The Art of Knowledge Exchange

The Art of Knowledge Exchange, produced by the World Bank Institute Knowledge Exchange, is an online planning tool to assist development practitioners undertaking knowledge exchange initiatives.  This project management resource consists of five chapters that are intended to guide users through the phases of such initiatives, from identification of capacity development needs, design of the project, implementation, and result assessments.  Case study examples are provided within the chapters of the guide to illustrate the practical usage of the outlined steps.

The major phases of a knowledge exchange initiative are broken down into chapters within the guide. Within each chapter, tips, guidelines, form templates, and resource definitions are provided alongside case study examples. Information is organised based on the chapters Anchor, Define, Design, Implement, and Results.  The first chapter focusses on identification of development goals, institutional capacity challenges, and capacity-development objectives. Defining the project considers the desired outcomes and identification of desired participants.  Design and development consists of participant selection and interaction to agree on objectives and outcomes, as well as results measurement planning. Implementation and Results guidelines, how to execute, evaluate, and report on projects, are provided to the user via online materials, to which links are provided in the PDF versions of this guide.  Within the implementation guidelines, sections are delivered in terms of considerations, preparation, delivery, follow-up, and additional resources. The Results section links the user to actual stories of projects that have utilised the basic steps defined in the guide as examples of ways results could be measured and reported.

Editor's note: In 2015, a second edition was released. It contains a full revision of the original Art of Knowledge Exchange as well as new chapters on implementation and results. It draws lessons from over 100 exchanges financed by the World Bank South-South Facility, analytical work conducted by the World Bank Institute and the Task Team for South-South Cooperation, and reflects the experiences of dozens of World Bank Group staff, learning professionals, government officials, and other international development practitioners who have brokered and participated in South-South knowledge exchange activities.