Knowledge management

Introduction

Knowledge management improves the quality of decision-making by ensuring that reliable and safe information is available during the service lifecycle.

Effective sharing of knowledge requires the development and maintenance of a service knowledge management system (SKMS, Figure 5.7)). This system should be available to all information stakeholders and suit all information requirements.

Basic concepts

Knowledge management is often visualized using the DIKW structure: Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom. Quantitative data from metrics are transformed into qualitative information.

By combining information with experience, context,

interpretation and refl ection it becomes knowledge. Ultimately,

knowledge can be used to make the right decisions which comes down to wisdom.

The basis of the service knowledge management system (SKMS) is formed by a considerable amount of data in one or more confi guration management databases (CMDBs) which are part of the confi guration management system (CMS). The CMS provides input for the SKMS and consequently supports the decision-making process. However, the scope of the SKMS is broader.

Information is also stored that relates to matters such as:

• the experience and skills of staff

• information about peripheral issues such as the behavior of users and the performance of the organization

• requirements and expectations of suppliers and partners.

There are a number of knowledge transfer techniques, such as learning styles; knowledge visualization; driving behavior;

seminars; advertisements; newsletter, newspaper.

SKMS

Figure 5.7 The service knowledge management system Source: the Cabinet Offi ce

Activities

Knowledge management consists of the following activities, methods and techniques:

1. Knowledge management strategy – An organization needs an overall knowledge management strategy. If such a strategy is already in place, the service management knowledge strategy can link into it. The knowledge management strategy also focuses specifi cally on identifying and documenting relevant knowledge, and on the data and information that support this knowledge.

2. Knowledge transfer – The transfer of knowledge is a challenging task that requires, in the fi rst place, an analysis to determine what the knowledge gap is between the department or person in possession of the knowledge and those in need of the knowledge. Based on the outcome of this analysis, a communication (improvement) plan is formulated to facilitate the knowledge transfer.

3. Managing data, information, and knowledge – Data and information management consists of the following activities:

establishing data and information requirements; defi ning the information architecture; establishing data and information management procedures; evaluation and improvement.

4. Use of the SKMS – Supplying services to customers in different time zones and regions and with different operating hours imposes strenuous requirements on the sharing of knowledge. For this reason the supplier must develop and maintain an SKMS system that is available to all stakeholders and suits all information requirements.

5.11 Organization

Service transition is actively managed by a service transition manager. The service transition manager is responsible for the

daily management and control of the service transition teams and their activities.

Generic roles are:

• Process owner – ensures that all process activities are carried out.

• Service owner – has the responsibility, toward the client, for the initiation, transition and maintenance of a service.

Other roles that can be distinguished within service transition include:

• service asset manager

• confi guration manager

• change manager

• deployment manager

• confi guration analyst

• confi guration management system manager

• risk-evaluation manager

• service knowledge manager.

Responsibility areas include:

• test support

• early life support

• building and test environment management

• change advisory board (CAB)

• confi guration management team.

5.12 Methods, techniques and tools

Technology plays an important part in the support of service transition. It can be divided into two types:

• IT service management systems – Such as enterprise frameworks which offer integration opportunities linking

with the CMS or other tools; system, network and application management tools; service dashboard and reporting tools.

• Specifi c ITSM technology and tools – Such as service knowledge management systems; collaboration tools; tools for measuring and reporting; test (management) tools; publishing tools; release and deployment technology.

5.13 Implementation and operation

The implementation of service transition in a “greenfi eld”

situation (from zero) is only likely when establishing a new service provider. Most service providers therefore focus on the improvement of the existing service transition (processes and services). For the improvement of service transition the following fi ve aspects are important:

1. Justifi cation – Show the benefi ts in business terms of effective service transition to all stakeholders.

2. Design – Factors to take into account when designing are standards and guidelines, relationships with other supporting services, project and program management, resources, all stakeholders, budget and means.

3. Introduction – Do not apply the improved or newly implemented service transition to current projects.

4. Cultural aspects – Even formalizing existing procedures will lead to cultural changes in an organization. Take this into consideration.

5. Risks and advantages – Do not make any decisions about the introduction or improvement of service transition without an insight into the expected risks and advantages.

There is input/output of knowledge and experience from and to service transition. For example: service operation shares practical experiences with service transition as to how similar services

behave in production. Also, experiences from service transition supply inputs for the assessment of the designs from service design. Like processes in a process model, all stages in a lifecycle will have outputs that are inputs in another stage of that lifecycle.

For a successful service transition, several challenges need to be conquered, such as:

• taking into account the needs of all stakeholders

• fi nding a balance between a stable operating environment and being able to respond to changing business requirements

• creating a culture which is responsive to cooperation and cultural changes

• ensuring that the quality of services corresponds to the quality of the business

• a clear defi nition of the roles and responsibilities.

Potential risks of service transition are:

• de-motivation of staff

• unforeseen expenses

• excessive cost

• resistance to changes

• lack of knowledge sharing

• poor integration between processes

• lack of maturity and integration of systems and tools.