Knowledge Management

Marleen Steele

Training Manager

PennDOT

Knowledge Loss at PENNDOT

• Attrition• Memory Loss• Change

– Management– Organization– Environment

• Consultants

What is KM?

• Information in action

• Intellectual capital

• High-value form of information that is ready to apply to decisions and actions

• Getting the right information to the right person at the right time

How Is KM Developed at PennDOT

• Communities of Practice• Site designed for the

Community• Infomediary • People and information

are connected • Explicit and Tacit

Knowledge are available

A Knowledge Management Model

Growing KM

• 3 pilots – Equipment Community– Line Painting (Agility

Collaboration)– Institutional Memory

The Equipment

Community

The Pilot for Equipment Managers

• Find, understand, share and use knowledge to create value (to the equipment managers, mechanics, and mechanic supervisors)

• Improve communications

Why Equipment Managers?

• Culture for sharing knowledge

• People who are supportive

• Computer skills • Important that the first

initiative include success stories

Committee Responsibilities

• Identify information• Verify easy Access• Provide SMEs• Include others as

needed• Work on challenges

Equipment Community

• Expertise Finder• Chats/Bulletin Boards• Tips, Tricks,

Innovations• FAQ’s• Safety Items• Technical Resources• Calendar/Events• Ebay for PENNDOT

Intranet Site

Rewards

• Leverage PCs – particularly in the garages

• Perceived as leading edge

Line PaintingAgility Collaboration

Agile Collaboratory

Technology

Peo

ple P

rocess

Line Painting Community

• Chats/Bulletin Boards• Tips, Tricks,

Innovations• FAQ’s• Safety Items• Technical Resources• Calendar/Events• Equipment Inventory

Rewards

• Increase Productivity• Access to Best

Practices • Communication• Repository for the

project, including contractor information

Institutional Memory

Storytelling Pilot

Our Story

PennDOT has an aging workforce.

How will we capture the knowledge and experience of this workforce before they leave their present positions?

Foremen – an Endangered Species

As of January 2001, who is eligible for retirement:

• 58% of highway foremen 3’s

• 30% of highway foremen 2’s

• 50% of the Foremen 1

The Concept

• Foreman Bill• Fayette County• $48,000 to pave the

road• 18 wheeler with metal

plates• No permit

The Story continues

• Foreman Ron • Driver ran the

flagger’s stop sign, coming into the work zone

• License plate, description

• State police issued citation

Application

• Stories available for the training of Foremen

Other Projects

• Knowledge Capture in our Research Area.

• Used to determine if position should be filled.

• A booklet based on a work done by New York on KM

• A Commonwealth intra-net website with KM subject.

It’s Not Perfect

• Internet or Intranet• Equipment Accessibility• S-L-O-W Speeds• Computer Skills• Pictures slow it down• Resources• Keep it Simple!

Other obstacles

• Change in Administration

• Loss of over 2000 people in the last 2 years

• Loss of champions

Now What?

• Research report to help us decide what to do next?

• Meeting with executive staff this month.

• Included on our long-term planning project.

Marleen Steele

Msteele@dot.state.pa.us

717.346-9510

Training Manager

Bureau of Driver and Vehicle Program

Services

1101 South Front St

Harrisburg PA 17104