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A proposal for Knowledge Preservation

in the Public Service

February 2006

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The problem

80% of most organizations’ essential knowledge exists within a few key people

Knowledge is leaving as people retire• Half of senior public servants may retire within 5 years. • Some will be gone forever

Knowledge also leaves with executive rotations• The demand for knowledge is highest when a new executive

arrives.

There is an immediate need to preserve and transfer knowledge.

There is an immediate need to preserve and transfer knowledge.

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What is knowledge?

DataWithout context

InformationUnderstanding Relationships

KnowledgeUnderstanding patterns

WisdomUnderstanding principles

Knowledge exists on a hierarchy.Explicit knowledge has been documented and is available for sharing.

Tacit knowledge exists only in the minds of people.

Typically 80% of organizational knowledge is tacit.

When the people leave, so does the knowledge.

Knowledge preservation creates an enduring asset. Knowledge preservation

creates an enduring asset.

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Why is preservation important?

The knowledge of the public service is the heart of government. It is draining away….

If we don’t capture the lessons of the past we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

To move forward we need to understand and build on past decisions.

Let’s not re-invent the wheel !Let’s not re-invent the wheel !

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What should be done?

Implement a knowledge management strategyLinked to business lines

Identify key knowledge carriers

Retain experts and links to experts

Document, Manage and Transfer organizational knowledge

Document history and lessons learned

Create a Knowledge Transfer System

Source: These are two of the three prescriptions for prevention and recovery, from the article, Organizational Alzheimer’s: A Quiet Crisis? , Brian Marson, Canadian Government Executive, September 2005. Brian Marson is a Senior Advisor at TBS, and is past president of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada.

Time to do this is running out.

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The Proposal

1. Create and test a proof of concept:Create a process that is repeatable and knowledge packages for efficient transfer.

2. Build a common solution based on proof of concept.

Make it part of a larger strategy and solution.

Document, Manage and Transfer organizational knowledge• Document history and lessons learned• Create a Knowledge Transfer System

Address the immediate need

to preserve knowledge before it disappears by

doing two things:

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The Opportunities

Senior long term employees retiring:

Need to preserve knowledge beyond their tenure

Deep history, lessons learned and reasons why

Executive rotation:

Capture immediate rationale and relationships

Prepare incoming executive to build on progress(avoid undoing good things)

Two sets of circumstances that occur frequently provide opportunities to practice knowledge preservation and transfer.

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Plays well with others

Knowledge preservation can be part of many existing and new programs.

Succession Planning

Information Management (People & Knowledge stream)

Knowledge services

Management Accountability Framework

Performance enhancement

Government Accountability

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Possible Partners

Organization Possible Role/Benefit

Natural Resources Canada Fund prototype with 3 scientists

IM Community Canadian School of Public Service (CSPS)

Preserved knowledge that the school can transfer.

Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada 

Policy input, other?

IM communityvalidate approach and provide networking support

Rowanwood Consulting Process documentation and delivery

Libraries and Archives Advice and input, integration with IM Program

House of commons library Advice and input?

Departmental Human Resources Succession planning

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Possible Focus

Initially the proof of concept work could focus on Science based departments and agencies, (SBDA’s).

Tend to focus on knowledge services

Canada has made significant investments in creating the knowledge they hold.

Demographics are creating a turnover of talent.

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Next Steps

1. Create initial working group

2. Fund development of proof of concept

3. Create proof of concept

Process

Packaging techniques

4. Broaden consultations Using proof of concept for discussion

5. Develop second iterationRoll out across public service…

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Conclusion

Thank you!

Support this proposal to:

Retain key knowledge

Make the Canadian Public Service smarter

Remember our lessons

Create a stronger next generation

Thom.Kearney@rowanwood.ca 613.292.8183 More details ? More details ?

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The Concept

1. Essential knowledge can be systematically and efficiently preserved in 4 steps:

Identify the critical knowledge holders

Identify the critical knowledge

Interview and research

Package the knowledge

2. Packaging prepares the knowledge for efficient transfer:

Just-in-time, user friendly access to key knowledge

Focus on multiple business needs (leverage knowledge)

Institutional learning (best practices)

The proof of concept tests the hypothesis that: