of successful knowledgemanagement50 SECRETS

50 SECRETS

Gary Cairns

Risktec Solutions Ltd

OUR COMPANYRisktec Solutions is an independent and specialist riskmanagement consulting firm with significant employeeownership. We assist clients in major hazard industries andcommercial sectors to manage safety and business risk. Risktechas offices in Warrington, Aberdeen, London and Glasgow inthe UK, in Houston in the USA and in also in Dubai. We havesister companies in The Netherlands and Malaysia.OUR CONSULTING SERVICESRisktec provides a professional consulting service in:

Safety Risk Assessment and ManagementBusiness Risk ManagementAdvanced Risk EngineeringKnowledge and Competency ManagementAs an integral part of our total service, we design, develop anddeliver training courses for our clients which span the breadthof our consulting services.OUR PHILOSOPHYWe are committed to providing clients with complete andpragmatic solutions, built on a sound understanding of theclient’s business. Throughout projects we work collaborativelywith our clients to ensure ownership of the solution. Webelieve this philosophy leads to long-term sustainable andmutually trusting relationships with our clients.OUR CONTACT DETAILSFor further information visit our website at www.risktec.co.ukor contact us at enquiries@risktec.co.uk

This 50 SECRETS guide has been published toprovide a general overview of the concept ofKnowledge Management (KM) and to illustratehow KM can be used pragmatically inorganisations to deliver real business benefit. Itis designed for business executives, managers oranyone else who is serious about implementingKM solutions.

Starting from some basic definitions, the guideprovides a modern-day perspective on a subjectthat is often surrounded by mystery, hype andspin.

50 SECRETS provides a no nonsensesummary of how to start a KM programme orproject that delivers real value. Some of thematerial may be controversial, but that wasalways the intention. If nothing else, read thisbook before you engage a managementconsultancy to re-design your organisation,your business processes or your technologyinfrastructure.

Acknowledgements

I would like to start by acknowledging the manypeople in different organisations with whom Ihave worked with over the years. Without yourinput and encouragement I would not havewritten this little book.

Closer to home, I acknowledge the enthusiasmand contributions from my Risktec colleaguesAndy Reynolds and Steve Pearson who havehelped create something very presentable frommy primitive first drafts.

Gary CairnsRisktec Solutions Ltd2006

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of successful knowledgemanagement50 SE

CRETS

50 SECRETS

n Understanding Knowledge Management

n Getting Started

n Identifying KM Areas to Work On

n The Top 10 KM Initiatives

n Running Successful KM Projects

n The Holistic Approach to KM

n Where is it All Leading? … The Future of KM

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ent Understanding what KM is about can be hard.

There is no universal definition of what KMactually is – but there lies the opportunity …

So long as there is logic in your approach and itleads to real business benefit then you’re on theright track!

1. Knowledge management is not new – it’sbeen around for 1000s of years, evenbefore mankind could read or write. Storytelling was used as the first knowledgemanagement tool.

2. Knowledge management is not the latestIT fad so don’t go and invest a fortune inthe latest software. Technology can be agreat tool or enabler but it doesn’t in itselfrepresent a KM solution.

3. Knowledge is different to information.Information is a coherent collection ofprocessed data such as found in a book orverbal exchange. Knowledge isinformation and a learning experienceenabling the holder to apply this to arange of situations.

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ent4. KM is different from knowledge.

Knowledge is about applying informationthrough learning and experience, whereasKM is a set of methodologies, approaches,processes or principles used to address astrategic objective where knowledge is akey asset.

5. Although there is no agreed definition ofwhat KM actually is, one of the bestdefinitions around comes from DavidGurteen:

“Knowledge Management is a businessphilosophy. It is an emerging set ofprinciples, processes, organisationalstructures and technology applicationsthat help people share and leveragetheir knowledge to meet their businessobjectives.”

6. KM takes advantage of an organisation’smost valuable asset: the collectiveexpertise of its employees, clients,suppliers and partners.

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ent 7. KM requires an integrated approach for

people, process and technology areas. Tobe successful in an organisation it mustfocus on business objectives and addressimprovement.

8. No organisation on the planet has fullymastered KM. To prove this, ask anyfinancial director to precisely identify (oreven estimate) the cost and return oninvestment on KM initiatives in hisorganisation. He could give the cost ofoffice cleaning to the nearest penny butthe cost/value of KM is elusive.

9. Knowledge is of little use (at least in mostorganisations) unless it is turned intoproducts, services, innovations, or processimprovements.

10. By its association with people, processesand technology, KM is related to other keymanagement concepts such as ChangeManagement, The Learning Organisation,Management Systems and HumanPerformance. Understanding thisrelationship and how it relates to yourbusiness is key to releasing the benefits.

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tedOrganisations must focus their KM initiatives

on realising real business benefit. Not to do sowould be a total waste of money and effortresulting in missed opportunities.

11. Always have an end goal in mind whenimplementing any KM initiative. This goalmust align with the overall vision andstrategic objectives of the organisation.

12. A costed business case is extremelybeneficial (but not essential) to sell a KMstrategy to business leaders in anorganisation.

13. Ensure that all stakeholders are consultedbefore developing a KM strategy. Beforeimplementation begins consult again andcommunicate the benefits to all.

14. Real ROI claims are difficult because veryoften KM initiatives are masked by otherinitiatives and projects.

15. Treat a KM programme as you would achange programme – to succeed takes hardwork, skill and determination.

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involved in your KM initiatives. After all,the benefits you derive will ultimatelyaffect the service you provide to them.

17. To make real progress and gain businessbenefit, your organisation needs a formaljoined up approach to KM. Take time toconsider the wider picture and provideyour Executive with a formal strategypaper, explaining the benefits viapresentations and/or workshops.

18. Ensure you understand the drivers forimplementing a KM strategy. Ask yourself“why am I doing this” and fully understandthe motives and benefits that such astrategy will bring.

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Making a start is often quite difficult especiallygiven the confusing terminology involved andthe many different opinions you will receive.Here are some suggestions to get you goingand ensure you are hitting the right areas.

19. Benchmark your Company against the bestKM practices. Include other (diverse)sectors in addition to your own. Don’t justcopy but understand the drivers that led tothose practices.

20. Initiate a KM audit. This can then formpart of a gap analysis to compare you withothers and with best practice.

21. Look where your organisation stands on aKM standard maturity model. There areseveral available – some can bedownloaded free from the Internet.

22. Listen and understand what your businessleaders have real issues with. It’s likelythat a number of issues revolve aroundproblems that can be solved with theapplication of good KM practices.

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On23. QA and business improvement functions

usually have some initiatives that arerelated to KM. Check these out, offer tohelp and add these to your portfolio.

24. Still having problems knowing where tostart? Have a look at the top 10initiatives as described in the next section.

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vesWhat are the most common KM initiatives?

Here is a simple list of what organisations aredoing with a brief description of each.

25. Content/Document Management

Most large organisations have undertakeninitiatives involving the introduction ofElectronic Document and RecordsManagement (EDRM). Include e-mail,correspondence, web information,drawings etc and the EDRM systembecomes an Enterprise ContentManagement System (ECMS). These arelarge, expensive projects that takeconsiderable effort to establish and rollout. Don’t focus solely on the technologybut address changes to working practicesand people issues.

26. Unstructured Information Searching

If ECMS deals with structured data then analternative approach involves maintainingmultiple sources of electronic files andsearching for information and links usingintelligent search engines. These are easierto deploy than ECMS and very effective inlocating information, but need careful

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thought in terms of security and personalinformation issues.

27. Communities of Practice

At the heart of most organisations’ KMstrategy, Communities of Practice (CoP)represent the bringing together of like-minded people to discuss common issuesand problems and to share knowledge onrelevant topics. There are several styles ofCoP ranging from a simple coffee roomchat to a more structured approach thatmay involve remote discussion forums,web casting or wiki’s. These involve littlecapital expenditure, are quick to establishbut need dedication and time commitmentto succeed.

28. Tacit Knowledge Capture and Transfer

This approach is used to identify andsometimes to codify knowledge held inpeople’s heads. Many techniques are usedbut most rely on questionnaires,interviews, workshops, etc. They aregenerally time consuming to implementbut can deliver great benefits to anorganisation at risk of losing key staff. Be

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products to do this – at the end of the daysuccess relies on asking the right questionsand motivating staff to provide the rightinformation.

29. Expert Yellow Pages

Expert Yellow Pages are usually used inconjunction with the Company intranet toprovide details of the skills andcompetencies of technical experts in theorganisation. This should be easy toestablish once the experts are identifiedand content is available.

30. Information and Data Harmonisation

Many organisations still struggle inproviding the right information to theright people at the right time. Normally inthe realm of the Chief Information Officeror the IT Manager, information and dataintegration can be a big problem for somelarge organisations given the myriad ofsystems and data sources distributedphysically and functionally. [Although notusually regarded as mainstream KM, thisissue needs to be addressed.]

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Although old-hat now, intranet systemsstill provide one of the key tools tosupport KM activity. They are often thelaunch pad for other KM initiatives and ifnothing else provide a communicationchannel that is key for success. If yourorganisation, however small, is consideringintroducing a KM strategy, then this is amust. Larger organisations, where anintranet is well established, could considerlocal intranets and ensure that time isallocated for development and contentupdate.

32. Knowledge Audits and KnowledgeMapping

These terms are often used synonymouslyto describe the process of interaction withstaff to understand how knowledge is usedand shared within the organisation. Ingeneral, knowledge mapping is carried outat the beginning of a KM programme tounderstand gaps, opportunities,collaboration practices etc. whereas anaudit is an ongoing activity which focuseson conformance and compliance issues.

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Knowledge mapping and audits arevaluable exercises used to measure andevaluate the intellectual assets of anorganisation.

33. Learning from Experience

Learning from Experience (LfE) is amanaged set of approaches that enablecapturing, sharing, and transferringindividual experiences in order thatimprovement is possible in futuresituations. Lessons-learned feedback isincluded in the broader definition of LfEand these initiatives are often used inparallel with project, programme orlifecycle management tasks.

34. E-learning

E-Learning covers a wide range of activitiesbut is found mainly in training, usuallywith a Learning Management System(LMS). The Intranet is often the toolwhere the LMS can be accessed by staff todeliver training programmes on-line andmeasure the results for individuals orgroups.

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ects KM projects are not simple to manage - you will

need funds, time and determination to makethem a success just like any other project.

35. Run your KM initiatives like you wouldprojects for external clients. Some believethat there is too much cost is running aninternal project as you would an externaljob. Think like this and you will probablyfail.

36. Don’t be tempted to take short cuts suchas neglecting planning, risk analysis,budgetary control etc. in executing KMinitiatives.

37. Any successful project starts with anexecutive sponsor, a project manager andrepresentatives selected from all businessareas. Try to surround yourself with thebest people when it comes to technicalsupport.

38. Always record project costs, especiallyeffort costs from participants and any roll-out training. You might not easily be ableto quantify the benefits, but you must beable to provide your sponsor with costs.

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ects39. Seek expert help in areas you are

unfamiliar or have little implementationexperience. A bit of money spent up-frontcan help mitigate many of the downstreamproblems.

40. Leadership skills (as compared with puremanagement skills) in delivering a projectoften make the difference between successand failure. Always think passion,communication, determination,persistence and focus. Gantt charts, riskschedules and process compliance areimportant but are not the overridingsuccess factors.

41. It is normal to encounter cynics whenimplementing KM projects. Tread warilyhere as they can damage your best madeplans. Aim to convert these people ratherthan marginalise. Remember that themost valuable or influential employees canhave the greatest disdain for KM.

42. Be sure to know what success looks likefrom the outset of any initiative. Be onyour guard against scope creep and don’ttake your eye off the goal – i.e. deliveringreal business benefit.

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ects 43. If possible, get your clients in on the act

and communicate to them the benefits ofwhat you are trying to achieve. Ifsuccessful this will be a massive boost toovercome inertia and resistance to changein your organisation.

44. A portfolio approach of running severalparallel KM initiatives ensures that a widerange of KM improvement areas areaddressed but can result in slow progress.Try to ensure that you deliver quick winsin any managed programme.

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Most organisations operate in ‘silos’ and thiscan often limit the effectiveness of KM, whichis a multi-stranded subject involving process,people and technology. Where to fit KM intoan organisation often causes confusion and ifnot handled sensitively can lead todisillusionment and ultimate failure.

45. Many organisations are now implementingaspects of a KM programme but might notrealise this or call it KM. It is importantthat these initiatives are understood, interms of business benefit, and notundermined by the introduction of a biggerinitiative called knowledge management.

46. Fitting KM into an organisation can bedone by creating a business plan whichaddresses the needs and benefits of KM.This is not the same as creating yet anotherorganisational silo with staff and reportinglines.

47. Successful KM programmes have been runby HR, IT, Training, QA or otheroperational business units taking the lead.

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to identify KM initiatives that are notcurrently being addressed or co-ordinatedelsewhere in the organisation andformulating a business plan addressing thebenefits of implementation. Audit andbenchmarking studies are important hereto identify these opportunities.

49. Managers should be proactive and takeownership of their organisations KMprogramme at every opportunity.

50. Knowledge management works best whenthe people who generate the knowledge,are the same people who store it, explain itto others, and coach them as they try toimplement it.

51. If there are no takers for leading KM fromwithin the organisation then largerorganisations should consider recruiting afull time Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) tofocus and champion KM activity.

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52 The biggest indicator that you have asuccessful KM implementation is when youcan eliminate the expression from yourprocesses and procedures. When you canintegrate KM practices into your everydayactivities, you don’t have a KM managerbut can explain to others your KMstrategy, then you will have come fullcircle.

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KMA light-hearted attempt at crystal ball gazingover the next 10, 25 and 100 years.

Within the next 10 years:

J Microsoft outsources its KM developmentprogramme to IBM recognising that truedata and information harmonisation is stilldecades away.

J All US and European organisations withgreater than 250 staff have CKOs (ChiefKnowledge Officers) with terms ofreference that exceed the authority ofCFOs.

J KM surpasses IT as the top subject taughtin universities.

J Andrei Popilov receives the Nobel PeacePrize for his contributions to internationalknowledge sharing.

J KM becomes mainstream in mostorganisations, including small businesses.

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Within the next 25 years:

J Staff in their 70s and 80s are recognised ashaving the most to offer organisations andare highly sought throughout business.KM techniques are used from day one tocapture knowledge from these individualsfollowing recruitment.

J KM is hailed as the greatest advance of the21st century as man reaches Mars using60’s technology and experiences capturedin legacy NASA computers.

J Nuclear fusion reactors provide 90% of theworld’s electricity thanks to collaborativeknowledge sharing techniques that haveaccelerated innovation, R&D effectivenessand halved construction timescales.

J IT integration issues are finally solved asIBM introduces “IMP” (its IntegratedManagement Portal) marginalising allother systems within 12 months.Microsoft goes bust.

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KMWithin the next 100 years:

J No Year 2100 bug is uncovered in 2099when the world tests its legacy, processor-driven computers. However, “m-waves”(m for mind) are discovered in 2099 andwithin 12 months are successfullyintegrated into quantum computers toprovide the ultimate hands-free interface.

J Formal education in schools anduniversities is no longer required.E-learning is replaced by m-learning.

J Everyone can find anything they want bythought alone, interacting sub-consciouslywith implanted m-wave transponders.

J Lessons-learned capture begins from dayone at birth by the implantation of m-probes capturing all human experience anduploading this to a master m-serverlocated in what used to be India.

J Instant learning is possible during sleep byselecting a programme from over 100billion subject listings. The reason forsleep is at last discovered and is re-definedas the process that facilitates m-learning.

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J Knowledge sharing between individuals issuch that famine, war, crime and footballneed no longer exist.

J Knowledge trading surpasses otherbusiness activities. Traditional internetbusiness collapses.

J There still is no formal definition of whatKM actually is, but the old naggingsuspicion that somehow it might lead tobusiness benefit is finally laid to rest.

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