"In an experience capitalization, key stakeholders transform individual and institutional experience and knowledge into capital that can be used in future. Experience capitalization is future oriented and aims at a change in collective institutional practice. Its focus may be on strategic orientation, basic concepts, or operational activities. Small experience capitalizations needs hours or days; more complex ones may last weeks or even months. Experience capitalization is made up of learning processes that prepare change. Its output is lessons learnt, and good practices; its outcome is induced changes; a redesigned practice fulfills its purpose."
(Source SDC Learning&Networking, Knowledge Management Toolkit)
History
(if applicable)
When to use
In an experience capitalization, key stakeholders transform individual and institutional experience and knowledge into capital that can be used in future. Experience capitalization is future oriented and aims at a change in collective institutional practice. Its focus may be on strategic orientation, basic concepts, or operational activities. Small experience capitalizations needs hours or days; more complex ones may last weeks or even months. Experience capitalization is made up of learning processes that prepare change. Itsoutputis lessons learnt, and good practices; itsoutcomeis induced changes; a redesigned practice fulfils itspurpose.
(Source SDC Learning&Networking)
How to use
How does capitalisation work? Capitalisation is a complex process involving information and communication management, and includes the following stages: ––Identification:innovative practices and relevant information and knowledge in the area of agricultural inputs are identified; ––Documentation:information is collected to enable the identified material to be described and illustrated using a variety of sources (farmers’ organisations, libraries, research centres, etc.); –– Thetransformation (packaging)of the practices into a wide range of materials that can be used by the target audience, including: brochures, manuals, songs, radio programmes, films, theatre, video, and so on; –– Practices and experiences areexchanged and disseminatedthrough channels suited to rural environments, using methods that enable women and men producers to put this knowledge to good use; –– Finally,appropriation:this enables the newly acquired knowledge to be put into practice, by adopting it, adapting it to context and enriching it. http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/dimitra/pdf/dim_17_e.pdf
How to go about it?
There is no standard procedure for experience capitalization. Precise aims, clear questions and a deliberate openness to change are prerequisite for useful results that are easy to put into practice.
The usual phases in an experience capitalization are:
Needs assessment: Aims, benefits, readiness for change, etc.
Planning: Aims in detail, fields of observation, process, duration, roles, resources, instruments, etc.
Implementation: Stakeholders (ownership), process management, documents, synthesis, validation of outputs, etc.
Practice change: Decisions, planning and monitoring of the changed practice, impact analysis, etc.
(Source SDC Learning&Networking)
Tips and Lessons Learnt
(add yours)
Examples & Stories
(add your story)
David Keller, SDC
“In the course of an experience capitalization process of a public private development partnership, I realized that the consultant I contracted was unable to deliver the capitalisation himself, not really understanding what SDC was intending to learn. Instead, I found that his reports rather mirrored the mind-set of a fact finding mission or evaluation. However, based on his “report on found facts”, I involved my colleagues in a reflection process on how to interpret and what to learn from them, which ended in a SDC reflection paper. I guess the institution profited more this way, as we really engaged in the learning process ourselves and produced an interesting piece of knowledge.”
Experience Capitalization
Inspired by SDC Learning&NetworkingBrief Description
"In an experience capitalization, key stakeholders transform individual and institutional experience and knowledge into capital that can be used in future.Experience capitalization is future oriented and aims at a change in collective institutional practice. Its focus may be on strategic orientation, basic concepts, or operational activities. Small experience capitalizations needs hours or days; more complex ones may last weeks or even months.
Experience capitalization is made up of learning processes that prepare change. Its output is lessons learnt, and good practices; its outcome is induced changes; a redesigned practice fulfills its purpose."
(Source SDC Learning&Networking, Knowledge Management Toolkit)
History
(if applicable)When to use
In an experience capitalization, key stakeholders transform individual and institutional experience and knowledge into capital that can be used in future.Experience capitalization is future oriented and aims at a change in collective institutional practice. Its focus may be on strategic orientation, basic concepts, or operational activities. Small experience capitalizations needs hours or days; more complex ones may last weeks or even months.
Experience capitalization is made up of learning processes that prepare change. Its output is lessons learnt, and good practices; its outcome is induced changes; a redesigned practice fulfils its purpose.
(Source SDC Learning&Networking)
How to use
How does capitalisation work?Capitalisation is a complex process involving information and communication management, and includes the following stages:
–– Identification: innovative practices and relevant information and knowledge in the area of agricultural inputs are identified;
–– Documentation: information is collected to enable the identified material to be described and illustrated using a variety of sources (farmers’ organisations, libraries, research centres, etc.);
–– The transformation (packaging) of the practices into a wide range of materials that can be used by the target audience, including: brochures, manuals, songs, radio programmes, films, theatre, video, and so on;
–– Practices and experiences are exchanged and disseminated through channels suited to rural environments, using methods that enable women and men producers to put this knowledge to good use;
–– Finally, appropriation: this enables the newly acquired knowledge to be put into practice, by adopting it, adapting it to context and enriching it.
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/dimitra/pdf/dim_17_e.pdf
How to go about it?
There is no standard procedure for experience capitalization. Precise aims, clear questions and a deliberate openness to change are prerequisite for useful results that are easy to put into practice.
The usual phases in an experience capitalization are:
(Source SDC Learning&Networking)
Tips and Lessons Learnt
(add yours)Examples & Stories
(add your story)David Keller, SDC
“In the course of an experience capitalization process of a public private development partnership, I realized that the consultant I contracted was unable to deliver the capitalisation himself, not really understanding what SDC was intending to learn. Instead, I found that his reports rather mirrored the mind-set of a fact finding mission or evaluation. However, based on his “report on found facts”, I involved my colleagues in a reflection process on how to interpret and what to learn from them, which ended in a SDC reflection paper. I guess the institution profited more this way, as we really engaged in the learning process ourselves and produced an interesting piece of knowledge.”
Who can tell me more?
Sophie Treinen : sophie.treinen [at] fao.orgRelated Methods / Tools / Practices
Resources
Tags
knowledgesharing, dissemination, communication, adoption, adaptationPhoto or image credits
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