Smarter not harder...

Enhancing knowledge worker performance

3 themes

1. Think about your work as a “knowledge worker”

2. Knowledge workers as “problem solvers”

3. Considering your personal “knowledge management” practices

Work practices have changed

We have entered the knowledge worker era

Wilson, what exactly is a knowledge worker,and do we have any on staff?

Don’t all workers work with knowledge?

Yes, but....

Knowledge workers ... “have high degrees of expertise,

education or experience and the primary purpose of their

jobs involves the creation, distribution, or application of

knowledge” (Tom Davenport (2005) Thinking for a Living)

... some “think for a living”

Some workers have always been knowledge workers

E.g., Artist, inventor... Leonardo Da Vinci

Knowledge workers are now involved in...

Pharmaceutical research

Entertainment

Engineering and Design

... and so much more

There is growing attention being paid to knowledge workers

Richard Florida illustrates the rapid growthof the knowledge economy (he uses the term “creatives” and “supercreatives”)

How many knowledge workers?

Our changing world has seen an explosion in numbers of knowledge workers

2005

1980

1940

0 12.5 25.0 37.5 50.0

Working

Service

Agriculture

Creative

Super Creative

Creative Class - 38m U.S. workers -

30% of workforce but over 50% of income

Super-creative Class (subset of creative) - 12% of workforce

Knowledge workers are rapidly becoming

the largest single group in the work forces

of every developed country.

The central challenge will be make knowledge

workers more productive.

Peter Drucker (1999)

... supporting knowledge worker productivity requires different approaches than those used for industrial workers

Improving productivity requiresunderstanding how knowledge workers work

What do knowledge workers do?

Do some of the terms on the next slide describe what you do?

Analyzing Sharing Diagnosing

Planning Searching Assessing

Writing Reading Treating

Compiling Investigating Monitoring

Interpreting Collaborating ...

Knowledge workers... as problem solvers

The common theme...

What do we know about problem solving?

Define the problem

Identify the decision criteria

Allocate weights to the criteria

Develop alternatives

Evaluate alternatives

Select the best

alternative

We tend to assume that problem

solving involves a rational, sequential,

logical process

In reality, problem solving is...

While decision making is typically presented as a process of

deductive, logical thinking... in reality, research shows that

as much as 90% of decisions are based on intuition, our

ability to make sense of situations and understand patterns.(Gary Klein (1999) Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions)

highly intuitive, based on how we make sense

and identify patterns in problems

Think of problem solving as a process that

looks like this...

Situation

Cues

Patterns

Action

Scripts

Mental

Simulation

Mental

Models

generates

that let

you

recognizethat

activate

to affect

the

using

your

which you

assess by

Gary Klein, Intuition at Work

(Occurring in real time at a mostly unconscious level)

Sense-Making

Pattern Recognition

Action andFeedback

Klein,G. (1999) Sources of Power: How people make decisions

We use intuitive decision making when?

Task conditionsIntuition-

based DM

Rational-

Logical DM

Greater time pressure More Likely

Higher experience level More Likely

Dynamic Conditions More Likely

Ill-defined goals More Likely

Need for justification More Likely

Conflict Resolution More Likely

Optimization More Likely

Greater Computational

ComplexityMore Likely

This is thework ofknowledgeworkers

Knowledge workers...

• add value through their problem solving

• bring experience and expertise to their problem

solving abilities

• apply sense making and pattern recognition skills

• continuously blend four core knowledge

processes in their work

Knowledge work is a blend of science and craft

Four dimensions support knowledge work

Analytical Information

Social Learning

Four inter-related dimensions

Each described in more detail in the following slides...

Analytical Dimension

Includes the following five elements:

Interpret - recognize patterns and make sense of problems

Envision - create mental models to solve problems

Apply - apply techniques and models to understand and address problems

Create - imagine new options, redefine issues

Context - understand system elements and complexity of problems

Information Dimension

Includes the following five elements:

Source - find and retrieve high quality information resources

Assess - analyze value of sourced information, examine and identify useful elements

Organize - order, name, store and cull information for future use

Aggregate - assemble, summarize, synthesize, edit and combine information

Communicate - present information in written and oral forms

Social Dimension

Includes the following five elements:

Find - identify and interact with others who can help you address problems

Collaborate - engage in effective teamwork and collaboration activities

Close Networks - develop and maintain high trust networks within work and interests

Extended Networks - expand and maintain networks outside of immediate focus

Dialogue - ask questions and share knowledge with others

Learning Dimension

Includes the following five elements:

Sense - expand one’s pattern recognition and sense making capacity

Reflect - continuously engage in thoughtful reflection

Develop - develop new knowledge

Improve - engage in continuous personal improvement

Extend - support the work of others by sharing knowledge

To quickly review...

the four dimensions of personal

knowledge management include:

Analytical Information

Social Learning

Competency Explanation

InterpretRecognize patterns and make

sense of problems

EnvisionCreate mental models to solve

problems

ApplyApply techniques and models to

understand and address problems

CreateImagine new options, redefine

issues

ContextUnderstand system elements and

complexity of problems

Analytical Dimension

Competency Explanation

SourceFind and retrieve high quality

information resources

AssessAnalyze value of sourced

information, examine and identify useful elements

OrganizeOrder, name, store and cull information for future use

AggregateAssemble, summarize, synthesize,

edit and combine information

CommunicatePresent information in written and

oral forms

Information Dimension

Competency Explanation

FindIdentify and interact with others

who can help you address problems

CollaborateEngage in effective teamwork and

collaboration activities

Close NetworksDevelop and maintain high trust

networks within work and interests

Extended Networks

Expand and maintain networks outside of immediate focus

DialogueAsk questions and share knowledge

with others

Social Dimension

Competency Explanation

SenseExpand one’s pattern recognition

and sense making capacity

ReflectConsciously engage in thoughtful

reflection

Develop Develop new knowledge

ImproveEngage in continuous personal

improvement

ExtendSupport work of others by sharing

knowledge

Learning Dimension

Moving forward...

Suggestions and tips

Make a plan

Rethinking Knowledge Work

Supporting work and learning through

personal knowledge management

Kirby Wright

KRW KnowledgeResources

2007

www.knowledgeresources.caAnd companion planning guide

PKM Guide

We rarely take the time toreflect on our work.

Engage in an assessment ofyour work and develop apkm plan

Available

Enhance your sense making capacity

Expand your experience (depth and breadth)

Be more conscious of your practices

Obtain feedback from trusted peers

Improve your searching abilities

Assess the quality of the information you find

Practice more purposeful, systematicand creative search skills

Multiple searches using different tools anda variety of key words

Develop structured, consistent approachesto assessing the quality of information

Strengthen your networks

Build a plan to strengthen your networks

Focus on building social capital and developingreciprocal, trusting relationships

Identify your network, including key expert contacts

Focus on being more reflective

Develop a routine and process forpersonal reflection

Personal reflection requires openness, a willingness to engage inself-criticism and being prepare to examine your core values and workpersonal reflection

Where possible seek feedback from trusted colleagues

Created by: Kirby Wright

Knowledge Resources

www.knowledgeresources.ca