Knowledge Management (KM) Knowledge Continuity Management (KCM)

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Knowledge Management (KM)

Knowledge Continuity Management (KCM)

Dr

Dr Kimiz

Kimiz

Dalkir

School of Information Studies School of Information Studies

McGill University McGill University 25 October 2011 25 October 2011

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overview

•

What do I need to know about KM?

•

What do I need to know about KCM?

•

What are some steps I can take tomorrow to

contribute to KM and KCM in my

organization?

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KM

•

Where do I start?

•

• Define key terms such as KM, Web 2.0 Define key terms such as KM, Web 2.0 -- -- for your for your organization

organization

•

• Use concept analysisUse concept analysis

List some examples

-Tacit & explicit knowledge Found in people & documents

List some non-examples Database, website, archive

How do they differ? List these attributes

Content is experience-based Purpose is to learn form the past

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The concept

“

digital library

”

•

Examples: Exploratorium (multimedia collection for

science education),

Perseus

(collection of classical

texts on the ancient world)

•

Non

-

examples: a website, webcast, database,

traditional library that you have to visit in person, has

physical books

•

Key attributes (should be in a good definition):

•

• An An organizationorganization that provides resources that provides resources -- -- peoplepeople •

• A A collectioncollection of digital objects of digital objects -- -- contentcontent •

• A A technologytechnology -- -- containercontainer •

• Virtual Virtual -- -- locationlocation--independentindependent

(1) an organized collection of digital information.

(2) supports creation, maintenance, management, access to and preservation of digital content

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KCM

–

key issues

•

Do you know what your intellectual assets are?

•

• Organizational capitalOrganizational capital •

• Human capitalHuman capital •

• Social capitalSocial capital

•

Do you know which ones are the most vulnerable?

•

What types of knowledge transfer and retention

(KT&R) strategies are best suited for each one at

risk?

•

What are the roles played by culture? Technology?

HR?

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Identifying intellectual assets

•

Organizational capital

•

• What remains when everyone leaves What remains when everyone leaves –– typically the typically the least at risk

least at risk

•

Human capital

•

• Leaves at the end of the day Leaves at the end of the day –– human knowhuman know--how, how, skills, experience

skills, experience –– typically at typically at the greatest riskthe greatest risk

•

Social capital

•

• Not just knowing what but knowing who Not just knowing what but knowing who ––

relationships, reputation, connected to a community

relationships, reputation, connected to a community –– typically the

typically the hardest to identify hardest to identify and hardest to do a and hardest to do a risk analysis on

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Examples

Organizational capital

Human capital Social capital

Culture Unique expertise “Go to” person

Patents Highly experienced Connected outside the organization Physical inventory Know-how Know-who

- chairs, tables, databases, books

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How can knowledge be

“

at

risk

”

?

•

What do we mean by

‘

knowledge at risk

’

or

vulnerable knowledge?

•

• Knowledge that is not being widely shared throughout Knowledge that is not being widely shared throughout the organization

the organization –– best practices not known, not best practices not known, not shared, used only locally

shared, used only locally

•

• Knowledge that is not being preserved in Knowledge that is not being preserved in organizational memory

organizational memory –– lost when employees leave lost when employees leave –– end up having to re

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Which assets are the most

vulnerable?

•

• We will focus on human capital (which often will also We will focus on human capital (which often will also touch on social capital)

touch on social capital)

•

• There are 9 major criteria we can use to assess risk of There are 9 major criteria we can use to assess risk of losing human capital:

losing human capital: 1.

1. How specific is it to the organization?How specific is it to the organization? 2.

2. How localized is it? How localized is it? DéDétenteurtenteur unique?unique? 3.

3. How much has it already been documented?How much has it already been documented? 4.

4. How complex is it?How complex is it? 5.

5. How often does the knowledge change?How often does the knowledge change? 6.

6. How hard is it to learn?How hard is it to learn? 7.

7. How hard is it to hire such people?How hard is it to hire such people? 8.

8. Is it possible to subcontract?Is it possible to subcontract? 9.

9. What are the consequences of not being able to What are the consequences of not being able to access and apply this knowledge

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Organizational specificity

•

How specialized or contextual is this expertise?

•

Can it be found throughout the industry? Specific to

this company?

•

For example

–

legal expertise

•

• Tends to be countryTends to be country--specificspecific •

• Except: Quebec legal system differs from the rest of Except: Quebec legal system differs from the rest of Canada and actually has more in common with France

Canada and actually has more in common with France

(Napoleonic Law)

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Level of documentation

•

How well documented is this expertise?

•

• Manuals, job aids, Manuals, job aids, FAQsFAQs, demos, how to guides etc., demos, how to guides etc. •

• The more procedural the knowThe more procedural the know--how, the easier it is to how, the easier it is to document and the more likely that it has already been

document and the more likely that it has already been

documented to some extent

•

If not documented, would it be easy to document?

•

• Can explain to someone in approx. 20 minutes over Can explain to someone in approx. 20 minutes over the phone?

the phone?

•

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Complexity

•

How complex is the expertise in question?

•

• Does it involve multiple interDoes it involve multiple inter--related steps?related steps? •

• Does it require prerequisite knowledge?Does it require prerequisite knowledge? •

• Does it depend on others to complete different steps in Does it depend on others to complete different steps in the process?

the process?

•

An

‘

easy

’

to transfer type of know-

to transfer type of know

-how is typically

how is typically

something that you could teach or show someone

else to do in less than 2 days

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Useful lifespan

•

How stable or enduring is the type of expertise?

Alternatively, how dynamic or changeable is the

demand for this know

-how?

-

how?

•

• Has it changed much in the past 5 years? Past Has it changed much in the past 5 years? Past decade? Past decades?

decade? Past decades?

•

• For example: a group of Y2K specialists in a company For example: a group of Y2K specialists in a company possess expertise of a limited lifespan (or one that has

possess expertise of a limited lifespan (or one that has

an expiry date)

•

• Someone who is specialized in mediating conflicts in Someone who is specialized in mediating conflicts in teams and helping them to work well together probably

teams and helping them to work well together probably

will have a longer useful lifespan for their know

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Difficulty of learning

•

How easy or hard is it to train someone to do these

tasks?

•

• Vocational training?Vocational training? •

• University level degrees?University level degrees? •

• Professional development?Professional development? •

• Mentoring by peers?Mentoring by peers?

•

The easier it is to train someone

‘up

‘

up’

’

to assume

these responsibilities, the less the risk

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Difficulty of recruiting

•

How easy or hard is it to find and hire people with

this type of expertise?

•

• Graduates Graduates –– number per yearnumber per year •

• Ability to compete for qualified recruitsAbility to compete for qualified recruits •

• Ability to retain talentAbility to retain talent

•

For example, some sectors have difficulty attracting

younger workers (Gen X, Y

-

millennials

) due to

their less then rich IT environment or less than

evolved organizational culture

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Uniqueness

Level of diffusion or extent to which this expertise is

shared within the organization

How many people have the same type of expertise and

can perform at the same level (e.g. mastery or very

advanced

advanced skillsetskillset)?)?

If only one, then it is unique and it is at the greatest risk

If shared by other similar professionals (e.g. within a

network of community of professionals), then the risk is

much less

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Ability to subcontract

•

How easy is it to find someone or a company to

subcontract some or all of these tasks?

•

• In other words, how much is this type of expertise In other words, how much is this type of expertise available outside the organization? Diffused

available outside the organization? Diffused

throughout an industry? Service provided by

consultants?

•

• Remember: not just technical skills but soft skills, Remember: not just technical skills but soft skills, strategic expertise

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Last but not least:

Consequences

•

What are the consequences of not doing these tasks

well?

•

• MissionMission--critical?critical? •

• LifeLife--threatening?threatening? •

• What if they are done but not done well What if they are done but not done well –– suboptimal suboptimal performance?

performance?

•

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Knowledge transfer and retention

(KT&R) strategies

•

How to select the best knowledge transfer and

retention strategy?

Question #1:

Question #1: How well documented is the knowledge How well documented is the knowledge today?

today?

•

• Aide Aide mméémoiremoire or a howor a how--to fact sheetto fact sheet

Question #2:

Question #2: How many other people have this How many other people have this knowledge?

knowledge?

•

• How diffused is it throughout your organization?How diffused is it throughout your organization?

Question #3:

Question #3: How much time do you have to do the How much time do you have to do the KT&R?

KT&R?

•

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If not documented

•

• Knowledge mapping or knowledge codificationKnowledge mapping or knowledge codification •

• After action review or postAfter action review or post--mortemmortem

•

• StorytellingStorytelling •

• Group problem solving (Group problem solving (cascas complexes)complexes) •

• Communities of practiceCommunities of practice •

• Social network analysisSocial network analysis •

• Yellow pages or expertise location systemYellow pages or expertise location system •

• Portal or organizational memory Portal or organizational memory •

• Simulation e.g. pandemicSimulation e.g. pandemic •

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Post

-

mortem project

review (PPR)

•

• First, meet with project managers to get their perspective First, meet with project managers to get their perspective on:

on:

•

• What went as expected (routine)?What went as expected (routine)? •

• What was unexpected?What was unexpected? •

• What went well? Better than expected? (innovations)What went well? Better than expected? (innovations) •

• What did not go as well as expected and how can we ensure What did not go as well as expected and how can we ensure we do better next time (lessons learned)?

we do better next time (lessons learned)?

•

• Next have a facilitated session with the project team and Next have a facilitated session with the project team and ask the same questions

ask the same questions

•

• Facilitator should be neutral Facilitator should be neutral –– should ensure everyone has a should ensure everyone has a voice and feels

voice and feels ““safesafe”” during discussionduring discussion •

• Document best practices (innovations) and lessons Document best practices (innovations) and lessons learned

learned

•

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If you don

’

t have time

•

• If you have less than 2 months:If you have less than 2 months: •

• ““Emergency or Rescue ArchaeologyEmergency or Rescue Archaeology”” method is neededmethod is needed

•

• Map out social network and have incumbent ‘Map out social network and have incumbent ‘introduce’introduce’ and and vouch for successor in their professional networks

vouch for successor in their professional networks •

• Who do you ask for help? Who asks you for what type of Who do you ask for help? Who asks you for what type of help?

help?

•

• Good solutions:Good solutions: •

• Document/map key knowledge,Document/map key knowledge, key people that they know

key people that they know

•

• Label everything! Label everything! •

• Negotiate staying connected Negotiate staying connected

•

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If knowledge is documented

•

If already mostly documented, focus

on:

•

• Portals, Wikis, IntranetPortals, Wikis, Intranet •

• Taxonomy building Taxonomy building to decide how to decide how best to organize know

best to organize know--how for easy how for easy future access, retrieval and application

future access, retrieval and application

•

• Document the context, when to use, Document the context, when to use, when not to use

when not to use

•

• BottomBottom--up or consensusup or consensus--based based knowledge taxonomy for non

knowledge taxonomy for non--official official content e.g. work in progress

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If knowledge is fairly rare

•

Focus on knowledge diffusion

•

• MentoringMentoring

•

• Apprenticeship (e.g. interns)Apprenticeship (e.g. interns) •

• Have them develop training seminarsHave them develop training seminars •

• Have them produce a knowledge dictionaryHave them produce a knowledge dictionary •

• Set up a community of practice around themSet up a community of practice around them

•

The rarer the knowledge the more time needed

•

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In parallel

Strategy for the longer term:

1.

1.Think about roles and responsibilitiesThink about roles and responsibilities

•

• Need not be dedicated KM rolesNeed not be dedicated KM roles •

• More often than not need IT and HR on board, on More often than not need IT and HR on board, on committees

committees

2.

2.Think about policies and guidelinesThink about policies and guidelines

•

• More often than not, will need to involve the Legal More often than not, will need to involve the Legal Department (IP, copyright

Department (IP, copyright))

•

• But can start with Creative Commons to facilitate knowledge But can start with Creative Commons to facilitate knowledge sharing

sharing

3.

3.Develop a KM/KCM strategy for five years, including a Develop a KM/KCM strategy for five years, including a one

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Knowledge Management (KM)

Knowledge Continuity Management (KCM)

Dr

Dr Kimiz

Kimiz

Dalkir

School of Information Studies School of Information Studies

McGill University McGill University 25 October 2011 25 October 2011

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agreement

•

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“

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1.

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•

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Wrap up

Key takeaways from today: what can you do starting tomorrow?

1.

1.Define what KM means to your organizationDefine what KM means to your organization 2.

2.Develop a KCM strategy with both a shortDevelop a KCM strategy with both a short--term action plan and term action plan and a longer

a longer--term risk management planterm risk management plan 3.

3.Document valuable knowledge that stems from each project, Document valuable knowledge that stems from each project, initiative or mandate

initiative or mandate -- -- postpost--portemportem project reviews (project reviews (PPRsPPRs)) 4.

4.Ensure that Ensure that ““ddéétenteurstenteurs uniquesuniques”” are connected are connected -- --in peerin peer--toto- -peer mentoring, in a social network

peer mentoring, in a social network -- -- to diffuse their knowledgeto diffuse their knowledge 5.

5.Create awareness for the need for a KM and/or KCM Create awareness for the need for a KM and/or KCM governance

governance -- -- policies need to be in place to help promote policies need to be in place to help promote knowledge capture, diffusion and preservation for future reuse

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Questions?

Merci!

[email protected]

À venir : Knowledge Continuity One-Day Workshop 16 février 2012