An Introduction to Knowledge Management

Objectives for this session

To explore the history & theory of Knowledge Management (KM)

To understand the controversies around KM

To learn about how KM programs are implemented through different models

To discuss the ideas in the readings

What is Knowledge Management?

What are your ideas?

What have you read?

What have you heard?

What do you imagine?

“Processing data can be performed by machine, but only the human mind can process knowledge or even information.”

Jesse Shera in Machlup and Mansfield’s The Study of Information: InterdisciplinaryMessages. NY: Wiley, 1983.

One Perspective of KM

“KM [Knowledge Management] involves blending a company’s internal and external information and turning it into actionable knowledge via a technology platform.”

Susan DiMattia and Norman Oder in Library Journal, September 15, 1997.

Knowledge Management

© United Features Syndicate, Inc.

“ Management” of Knowledge

Knowledge management is an integrated systematic approach to identifying, managing and sharing all of an enterprise’s information assets, including databases, documents, policies, and procedures, as well as previously unarticulated expertise and experience held by individual workers.

Fundamentally it is about making the collective information and experience of an enterprise available to individual worker.

The ChallengeMeeting customers higher expectations

This was happening for past 30 years but accelerated in the past decade

Further pushed by new technologies like high speed computing and Internet

Difficult survival in market facing enterprise, where every process and activity within the organization is pointed towards increasing customer value.

Oh Customer ….tussi great ho

•Business process re-engineering which was once seen as stepping stone for downsizing, has taken its rightful place as a tool for simplifying customer interaction with the organization.•Change in profile of employees….who have become customer rather than task focused.

New partners

New paradigms are also emerging in the organization’s relationships with its suppliers and sub-contractors.

They are now seen as key partners in vital corporations, providing the ability for the entire supply chain to be fine tuned towards changing market needs

ProblemsProblem of identifying the source of knowledge that exist within the organizationIssue of finding the correct method of sharing and disseminating knowledge across the enterprise To transform customer satisfaction capabilities of each an every member of the organization through timely availability and use of the collective knowledge base.

Knowledge Terminology

Few things you should know

Intellectual Assets

Social capital – relationships with customers, employees, business partners and external expertsStructural capital – patents; brand names; systems and processes; management philosophyHuman capital – education; experience; skills; attitudes

Explicit and Tacit Knowledge

Explicit knowledge – what is recorded; easily identified, articulated, shared and employedFormal or codifiedDocuments: reports, policy manuals, white

papers, standard proceduresDatabasesBooks, magazines, journals (library

Tacit knowledge – personal; wisdom and experience; context-specific; more difficult to extract and codify Informal and uncodifiedValues, perspectives & cultureKnowledge in headsMemories of staff, suppliers and

vendors

Further Attributes of Knowledge

Know-howKnow-whyKnow-whatKnow-whoKnow-whereKnow-when

Understanding KM

Understanding Knowledge Management requires an understanding of knowledge and the knowing process and how that differs from information and information management.

Data – raw facts; numbers

Information – data in context; readily captured in documents and databases

Knowledge – information plus experience to act upon

DataData The raw material from which information is The raw material from which information is

developeddeveloped No independent contextNo independent context

InformationInformation A collection of data connected by relationshipsA collection of data connected by relationships Tends to be static, descriptive (vice predictive)Tends to be static, descriptive (vice predictive) Depends on external context for meaningDepends on external context for meaning

KnowledgeKnowledge Patterns of informationPatterns of information Predictive, repeatable (answers the “how” Predictive, repeatable (answers the “how”

question)question) Internal or self-generating contextInternal or self-generating context

WisdomWisdom Core truths (the “why”)Core truths (the “why”) Completely context independentCompletely context independent

Classic Data to Knowledge Hierarchy

Wisdom

Knowledge

Information

Data

From Facts to Wisdom(Haeckel & Nolan, 1993)

one example of the hierarchy

Facts

Information

Intelligence

Knowledge

Wisdom

Less is

More

Volume

Completeness

Objectivity

Value

Structure

Subjectivity

Knowledge is Different

Data

Information

Knowledge

Intelligence

Codifiable, explicitEasily transferable

Human, judgemental

Contextual, tacitTransfer needs learning

Knowledge is Different

Chaotic knowledge processes

Systematic information and knowledge processes

Human knowledge and networking

Information databases and technical networking

Working Definition

Knowledge Management is the explicit

and systematic management of vital

knowledge - and its associated processes

of creation, organisation, diffusion, use and

exploitation.

The process of:The process of: CollectingCollecting OrganizingOrganizing AnalyzingAnalyzing

information to create knowledge, theninformation to create knowledge, then MemorializingMemorializing

that knowledge andthat knowledge and DistributingDistributing

it to end usersit to end users

Components of KM Programme

People – communities and networks

Processes – knowledge-enabled

Technology – collaboration, knowledge leverage tools

Content – best practices, internal and external intelligence

What is ... in Practice

Knowledge Teams - multi-disciplinary, cross-functional

Knowledge (Data)bases - experts, best practice

Knowledge Centers - hubs of knowledge

Learning Organization - personal/team/org development

Communities of Practice - peers in execution of work

Technology Infrastructure - Intranets, doc mgt

2 Key Thrusts

Sharing existing knowledge“Knowing what you know”

Knowledge for Innovation“Creating and Converting”

Seven LeversCustomer Knowledge - the most vital knowledge

Knowledge in Products - ‘smarts’ add value

Knowledge in People - but people ‘walk’

Knowledge in Processes - know-how when needed

Organizational Memory - do we know what we know?

Knowledge in Relationships - richness and depth

Knowledge Assets - intellectual capital

Activities of Managing Knowledge

CreateDiscoverCaptureDistilValidateShareAdaptAdoptTransferApply

IT InfrastructureA key enabler

Access anytime, anywhere, anyhow

Lotus Notes, Intranets - groupware

Point solutions e.g. data mining, mapping

New generation of Knowledge Based systems

Focus on the I (Information - about Knowledge)

Hybrid, virtual teams

Critical Factors

Strong link to business imperative

Compelling vision and architecture

Knowledge leadership

Knowledge creating and sharing culture

Continuous Learning

Well developed ICT infrastructure

Systematic knowledge processes

Action Planning

1. Find out where you are!do an assessment; look for existing practice

2. Identify the knowledge championsand top level sponsors

3. Start the learning processattend seminars, site visits, assemble resources

4. Understand the seven knowledge levers find how knowledge adds value to your

business

Action Planning (cont.)5. Identify Related Initiatives

an opportunity for collaboration?

6. Initiate a Pilot Project look for quick wins, within long-term framework

7. Assess Organizational Readinessassessment plus enablers, levers, foundations

8. Develop a road map for knowledgevision, goals, strategies, resources, networks.”

History of Information Professionals as Knowledge

Managers

Knowledge management is a new business strategy, but its techniques can be traced to the work of documentalists in the early part of the twentieth century.

Documentalists as Knowledge Managers

In Europe and America in the first part of the twentieth century, documentalists had grand visions of collecting, codifying and organizing the world’s knowledge for the purpose of world peace.

Information Professionals as Knowledge Managers

The documentalists were the original multimedia professionals.Paul Otlet – began the International Federation for Documentation. He wanted libraries to stop being depositories and to become more dynamic in information transfer.Under the leadership of Otlet the Europeans not only collected and codified documents, they developed networks and worked to exchange knowledge among people.

Caution

It would be a mistake, though, to define Knowledge Management as solely the domain of documents and documentalists.

KM as a Technological Solution

Is KMBig business?A competitive advantage?Intellectual capital?An intranet solution?An asset dimension?A technological infrastructure?

The Challenges of Electronic Collaboration in

Knowledge Sharing

“Focusing exclusively on the technical issues of electronic collaboration is a sure way to a very expensive failure.”

“A focus on the people issues dramatically increases the potential for success.”

The Learning and Communication Process Model

Innovation is a way of life

Flexibility and the ability to act quickly is necessary in a changing environment

New projects can benefit from alliances and learning from in-house experts and creative thinkers.

KM: Learning and Communication Process

In simple language KM is an effort to capture not only explicit factual information but also the tacit information and knowledge that exists in an organization, usually based on the experience and learning of individual employees, in order to advance the organization's mission. The eventual goal is to share knowledge among members of the organization.

So…what is knowledge management?

“Knowledge management (KM) is an effort to increase useful knowledge within the organization. Ways to do this include encouraging communication, offering opportunities to learn, and promoting the sharing of appropriate knowledge artifacts.”