PhD seminar 15.04.04

A case study of the mentoring approach in a SPIKE company

By Finn Olav Bjørnson

Contents Background Study Results Workshop Future plans Discussion

Background

Focus in Trondheim companies Improved internal knowledge management RUP adaptation for use as a process guide Develop method framework and implement in EPG

SPIKE project Research project funded by NFR 2003-2005 Participants:

Abelia Innovasjon SINTEF, NTNU, UiO / Simula Research Laboratory 10-12 partners in Norwegian ICT industry 3 industrial partners in Trondheim

The study so far The mentoring approach to knowledge sharing

in a small IT company. Litterature study

ACM, IEEE, EBSCO Interviews

6 interviews Interview guide Recorded and transcribed Analyzed

Workshop with results

Results from initial interviews Identified positive feelings about mentoring Identified challenges in mentoring Current learning from mentoring seems to be

single looped Several approaches to mentoring detected,

informal and formal Mentor seems to be a mixture of different

roles

Workshop results Identified elements that should be part

of the mentoring approach. Defined separation between mentoring,

QA and sponsor (fadderordning) Identified a 3-way split of the mentoring

approach Identifed how mentoring could be

arranged to promote better learning

Workshop results (cont.)

Workshop results (cont.)

God

men

tor

God

mot

take

r

Læring

Åpne S

pørsm

ål (fra mentor)

-> tenke selv

For

klar

ing

råd

Trygghet

Gruppe

Avtale

Sokratisk metode

eksempler

Personlig kjemi

Tålmodig

Ta signaler(mentor)

M åpen forat n ikke vet

Våge å spørre"dumme" spørsmål

Forventninger

Feedback

Allokert tidi starten

Sette av tid

Innse behov

Markedsføre ordning

Roller

Future work Finish litterature study Final workshop to agree on new

approach to mentoring ”Business as usual” Observe new mentoring approach, does

it promote better internal knowledge transfer?

Discussion Is this computer science? How does this theme fit in our definition

of Software Engineering? Ideas for future work?