More on coffee as knowledge management
Anjo Anjewierden is getting Settled into his new position. They have an interesting arrangement for the coffee machine that enhances knowledge sharing.
All employees have a key for the coffee machine. Initially, I thought this was to prevent that students get free coffee, but it is intended to increase the social cohesion. This works as follows. Stick the key into the coffee machine, get coffee, walk back to the office and a few minutes later a colleague will bring back your key. This sheds an entirely new light on coffee machines as Knowledge Management tools.
The coffee pot and water cooler are favorite analogies for knowledge sharing in KM circles. Nice to hear that some people have actually done something with the concept.
3 Comment(s)
Don't think it will work because the spontaneity is missing...nothing beats the voluntary almost unintentional happen to be there together at the same time scenario
said:
These responses are interesting. The coffee pot (or water cooler) have been used as a KM analogy because of the idea of coming together at a common, shared space.
The idea that Anjo suggests above is rather entertaining, and I suspect it's an extension of meeting ground idea.
Encouraging people to talk has to be a good idea, whether that is in a public space like the coffee room, or in a one-on-one setting in someone's office.
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Fancy ways but I believe the old fashioned way of the coffee area as a place where people flock and gather is far more efficient.
This key thing creates (random) 1-2-1 communication only and not 1-2 many. I'don't really see how this can create more cohesion as it's less efficient in breaking organizational silos, unless there is no direct/physical communication at all.
The simpler, the better. I feel like it's both forcing and limitating natural behaviors. To be an efficient KM tool, I believe coffee areas should be places where people stick (a bit) and not go thru: pretty much a parking rather than a toll gate.