Knowledge Workers: Methods – Toronto, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Martin Sumner-SmithVP, EA

How do social technologies change knowledge worker business processes?

Rev 2.0 01102010 Copyright © Open Text Corporation. All rights reserved.

Martin Sumner-SmithVice President, Enterprise Architecture, OpenText

Abstract

Knowledge workers represent an increasing proportion of staff in many organizations. However, the nature of knowledge work and the best way to support it with appropriate technologies is seldom clear. What is clear is that knowledge work is completely dependent on social interactions during both the creation and deployment phases. New approaches to social networking may prove to be very useful to knowledge workers. Although they have not received much consideration they likely represent one of the keys to competitive differentiation in the marketplace.

Context

The Enterprise Content Management (ECM) field has traditionally addressed:

Unstructured data = Content

Unstructured processes

Knowledge Management

Is still a hybrid between paper & electronic in many processes

It is merging with Process Management

ECM now encompasses previously disparate technologies

Every thing that can be digital, is

eventually becoming digital

Every thing that can be digital, is eventually

becoming digital

6

Gartner ECM Magic Quadrant

P-P-Information or P-P-Content?

Processes

Content People

Information Spectrum

Content

StructuredUnstructured

$ # Data

Process Dimension

Social

Business Process/Time

BPM , Workflow Collaboration

Structured/OrderedUnstructured

Exceptions cost

Val

ue

Stage of Maturity

Best of Breed(Specialized components)

Business Process centric ECM

(Content embedded in business process)

ECM Suite (Integrated solution)

Increase Efficiency Reduce Cost Reduce Compliance Risk

ECM Solutions Becoming an Integral Part of Core Business Processes

Accounts payable (invoices)

Project management

Legal

HR

Sales/CRM

Maintenance/asset management

Customer service

Quality control

Case management

Procurement

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14%

In your organization, which business process is currently the most in need of integration with content/document management (N=120)

Productivity benefits of linking documents and transaction workflows

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Customer service improvement from immediate access to all related content

Knowledge-sharing benefits of universal staff access to information

Compliance benefit of consistent records management across all data

Higher level of quality, less mistakes from manual cross-reference

Improved storage management and resilience

Commercial/strategic benefit of combined access to structured and unstructured data

Which of the following would you say are the TWO biggest benefits of linking ECM with ERP and CRM (N=296)

Business Processes in Greatest Need of Integration with ECM

Greatest Benefits from Integrating ECM with Business Processes

Source: AIIM White Paper Connecting ERP and ECM: Measuring the Benefits

ECM – ERP Priorities

The ThreePrimary Dimensions

Structured InformationUnstructured

Formal People Org.Informal

Str

uctu

red

Pro

cess

Uns

truc

ture

d

“Organizations around the world struggle to crack the code for improving the effectiveness of managers, salespeople, scientists, and others whose jobs consist primarily of interactions—with other employees, customers, and suppliers—and complex decision making based on knowledge and judgment.”

15

Content & Collaboration in Processes

Context

Notification

Context

Notification

Work Product

Search Consultation

Example: Case Management

17

Copyright © Open Text Corporation. All rights reserved. Slide 18

Process OverviewStep 3Step 3Step 2Step 2Step 1Step 1

People- Administrators- Coordinators- Secretaries

Process StepCase Received- Scan (if paper)- Index- Register- Review and assign

(skip to step 3) or assign for review (go to step 2)

ContentCase request:- scanned copy of

correspondence;- Email- MS Office document- phone inquiry

transcriptCase metadata (index

number)

People- Administrators- Coordinators- Secretaries

Process StepCase Received- Scan (if paper)- Index- Register- Review and assign

(skip to step 3) or assign for review (go to step 2)

ContentCase request:- scanned copy of

correspondence;- Email- MS Office document- phone inquiry

transcriptCase metadata (index

number)

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Complaints Boards

Process StepCase Review- Task and resource

assignment

Content- Case files- Status tracking- Tasks- Event management

and scheduling (timetables)

- Reference data – may be unstructured and structured i.e. similar files, cases, complaints, model letters, reports, records, correspondence, financial data, academic data, etc)

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Complaints Boards

Process StepCase Review- Task and resource

assignment

Content- Case files- Status tracking- Tasks- Event management

and scheduling (timetables)

- Reference data – may be unstructured and structured i.e. similar files, cases, complaints, model letters, reports, records, correspondence, financial data, academic data, etc)

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Subject Matter Experts

(Doctors, Academics, etc)

- Law Enforcement

Process StepCase Processing- Respond- Request further

documents if necessary

- Task and resource assignment

Content- Case files- Status tracking- Tasks- Timetables- Reference data

(structured and unstructured)

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Subject Matter Experts

(Doctors, Academics, etc)

- Law Enforcement

Process StepCase Processing- Respond- Request further

documents if necessary

- Task and resource assignment

Content- Case files- Status tracking- Tasks- Timetables- Reference data

(structured and unstructured)

Step 4Step 4

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Subject Matter

Experts (Doctors, Academics, etc)

- Law Enforcement- Judiciary

Process StepCase Completion - Case may be

archived if not completed after predetermined time period – skip step 4.

ContentCase files:- Structured and

unstructured- Digital signatures

People- Administrators- Lawyers- Social Workers- Human Resources- Subject Matter

Experts (Doctors, Academics, etc)

- Law Enforcement- Judiciary

Process StepCase Completion - Case may be

archived if not completed after predetermined time period – skip step 4.

ContentCase files:- Structured and

unstructured- Digital signatures

Step 4Step 4

People- Records Manager- Librarian- Knowledge Manager- Web Designer

Process StepCase Archiving (and

Publishing in Some Cases)

Content - Final document in

various formats: PDF, PPT, HTML document; print and paper

- Case records indexed and full-text search enabled

- Case excerpts may be published online where applicable.

People- Records Manager- Librarian- Knowledge Manager- Web Designer

Process StepCase Archiving (and

Publishing in Some Cases)

Content - Final document in

various formats: PDF, PPT, HTML document; print and paper

- Case records indexed and full-text search enabled

- Case excerpts may be published online where applicable.

Copyright © Open Text Corporation. All rights reserved. Slide 19

Collaboration within ProcessStep 3Step 3Step 2Step 2Step 1Step 1

Process StepCase Received

Collaborative- Email- Phone/voice mail- Scanned or paper

correspondence

Process StepCase Received

Collaborative- Email- Phone/voice mail- Scanned or paper

correspondence

Process StepCase Review

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail

Process StepCase Review

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail

Process StepCase Processing

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail

Process StepCase Processing

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail

Step 4Step 4

Process StepCase Completion

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail- Digital Signatures

Process StepCase Completion

Collaborative- Community- IM- Expertise locator- Email- Phone/voice mail- Digital Signatures

Step 4Step 4

Process StepCase Archiving

Collaborative- Web site- Blogs- Digital Signatures

Process StepCase Archiving

Collaborative- Web site- Blogs- Digital Signatures

Copyright © Open Text Corporation. All rights reserved. Slide 20

ECM at Play within Process

Step 3Step 3Step 2Step 2Step 1Step 1

Process StepCase Received

Process StepCase Received

Process StepCase Review

Process StepCase Review

Process StepCase Processing

Process StepCase Processing

Step 4Step 4

Process StepCase Completion

Process StepCase Completion

Step 4Step 4

Process StepCase Archiving (and

Publishing in some cases)

Process StepCase Archiving (and

Publishing in some cases)

Document Management/RepositoryDocument Management/Repository

ECM Components• Communities, Wikis• Expertise Locator• Digital Signatures

Non-ECM Components• Structured content i.e. SAP and Oracle

ECM Components• Communities, Wikis• Expertise Locator• Digital Signatures

Non-ECM Components• Structured content i.e. SAP and Oracle

ECM Components• Web Content Mgmt• Communities, Blogs,

Wikis• Records Mgmt and

Archiving

Non-ECM Components

• Digital Rights Mgmt

ECM Components• Web Content Mgmt• Communities, Blogs,

Wikis• Records Mgmt and

Archiving

Non-ECM Components

• Digital Rights Mgmt

ECM at PlayECM at Play

Workflow/Case Management FrameworkWorkflow/Case Management Framework

ECM Components• Imaging

ECM Components• Imaging

Knowledge Maker vs. Knowledge Worker

“The transformational nature of classic ‘knowledge work’ rests with knowledge makers rather than knowledge workers. While knowledge workers manipulate knowledge, adding bits here and moving information down a workflow, knowledge makers create the knowledge that we all work with… Knowledge makers are the originating nodes in your social network.”

- Mark P. McDonald, GartnerExamples of Knowledge Makers: Leaders: create context that mobilizes people R&D: develop new ideas, processes and products Factory: New ways of work

Work Product

Content & Collaboration in Processes

Worker

Context

Notification

Maker

Search Consultation

Changing roles require different skills

Example People tasked with Content Creation are seldom good

at Content Promotion

But Value depends on use ECM has traditionally considered

mitigation of costs ofProduction & Finding

Martin-fulcrum.blogspot.com

Enterprise Architecture – Traditional

Thought Experiment

If you could completely describe the Architecture of an Enterprise could you automate it without

people?

Would it have any value?

Engineering vs. Biology

People

Are not always: Rationale Consistent Motivated by the same thing

See Gamification See Politics

from Reality is Broken…, Jane McGonigal

It’s not my job!

Tomorrow, maybe…

Sure – right away!

30

The Art and Science of Making the Desirable-Viable

Tim Brown » 07 September 2008 » In design thinking »

Thought Experiment

Do companies create value for customers

or

do they create work for their staff?

Is the answer different according to organizational role and position?

Enterprise Architecture?

Pace Layering

Shearing layers is a concept coined by architect Frank Duffy which was later elaborated by Stewart Brand in his book How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They’re Built (Brand, 1994), and refers to buildings as composed of several layers of change.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearing_layers

Pace Layering…

Shearing layers is a concept coined by architect Frank Duffy which was later elaborated by Stewart Brand in his book How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They’re Built (Brand, 1994), and refers to buildings as composed of several layers of change.

The concept is based on the work of ecologists (O’Neill et al., 1985) and systems theorists (Salthe, 1993). The idea is that there are processes in nature, which operate in different timescales and as a result there is little or no exchange of energy/mass/information between them.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearing_layers

Pace Layering

Brand transferred this intuition to buildings and noticed that traditional buildings were able to adapt because they allowed “slippage” of layers: i.e. faster layers (services) were not obstructed by slower ones (structure).

The concept of Shearing Layers leads to an architectural design principle, known as Pace-Layering, which arranges the layers to allow for maximum adaptability.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearing_layers

Wicked/Complex Problems

"Wicked problem" is a phrase originally used in social planning to describe a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. Moreover, because of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_problem

Collaboration/Social Dimension

FormalInformal

People’s Jobs

People Spectrum

FormalInformal

Indi

vidu

al

Gro

up

Collaboration

Access to Facebook, Twitter,

and YouTube is

prevented in 45% of organizations

43

The Law of Digital Disruption at Work

Technology Change

Social Change

Business Change

Political Change

Change

Time

Remember Pace Layering?

The Rise of Social Networking

“Many executives have a hazy understanding of what it takes to bolster productivity for knowledge workers

...knowledge work involves more diverse and amorphous tasks than do production or clerical positions, where the relatively clear-cut, predictable activities make jobs easier to automate or streamline

Likewise, performance metrics are hard to come by in knowledge work, making it challenging to manage improvement efforts”

Primary Barriers

1. Physical Geographic and time separation

2. Technical Lack of necessary tools

3. Social or Cultural Organizational restrictions, opposing incentives and

motivations

4. Contextual Not knowing who to consult or to trust

5. Temporal Time, or rather the perceived lack of it, is also a critical factor

“It’s time for companies to develop a strategy for knowledge work—one that not only provides a clearer view of the types of information that workers need to do their jobs but also recognizes that the application of technology across the organization must vary

considerably, according to the tasks different knowledge workers perform.”

Free access to knowledge vs. Structured provision

Free Access Primary/original approach

for: Autonomous workers with

high degree of expertise Attorneys, designers,

marketers, scientists, senior execs, ...

Assumed to be capable & disciplined

Technology KM systems, Internet, social

media – public and private/corporate

Structured Provision Appeared in the 1990’s

Technology Content management

systems, workflow/BPM, portals, collaboration/social

Newest = adaptive case management

Free Access

Benefits Enjoyment, positive feeling Best when work is

unpredictable

Negatives Workers lack skills Metrics not easy Requires discipline

Structured Provision

Benefits Reduced distraction Load-based routing Embedded rules

Negatives User resistance Reduced socialization Reduced agility

https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Rethinking_knowledge_work_A_strategic_approach_2739

Challenges

Preventing alienation Avoiding automated crack-up

Proposal Allow workers to over-ride Systems recommend not enforce

Trend over time

Computer-supported

Computer-facilitated

Automated

e.g. Issues User acceptance/adoption

Training Incentives & Recognition Habit Tribal behaviour Narrow scope

The nature of work Value realization Governance

Knowledge managers Taxonomies Enterprise perspective

Established Community Behaviour

90’s style discussion Older but technical

users Resistant to social

networks Not using the best tool

Martin-fulcrum.blogspot.com

Post here

Premises Reviewed

Enterprise Architecture:

Tends to focus on structured information and processes since these are ‘easier’ or more visible than unstructured

Tend to miss rapid change, that may be the most important

Underestimate the human dimension

May be a wicked problem

The proportion of knowledge workers in workforces is increasing

Some structure is being introduced to knowledge work

The relevance of newer social technologies to enterprises is still being determined & developed

Thank You

58