Knowledge Management in Saudi Aramco

Knowledge Management in Saudi Aramco

Ahmed MullaNovember 24, 2012

© Copyright 2012, Saudi Aramco. All rights reserved.

Contents

Overview of Saudi Aramco1

Knowledge Management2

Business Drivers3

Knowledge Transfer4

Knowledge Sharing5

Overview of Saudi Aramco

The state owned oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Fully integrated, global petroleum and chemical enterprise.

World leaders in exploration, production, refining, distribution, shipping and marketing.

Home to 56,000 employees all over the Kingdom.

Knowledge

Knowledge

Information

Data

Knowledge

• Tacit • Explicit

Creativity

Capability

Adaptability

Experience

Expertise

Business Model

Databases

Processes

Intellectual Property

Knowledge

Knowledge we know that we know.

Knowledge we know that we don’t know.

Knowledge we don’t know that we don’t know.

Knowledge we don’t know that we know.

The Known Internals

The Unknown Externals

Known Competencies Known Knowledge Gaps

Unknown Competencies Unknown Knowledge Gaps

Knowledge Management

Create

Capture

OrganizeProtect

Share

Exploit

Processes Technologies

Achieve Business Objectives andGive the Organization a Competitive Edge

Business Drivers

Fill the competency gap between generations.

Improve efficiency.

Increase intellectual capital.

Create a learning organization.

Knowledge Management

• Tacit • Explicit

Knowledge Transfer Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge Transfer (KT) Specialist

A Knowledge Transfer (KT) Specialist is a facilitator of knowledge transfer within his craft.

KT Specialists are senior, skilled, and experienced employees in their craft (certain jobs).

They will shift from being “doers” to helping others learn and do.

Receive training to be effective and skilled KT Specialists.

Knowledge Transfer

Technical competency assessments to determine where knowledge is and where it needs to be.

KT activities to move the knowledge from knowledge holders to those who need the knowledge.

Department KT Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation and operation of the KT Program.

Knowledge Transfer

Knowledge Transfer (KT) Specialist

Procedure:

KT Interview Assessment

Purpose:

Determine

o Who has the knowledge.

o Who needs the knowledge.

Knowledge Transfer

Competency Map (C-Map)

Knowledge Transfer

Competency Levels

Performs well with NO help or advise. He

teaches others to perform.

SKILLED

Requires help and assistance from others.

AWARENESS

Selective Post-phase Training

Performs well with help and advice from

others.

FUNDAMENTAL

Structured OJT

Expert, highly sought by others for advice and guidance.

MASTERY

Shadow Program

KT Circles

After-Action Reviews

Knowledge Transfer

Individual Knowledge Transfer Plan

Knowledge Transfer

Craft Knowledge Transfer Plan

Skilled MasterAwareness Fundamental

51.03

62.53

55.470.3

Knowledge Transfer

Progresses employees from awareness level to fundamental level.

Training targeted toward specific knowledge and skills required by the employee.

Training sessions are short duration and conducted on-site.

Training provided by the craft KT Specialist, SME or vendor.

KT Interventions: Selective Post-Phase Training

Knowledge Transfer

Progress employees from the fundamental level to skilled level.

Conducted by the craft KT Specialist or SME.

S-OJT occurs under actual job conditions.

Transferred knowledge and skills should be relevant to the specific job task.

S-OJT ensures correct techniques that will lead to progression to next higher KT level.

KT Interventions: Structured On-Job Training

Knowledge Transfer

Designed for skilled level or mastery level employees.

Transfers soft-skills and tacit knowledge.

Pairs technically competent employees with employees equally competent in soft skills.

KT Interventions: Job Shadowing

Knowledge Transfer

Skilled and mastery level employees from the same craft of from different crafts.

Resolve special or unique recurring problems.

Cooperate with management in implementing solutions.

Improve job performance and develop mutual respect and trust.

Led by a KT Specialist.

Empowered with management support.

Remain intact until problem is resolved.

KT Interventions: Knowledge Transfer Circle

Knowledge Transfer

An AAR is a review of events after a major activity.

An AAR is a professional discussion; not a critique; not to judge success or failure.

The review allows employees to discover and learn from what happened.

Senior and experienced employees share knowledge with younger, less experienced workers.

Younger employees encourage to propose new and innovative perspectives and solutions.

Facilitated by KT a Specialist.

KT Interventions: After-Action Review

Knowledge Transfer

Roles:

Oversee, coordinate, and direct the department’s knowledge transfer program.

Ensures KT program is sustainable and continuous.

Department KT Advisory Committee

Knowledge Transfer

Knowledge Management

• Tacit • Explicit

Knowledge Transfer Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge Sharing

ShareK (Share-Knowledge) is a corporate knowledge sharing program to promote sharing and exploiting innovation, knowledge and skills.

ShareK focuses on: Linking people to people. Linking people to knowledge.

Technology: Microsoft SharePoint 2010. Compatible with Saudi Aramco’s

IT infrastructure.

Features: Organization workspaces. People connector. Collaboration tools.

Knowledge Sharing

Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are groups of people who come together to share and to learn from one another. They are held together by a common interest in a body of knowledge.

Knowledge Sharing

Communities of Practice

o Share knowledge and experience.o Develop a set of shared practices.o Collaborate to gain insight and

accelerate solutions.o Solve work related problems.o Disseminate new technologies and

methods.

Knowledge Sharing

??

Knowledge Seekers

Pool of Experts

Knowledge Base

What if …?

In my experience …

You can try …

What do I do if ...?

Peer Discussion

What if …?

In my experience …

You can try …

What do I do if ...?

Ask the Expert

Experts

Browse

Search

Knowledge Seeker

??

CoP Workflow

KnowledgeBase

Knowledge Asset

Members

KnowledgeBase

Share

Knowledge Sharing

Thank You