This is a process to document the learning that arises out of making
sense of the diverse information obtained during an organisational event.
The process which follows the system map in its format is a tool to capture
the knowledge shared when the participatory leadership characteristics
are applied to meetings of the learning systems.
The system we are focussing on is the event from which we hope to take
significant learning from in terms of the organisation's purpose, the
environment is the arena in which the event occurs, and the sub-systems
are the many activities conducted within the organisation from which learning
is available.
The data collected is therefore initially categorised as information about
the environment (outside the direct control of the organisation, but impinging
upon the organisation’s business system), or information about the
organisation’s system for achieving the its purpose in the environment
(controlled by the organisation) and carried out by the sub-systems in
situations such as the event under study.
During the review of sub-systems learning a number of themes will emerge.
These themes are then used to further format the Learning Narrative.
Divide a page into four columns, label the columns from left to right:
- Environment
- System
- Learning
- Significance
Then select an emergent theme and transpose the information collected
about that theme into either the environment or systems column as appropriate.
Remember the environment is for data about what is happening outside the
organisationa's control but impacting on the event and system is for data
that describes what the system did in the event).
In the Learning column you record what you, as an observer of the event,
have learnt about the organization and its activities to achieve its purpose,
from the information assembled. The fourth column can either be completed
by the same person who collected the data or after a workshop where other
person's associated with the event review the material to expose its significance
to the organisation's purpose for that event.
In some situations where many learning narratives are being compiled around
common issues, the classifying themes may be nominated to make comparisons
between several perspectives of the same event more efficient.
Learning narratives are an effective tool for consolidating learning in
any project and are an effective knowledge management tool.Finally, the
ultimate value of a learning narrative document depends on the conversation
it generates. This is particularly the case if those examining the material
are prepared to suspend judgment and through convergent communication
nurture the intelligence assembled.
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