This post is my attempt at figuring out how to explain a connection.

Last Thursday, Corporate Learning Trends & Innovation presented an online conference entitled June Learn Trends – Networked and Social Learning. I only got to hear one presentation, but that one really got my mind going.

The session was Organizational Challenges in a World of Networks given by Verna Allee. She talked about how social networks operate based on roles, not on hierarchical structures. She had a slide explaining the components of Value Network Modeling:

• Nodes represent participants, or real people, and the ROLES that they play
• Solid lines between the nodes show tangible, or formal deliverables
• Dashed lines between the nodes show intangible or informal value being provided

Everything she talked about reminded me of what I know about ITIL (I’m ITIL certified). ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. ITIL is a way of managing IT infrastructure, development, and operations (management of IT operations is also known as ITSM or IT Service Mangement). My company sells an ITIL service management software solution called Infra.

So I commented: “This sounds an awful lot like ITIL”. Verna responded that Value networks are actually part of ITIL V3, and value network modeling is the first step in preparing an environment to adopt ITIL.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around these connections. I can explain ITIL, my group teaches it for goodness sake! I think I can explain value networks, especially if it is a component of ITIL v3. Can I use those connections to explain networked learning?

I think so. If ITIL has included value networks as part of its structure. Value network evaluations force organizations to look for their institutional knowledge, and to build their best practices based on these value networks. If an organization is looking for these intangible connections, why wouldn’t they leverage the training organization to encourage and foster the creation and mainenance of value networks that support the organization?

The April issue of Chief Learning Officer had an article on this: Leveraging Human Networks to Accelerate Learning. One key message of the article is that networks is where learning happens:

“Networks are where learning happens,” said Patti Anklam, author of Net Work. Anklam explained that employees instinctively create networks of informal relationships to get things done. They learn who can solve a problem, provide expertise on a certain product line, brainstorm new ideas, fix broken processes and give excellent career advice.

The article goes on to explain how to identify a network, how to seed one, and how to leverage the network to get real work done.

I’m still trying to work out how to make the connection between value networks and training. Any ideas?