Andrew J. Sense

Learning Generators: Project Teams Re-Conceptualized

This paper offers a conception of a project team from a learning perspective. This conception includes project teams being considered “learning generators” by being an amalgam of many different “communities of practice” (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002), which simulate an embryonic form of a new community of practice. Barriers to situated learning between project team members within the project environment are also illuminated. This paper presents practical structural attributes that form “learning bridges” to overcome these learning barriers within project teams. Additionally, issues for research into project learning are explored.

An architecture for learning in projects

This paper reports upon a two‐year, qualitative, case study action research investigation into “learning within a project team”. This project team undertook a significant socio‐technical redesign project within a major Australian heavy engineering/manufacturing operation. The paper identifies and elaborates upon a number of elements that form a potential “learning architecture” for intra‐project learning. In unison with these elements, the paper also argues that project teams pursuing a learning objective within a project must pay systematic attention to the “situated learning” aspects of their project context. It is concluded that the potential learning architecture presented has implications for research in the learning and project management fields and, most importantly, for learning processes within project management workplace practice. These implications may extend beyond the project management boundary researched and be applicable in other similar group settings where managers attempt to facilitate learning.

Conceptions of learning and managing the flow of knowledge in the project‐based environment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how people can conceive learning and knowledge management processes within project teams and provides conceptual guidance on the most effective way to managerially approach these important and often neglected project issues.Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual paper which draws on and dissects a very broad and relevant literature on learning and knowledge management.Findings – Based on the analysis conducted, and with an eye to improving project learning, project outcomes and participant learning skills, the key argument of this paper is that participants in project teams must acknowledge and pursue a more socially oriented trajectory in their learning and knowledge management activities. Therein, the participants, their project practices and the organization of the project environment become the focal points of attention and action.Research limitations/implications – This paper puts forward a conceptually grounded argument for a greater prac...

Cultivating learning within projects

Introduction Conceptualizing learning within a project Sociological perspectives and learning in projects Cognitive style Learning relationships and pyramid of authority Knowledge management and situational context The project learning opportunity: where to now?

Stimulating situated learning within projects: personalizing the flow of knowledge

This paper provides an empirical insight into the social complexities of practically supporting the knowledge creation processes within a project setting. It helps address a gap in knowledge in the project management, organizational learning and knowledge management literatures, concerning the dynamics of situated learning. Drawing on the findings of a participative action research case study investigation of project-based learning, this paper argues that predominantly adopting a ‘personalization approach’ to manage knowledge flows within a project setting most significantly stimulates situated learning activity. This approach also underpins project participants’ communal and critical reflection on their knowledge management practices and on other sociological elements within their environments that affect their situated learning activities. Undertaking those learning actions only further energizes project participants’ learning activity and progressively helps develop their skills in ‘learning how to learn’.

A model of the politics of project leader learning

Abstract This article proposes and describes a model for understanding the political issues associated with and impacting upon, individual learning for project leaders, whilst they are leading an innovation project. The value in this model is that it provides a means of conceptualizing and reconciling the interplay of the political issues and the learning activity of the project leader, and, building a practical agenda for optimising the benefits of learning. The applied qualitative research supporting the model and conclusions, was conducted with two project leaders involved in leading two large, separate, but interrelated projects within one Australian manufacturing operation over a period of 5 years.

Facilitating conversational learning in a project team practice

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide an empirical insight into the facilitation dilemmas for conversational learning in a project team environment.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is an outcome of a participative action research process into the dynamics of situated learning activity in a case study project team. As part of their organizational change project (which included an explicit project goal of developing their collective and individual learning competencies) the case study project team initiated and undertook a series of participative “learning‐how‐to‐learn” workshops. These workshops were “learning spaces” that were centred on engaging “conversations” to both initiate and promote interpersonal understanding and critical reflective practice between the participants.Findings – In evaluating the discontinuities experienced between the planned phases and activities in these “learning space” workshop processes, three key lessons that the participants learnt about facilitating conversational ...

The social learning character of projects and project teams

This conceptual paper challenges the traditional view of projects and project teams as only being temporal and separate entities focused on achieving particular and tangible outcomes. Such a limited perspective tends to overlook the generative learning and personal growth potential inherent within the project form. Based on a social constructivist learning perspective which embraces situated learning theory and communities of practice, this paper proposes an alternative characterisation of projects. With this re-characterisation, on-the-job learning and the socio-cultural conditions that nurture it may move towards the forefront of project activities. This complementary perspective can have profound effects on the way people and organisations embrace project based organising and in the way they devise, deploy and enact learning activities within a project. The arguments posited in this paper also support a suggestion that organisational learning and the development of a learning culture can be intentionally enhanced through projects.

Driving the bus from the rear passenger seat: control dilemmas of participative action research

What do you do when you want to participate and let the other participants in a participative action research study ‘lead’ the process, but feel you know what needs to be done and are motivated to ‘lead’ the process yourself? What are some of the key issues for the participant action researcher to consider in relation to this nexus? I might suggest it is like trying to drive the bus from the rear passenger seat—wanting to genuinely participate as a passenger but still wanting some degree of control over the destination. This paper presents reflective empirical ‘practice data’ supporting insights into this dilemma concerning control and participation faced by participative action researchers. The dilemmas and concluding considerations presented are founded on a two‐year participative action research study on learning within a project team undertaking an organizational change project.

Ever consider a supply chain as a “community of practice”? Embracing a learning perspective to build supply chain integration

Purpose – This article introduces a conceptual view of supply chains from a situated learning and “community of practice” perspective. This non‐conventional “soft systems” view places an emphasis on the social and practical dimensions of learning within a context as a means to improve supply chain integration and performance.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is conceptual and introduces a learning theory that offers practical relevance to practitioners in the supply chain field.Findings – The findings presented in this paper are conceptual. However, the perspective offered draws upon recent successful research into the dynamics of situated learning activity in a project team environment.Practical implications – By embracing this humanistic and social learning perspective, practitioners have opportunities to initiate a “community of practice” condition in which they systematically focus on and collaboratively develop their learning skills and their supply chain interactions and integration.Originali...