Practical KM Survey Results; Analysis and Commentary from Participants Practical KM Survey Results;...

transcript

Practical KM Survey Results; Analysis and Commentary from Participants

Boston KM Forum, January 17, 2013

Panel: Lisa O’Donnell (Genzyme/Sanofi), Bert Saul (SGH), Glynys Thomas (The Parthenon Group), Marcie Zaharee (The MITRE Corporation) Moderators: Lynda Moulton and Larry Chait

Practical knowledge management…

Survey Respondents said about their Organization’s ability to leverage knowledge

Excellent7%

Good39%

Average41%

Fair7%

Poor6%

Perspective: Knowledge leverage initiatives

Centrality of human beings—Only knowledgeable people can determine appropriate fit of new technologies to knowledge initiatives

State of flux—Impacts of a changing environment on knowledge processing

Knowledge Leverage is the operational force applied to derive institutional benefit from available and authoritative information resources (expert people, knowledge codified in content, and organizational know-how)

Critical “gut check”Is the knowledge initiative about technology or

does something else need to be addressed first?

Long before technology connectors are acquired or planned for a knowledge opportunity, the leader of a knowledge initiative—and an organization as a whole—must do a serious gut check.

Questions for panel:

The changing environment…

In what ways have changes in the environment impacted how your organization processes knowledge?

For example: Changes in case law and litigation discovery requiring corporate email retention

Critical “gut check”In a “gut check,” ask these questions:

What is the changing business, legal or regulatory environment that calls for an initiative?

Given who you are and what you know, can you and your organization address your knowledge opportunity effectively?

Can the needed people and resources be marshaled?

Can you define and convincingly defend the initiative?

Are you—and the organization—willing to take the risk?

Critical “gut check”—critical elements People—the “who”—what knowledge and

competencies are needed, and who are the key stakeholders

Goal—the “what”—what is the value proposition; what will the initiative do and how will it provide value?

Scope—the “how big”—how much of the initiative is in whose domain, and what can realistically be accomplished?

Questions for panel:

“Gut checks” in your organization…

Has your organization done effective “gut checks” before launching knowledge initiatives?

If so, to what advantage?

If not, with what consequences?

Survey Respondents Think Major KM Challenges Are:

Finding knowledge when needed

Sharing knowledge effectively

Organizing and managing

knowledge as-sets25%

Accessing knowl-edge with tech-nology support

Hoarding knowledge

Other14%

Survey: Important attributes for KM leaders

ifficu

ontrol

Out of 50 – Multiple Answers per respondent

Survey: Important attributes for KM team members

ifficu

ontrol

Out of 50 – Multiple Answers per respondent

Where does technology belong relative to these knowledge initiative elements?

Knowledge Initiative

ObjectivesScope

Culture

Staffing

Communica-tions

TechnologyScheduling,

project management

Justification

Measure-ment

Implementa-tion

Ongoing Management

Possible tensions across roles and when defining knowledge initiatives and technologies

Users – Drivers I/T – Responders

Demand that tools meet the true needs of knowledge initiatives

Rely on standard tools to ensure a stable environment

Are expert in their business and its needs

Are expert in technology and its application

Define business needs for technology

Address technology needs

Ensure that applications are implemented and used effectively

Plan for ongoing resource and security issues

Identify technology functions and usability features that must be incorporated

Integrate disparate software systems

Focus on how processes work Focus on how technology works

Require knowledge initiatives to leverage knowledge

Support IT initiatives to respond to knowledge leverage

Questions:

Technology in your organization…

What role has technology played in your knowledge initiatives?

When has it been appropriate?

When has it been inappropriate?

Types of knowledge-centric initiatives Collaboration

Collaborative Software Knowledge-sharing activities

Human Discovery Knowledge Analysis Knowledge Discovery Benchmarking

Repositories Databases Expertise applications

Accessibility Electronic Discovery

Survey: Successful KM solutions

Survey Organizations: Treatment of knowledge initiatives

One-off, sanctioned project

Part of structured program

Other28%

Survey Organizations: Ownership of knowledge initiatives

Top management

Business unit benefitting

Survey Organizations: Senior management’s role

Sponsorship and vocal support

Qualified approval30%

Non-enthusiastic

approval14%

Disinterest12%

Vocal opposition0%

Survey Organizations: Life of knowledge initiatives

1 year or less16%

2 years18%

3 years10%4 years

5 or more years44%

Audience Questions

Lynda MoultonLWM Technology Services

lmoulton@lwmtechnology.com978-660-1845

Larry ChaitChait and Associates, Inc.

lpchait@chaitassociates.com617-299-0290

Practical KM Survey Results; Analysis and Commentary from Participants Practical KM Survey Results;...

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