Learning 3.0: collaborating for impact in large development organizations

This paper builds on the body of research and practice about technology stewardship originally explored in Digital Habitats (Wenger, White, Smith 2009) and on the findings from an initial probe into the experiences of five development agencies using collaboration platform technologies. The probe was conducted from September 2013 to February 2014. The paper proposes a framework for looking at productive practices in selecting, configuring and supporting use of collaboration technologies in international development organizations by focusing on the opportunities that exist in the boundaries between different parts of a development organization and different kinds of interactions that lead to learning and development impact. There is a very useful opportunity to expand this initial probe using a collaboration pattern language and a complexity lens to develop a useful repertoire of technology stewarding practices for collaboration in international development with the goal of supporting greater impact of development work.