Piazza - the other way of disseminating knowledge

In today's working world, the continuous exchange of knowledge and ideas is a decisive factor for the success of a company. However, the traditional way of communicating information and generating knowledge is increasingly reaching its limits. Instead of being confronted with dry documents, employees expect relevant and easily accessible content that they can quickly understand and apply in practice. One promising option is the introduction and integration of a "Piazza". But what exactly is behind it and how can companies use it to improve internal knowledge sharing? I answer these questions in my blog post.

Employees today are confronted with a wealth of extensive information from a variety of internal and external sources and media. They are often expected to work their way through "dry" documents, grasp the content immediately, derive knowledge from it and put it into practice straight away. However, this expectation no longer corresponds to a modern approach.

Today, there are modern ways of not only imparting information, but also disseminating knowledge. One efficient way of doing this is to set up and establish a "piazza".

What is a piazza?

The Italian word "piazza" literally means "square" or "public space". In many Italian cities, the piazza is the central public square, which is often surrounded by buildings, shops and cafés and serves as a meeting place for residents and visitors.

But what does the piazza have to do with the workplace? In companies, the piazza idea can serve as a tool for sharing knowledge and creating an atmosphere of collaboration. Similar to a traditional Italian marketplace, various "stations" can be set up where employees present their knowledge on different topics as moderators. This can range from the presentation of new projects to an exchange on specialised topics, methods, innovations or soft skills.

Each employee visits one Piazza station and then moves on to the next until all stations have been completed. This not only allows knowledge to be shared efficiently, but also strengthens collaboration and networking within the company. The Piazza thus becomes a lively place for knowledge exchange and joint development.

The physical presence at a Piazza event promotes personal interaction and enables a direct, tangible connection between employees. By moving from station to station, participants acquire a broad spectrum of knowledge. The Piazza also offers opportunities for virtual events. Modern technology makes it possible to create the atmosphere of a real piazza through virtual platforms that facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas over long distances.

How is a piazza organised?

The organisation of Piazza events can vary depending on the size of the company, division or department. However, the key to successfully utilising Piazza is a corporate culture that promotes openness, transparency and collaboration. It is up to managers to communicate to employees that Piazza is a space where ideas are welcome and questions can be asked without fear of negative consequences.

Firstly, it is important to define the purpose, objectives and expectations. The choice of place and time also plays a role. Various employees agree to act as moderators and impart knowledge that takes the purpose and objectives into account. The content should be relevant, informative and interesting for the potential participants. The topics are agreed upon and a schedule is drawn up. This also takes into account that the participants have enough time to change rooms.

Potential participants are then informed about the planned Piazza and invited. They are actively encouraged to use the piazza and it is made clear that using the piazza is a valued activity that contributes to the development of the company. The moderators prepare the content to be presented or discussed during the Piazza. When preparing, the moderators should already consider how the participants can best be actively involved in the Piazza. Interactive methods such as learning platforms can also be used to enable participants to learn in a playful way.

The Piazza is organised at the individual stations. The moderators ensure that everything runs smoothly, that time is kept to, that the participants are actively involved and that they treat each other with respect. After the piazza has been held, feedback is obtained from the participants to find out what went well and where there is room for improvement. The results are analysed and used to improve and adapt future piazzas.

The Piazza and its advantages

A Piazza offers a number of advantages that make it an interesting tool for disseminating knowledge:

Further training through a broad range of topics:

• Motivation of employees to acquire and apply knowledge
• Closing knowledge gaps
• Promoting co-operation and networking
• Increase innovative strength
• Contribution to the achievement of corporate goals
• Positive influence on customer satisfaction
• Strengthening competitiveness and achieving competitive advantages

Conclusion

A piazza can be an extremely valuable tool for improving the internal exchange of knowledge and collaboration within the company. An open culture, clear goals and expectations, effective facilitation, encouraging participation and engagement, and evaluating success are key factors in realising the full potential of a piazza. By consistently implementing these measures, companies can increase their knowledge dissemination and innovative strength and thus remain competitive in the long term.

Would you like to find out more about exciting topics from the world of adesso? Then take a look at our previous blog posts.

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