Curating creative communities of practice: the role of ambiguity

Abstract

Communities of Practice (CoPs), it is argued, are loci for creativity, innovation and problem-solving. Instigating a CoP and harnessing this creative energy from an external position (be it institutional or individual) is, however, problematic. Literature surrounding CoPs emphasises the delicate manner in which they are formed and sustained. Those instigating these communities from an external position, such as curators, managers, or educators, do so at the risk of undermining some of CoPs' fundamental qualities. Namely: the fluid social relations, the level of informality and the processes of self-selection and moderation that characterise CoPs. Asking the question 'how, if possible, can one instigate creatively-oriented CoPs?'-in particular those composed of experts working within limited timeframes-this paper analyses eleven newly formed groups partaking in an experimental design biennial (BIO50) organised to foster collaborative learning and practice. The study focuses on the relationship between a curatorial structure with high degrees of ambiguity and participant collaboration. The paper provides practical implications and theoretical elaborations for those seeking to organise creative collaborations.

Integrating Design into Organizations: The Coevolution of Design Capabilities

“…Tools and processes are needed to extend the reach of design from professional designers to others in the organization, with both informal collaboration and alignment being beneficial for developing creative communities. 64 Product and service design, facilitating the design and development efforts of others, designing organizational processes, and leading design all need to be addressed and aligned to effect change on traditional linear, technology-driven ways of operating throughout the organization. Finally, open discussion needs to be scaffolded to enable redesigning roles and power structures, as well as debate the ethical judgment calls inherent in design work.…”

“…From an organizational perspective, it is important to recognize that designers do not represent a unified group, rather different specializations and skills are needed for different design tasks -yet peer support and collaboration across specializations is important. Tools and processes are needed to extend the reach of design from professional designers to others in the organization, with both informal collaboration and alignment being beneficial for developing creative communities 64. Product and service design, facilitating the design and development efforts of others, designing organizational processes and leading design all need to be addressed and aligned to effect change on traditional linear, technology-driven ways of operating throughout the organization.…”

The pleasures of ambiguity: pedagogy and musical apprenticeship in an Istanbul art studio

“…In my analysis, I play with these dual qualities of ambiguity as something that pushes against closure and fixity, enabling, instead, open function and a multitude of interpretations. My argument supplements a second body of research that explores the productive possibilities of ambiguity in a range of fields, from humanistic scholarship (Levine 1985), corporate communication and management (Eisenberg 1984; Wilf 2019), art and aesthetics (Berndt & Koepnick 2018), design (Kaethler 2019), to poetry and language (Empson 1949 [1930]; McMahan & Evans 2018; Ossa‐Richardson 2019). 2 The complex alliance between creativity and ambiguity has been a ubiquitous theme in this multidisciplinary literature (see Byers 2007).…”

Fostering resilience in young people with intellectual disabilities using a ‘settings’ approach

“…Whilst those with a more rationalist orientation may see these positions as conceptually contradictory and practically confusing ( Rothbart and Park, 2004 ), there is a growing sense that ‘ambiguity’ is both inevitable ( Berndt and Sachs-Hombach, 2015 ) and potentially creative and constructive in practice communities ( Kaethler, 2019 ). In broader terms, this ground can be seen again in relation to our earlier contention that wellbeing and resilience-oriented interventions tend to feel the need to be wholly affirmative in their approach, under-representing the existence of potentially challenging influences.…”