principles of human-centred design necessitated that the usability of the final outcome takes precedence. What insights and formats would genuinely add value?
We crafted a process that first engaged the “end users,” posing the essential question: What are you genuinely interested in learning that is relevant to your practices? This initial inquiry illuminated the assumptions we all carried into the engagement. A second key starting point involved reflecting on our own implicit mental models, ensuring they were brought to light rather than influencing our thought processes in obscured ways.
Through this exploration, the CINFO team gathered a wealth of stories and insights, which we meticulously screened to identify underlying patterns suggesting deeper significance at play. Around these critical germination points, we continuously dissected and reassembled diverse ideas, concepts, experiences, practices, and tools.
Ultimately, in alignment with our guiding principle to avert “one-size-fits-all recipes,” we opted for a method of sharing that was as playful as much as it was thought-provoking. Through a format we at IPK invented, referred to as thinkDESIGNprompts, we supported CINFO to develop a card set designed to pose essential questions, provoke deeper reflections, and inspire practitioners to reassess and renew their concepts and practices in innovative ways. This approach deeply embodies the notion that every organisation’s takeaway must be uniquely adapted and contextually relevant, avoiding the pitfall of simply reiterating the same old answers.
We are confident that this set of thinkDESIGNprompts is not only a versatile tool—ideal for animating team discussions, devising strategies, assessing situations, conducting training sessions, or fostering personal reflection—but also a more engaging and accessible format for sharing knowledge and experience.
IPK’s diverse expertise in areas such as knowledge management, design thinking, process design, and institutional learning coalesced brilliantly in this initiative. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to CINFO for affording us the opportunity to collaborate on this thrilling endeavour and for your willingness to experiment, take risks, explore new avenues, and navigate the complexities of the unknown together!