BASIC KNOWLEDGE TRAINING FOR COUNCILLORS AND

OFFICIALS

Dr T. Norushe

Knowledge Management and Research Unit

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

Presentation to KMRG Quarterly Meeting

Ethekweni

14-15 March 2013

Background

At BCMM it has been realized that KM is an important enabler in:

Policy development

Improving the basic services

Enhancing economic planning

Managing the municipality efficiently and effectively in the overall process of implementing the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) which is the blue print for all activities in the municipality.

The KM strategy has been available for the past two years, and it was imperative that the strategy be implemented across BCMM.

In order for the KM strategy to be effectively implemented;

A training to empower staff members was considered as a pre-requisite.

It is against this necessity that BCMM and in

particular the Knowledge Management, Research

and Policy Unit (KMR&PU) decided to source a

service provider to conduct a basic training on

Knowledge Management.

The course content was basic and tailor-made for BCMM training needs of various categories such as:-

• Executive leadership,

• Middle Management,

• Champions and Councilors.

The course included;

Training material,

Certificates for different categories such as:

• Councilors, (NQF LEVEL 3)

• Middle Managers &

• Leadership. (NQF Level 5)

There were different manuals for each group and one with basic concepts which was a universal Manual.

This basic course was about introducing knowledge management and creating awareness.

The course began with;

• Introduction to knowledge management,

• Practicing knowledge management, and

• linked these to IDP.

The course defined and explained the concept –

KM and the importance of implementing it in BCMM.

and how it should support the basic implementation of KM strategy of BCMM towards making the municipality efficient and effective.

The course tackled the aspects of how data is collected and transformed into information and utilized in decision making.

Objectives

The Training Aimed to;

Promote Understanding of differences between ;

Data,

Information,

Knowledge,

Wisdom.

Provide skills, and knowledge on KM

Objectives (Continued)

Assist and empower BCMM Directorates to develop their own effective knowledge management strategies and implementation thereof in various directorates.

Develop understanding of leadership roles in KM implementation and how these can be used for the benefit of directorates and BCMM.

objectives (Cont..)

Developing basic knowledge and skills of capturing and managing data and information thereby improving processes which are already in place at BCMM.

Creating an environment to discuss knowledge sharing.

Outcomes

Better understanding of Knowledge Management.

Understanding of knowledge aspects: data, information, knowledge and wisdom.

Understanding procurement in KM

Understanding the need for knowledge harvesting within BCMM.

Outcomes (Continued)

Competency to practice KM within an organization and sharing of lessons learned (this is critical to inform future policies at BCMM.)

Develop skills and knowledge on KM strategy development and implementation.

The approach which was used throughout the course was, where definition of concepts and KM were being explained to provide theoretical and conceptual understanding of KM to participants.

Live examples were given in such a way that made participants understand the importance of KM in their examples.

Participants in different groups understood concept as they made examples from their environment.

Participatory Approach

Participatory approach which used scenarios and Case Studies as provided by the participants, nationally and internationally for all staff categories was used.

This included robust debates of Case Studies and applying these within local context and in examining the local situations.

The groups tackled issues, expressing their experience and how they would deal with such challenges supported by KM.

These exercises, debates and discussions became a learning and knowledge sharing platform,

Including sharing of experiences and challenges and collaborative learning creating a scaffolding for those who were a bit behind in some work issues.

It provided an opportunity for participants to learn how to capture lessons learned and how to apply this information in their local projects.

Experiential Learning And Knowledge Sharing.

This was an approach which allowed participants to share their experiences of their work and ask others to input in each experience.

This process was part of knowledge harvesting which assisted in tapping to tacit knowledge.

Theory and experience to classify and explain each issue within available KM models were used so that they could be able to explore different KM models in providing BCMM services and oversight in the case of Councilors.

Participants engaged in:-

Determining the nature and extent of the information needed by them

Selecting the most appropriate data and information management methods

Identifying appropriate information and knowledge management tools

Identifying sources of information and knowledge in their work environment

Participant articulate and apply such knowledge base in various work scenarios.

This approach helped to identify data, information and knowledge management priorities.

It provided methods and sources of identified priority areas for participants to apply in their work environment.

Exercises to evaluate understanding of the concepts and applicability of KM within work environment were conducted for all the groups including Councilors.

Most exercises were based on the following questions:-

• What knowledge has been shared in the course

• Think about your own work environment and identify what you think is knowledge

and information?

• What are the sources of information?

Exercises for participants were not many since the training was Basic KM Training focusing mainly on definition and description of concepts.

KM Champions

During training councilors were divided into 3 groups.

Each one chose a KM Champion,

And the chosen three were:-

• Councilor Pat. Naicker;

• Councilor Sindiswa. Gomba; and

• Councilor Helen. Neal-May.

Roles of the Councilor KM Champions

1. The Councilor KM Champs (CKMCs) are to convene Information and KM Forums or meeting.

2. They draw up their KM plan within the BCMM KM Framework

3. In these Meeting they Identify Information & Knowledge needs for their work environment

4. They identify areas for Information and Knowledge sharing

5. They implement knowledge sharing and lesson learning template as discussed in the training

6. Prioritise KM activities and pilot them.

7. Each Champion will find a repository for the information and knowledge shared and other information collected for policy making, oversight and service delivery.

8. Develop a data, information and knowledge bank which is linked to the BCMM Information and Knowledge Repository

Roles (Conti..)

9. Conduct Knowledge sharing Forums

10. Information and knowledge shared to be disseminated to all Councilors and ultimately to the BCMM KM unit to be shared within the whole BCMM

11. CKMCs form an information flow link between them and KM unit.

CKMC inter flows : knowledge exchange and sharing

Council and Mayoral Meeting decision- making –policy –making etc

KM COUNCILOR 1

CKMC Personal

Computer

KM COUNCIlOR 2

CKMC Personal

Computer

KM COUNCILLOR 3

CKMC Personal

Computer

Sources of Information and Knowledge: - BCMM KM unit - Ward Councillors – Communities

- Other Councillors – Forums- Mayoral Meetings.

Communities

Councilor Information and

Knowledge Bank in KM Unit

The Councilor KM Champions (CKMCs) work as information and knowledge managers within the council function.

The Ward Councilors in their specific wards collect information that is needed to inform decisions, policy-making and services delivery and forward such information to CKMCs.

The KM Champions of Councilors are to coordinate knowledge shared and lessons learned which will be sent to the KM Unit to be disseminated to all Councilors and staff members within BCMM

Developing Qualities and Roles of KM Champions

It seemed necessary that qualities and roles of KM Champions for different directorates be developed.

This process was seen as important in context of institutionalizing KM within BCMM.

Therefore, all groups of General Managers and other senior staff members developed qualities, and roles of different KM Champions, Committees and Steering Committee.

The following were developed:-

• Qualities of KM Champions

• KM Champion’s roles

• KM Technical Committees Roles

• KM Operations Committee

• KM Steering Committee

The qualities considered in selecting KM champions were based on the roles of the KM champions.

A KM champion was described as a people’s person because such a person will have to interact with various staff members in an endeavor to institutionalize KM in BCMM

Roles of a KM Champions

Roles KM Champions Roles of the KM Champions Continues

Collect data & interpret it

Custodian of information

Safeguard information

Facilitator of knowledge

transfer/dissemination

Act as catalyst of strategic

knowledge

Catalyst for sharing ad utilisation

Ensure knowledge creation

Ensure implementation with

Directorates

Conduct information session

Organise feedback

Monitor and control

Identify Case Studies and

document

Measure KM

Identify internal and external

expert

Asses and communicate

knowledge needs

• Create awareness in Directorates

• Facilitate culture of sharing and

learning

• Encourage commitment to KM

• Transfer Knowledge

• Plan KM activities within

Directorate supported KM Unit

• Co- ordinates KM activities within

the Directorate and report to KM

Unit

• Ensure capturing of information

within and to report to KM Unit

• Identify critical Knowledge within

the Directorate

• Conduct KM in the Directorate

• To ensure sustainability of the

Programme

• Establish Expert Locator within

Directorate

• Establish Communities of Practice

(CoPs, Learning Networks

Table 3: Qualities of KM Champions

Quality of KM Champions Qualities of KM Champions Continues

Organised person

Good communication skills

Leadership skills

Informed and a good sharer of

knowledge

Flexible

Open-minded

Transparent

Computer literate

Team Player

Innovative and creative

People’s person

Approachable

Passionate about KM

Presentation skills

Assertiveness

Confident

Good listening skills

Sensitive to confidential

information

Patience

Ambitious

Each director as soon as is possible should appoint a KM Champion in order to coordinate KM and facilitate KM institutionalization within BCMM.

Knowledge harvesting was considered by participants as one of the critical KM activities as such an activity will improve the preservation of the institutional memory of the City

Roles of Operational Committee Roles of Operational Committee

Continues

Report on KM Implementations

Report on challenges and issues

Support KM Practice

Organising KM workshop for

directorates

Improve KM Practice

Ensure utilisation of data

Discuss challenges

Conduct assessment of KM tools

Report back to technical

Committee

Entrench legal framework

Collate information and report in

meeting

Draft operational strategy

Present strategy to the steering

committee

Implement on approval of

technical committee

Pilot KM activities

Give feedback on departmental

progress

Recommendation for tools

improvement

The KM operational committee is more than an implementation task team as it ensures the suitability of KM tools on the ground.

While the KM Champions are mandated by the participants to entrench KM legal framework, it is important to note that currently there is not legal framework that covers KM.

This situation does not support the effective implementation and institutionalization of KM.

The development of a KM legislative framework is a national responsibility; however, BCMM can develop a KM policy while awaiting the drafting of the Act.

Members of the Operational Committee

• KM Unit

• Heads of Departments

• Office Managers

• KM Champion of all Directorate

• IT Technician

• GIS

• KM Manager

• Scriber

• Research Unit

The suggestion of an Operational Committee becomes relevant in the process of implementing KM activities.

It was thought that when implementing KM activities issues regarding challenges of KM implementation will arise.

It is therefore, the responsibility of this team to support implementation and be a source of strength to support one another.

Important in this Committee was the inclusion of Heads of Department so that they become part of trouble shooting when KM implementation is showing challenges.

This is important as Heads of departments should have a KM Performance Indicator or key result area.

The Operating Committee should include IT as it is important in enabling KM. The KM Unit should chair the Operational Committee meetings and discussions.

Such discussions to be submitted to the Technical committee.

The need for a Technical committee was raised during the training and the roles were defined.

This is the Committee responsible for engaging in KM implementation challenges

Roles of Technical Committee Roles of Technical Committee Continues

Develop KM Tools

Conduct KM monitoring,

evaluation and impact

Consider resources necessary for

KM and discuss with the Steering

Committee

Develop KM architecture

Benchmark KM

Improve KM operational reportto

the Steering Committee

Submit technical

recommendations to the Steering

Committee

Members of the Technical Committee

• KM Unit (Chair)

• Information Technology (IT)

• GIS

• Library

• Records Management

• Archives

• General Managers

• KM Managers

The Technical Committee is the engine of KM tools, mechanisms and techniques development.

This Committee is made up of specialist in KM such as the Information and Knowledge Management Specialists.

This Committee is meant to be a centre of excellence that is supporting technical activities in the process of KM implementation.

The inclusion of various KM and KM related specialists arise from the idea of developing an integrated KM within BCMM.

This is the committee that is responsible for evaluation of KM and KM tools within BCMM as well as benchmarking KM.

The Technical Committee is to meet with the Operational Committee to discuss challenges related to KM tools.

Also, the Technical Committee is to develop new KM tools as needed.

The meeting of both the Technical Committee and the Operational Committee is to be recorded and be presented to the Steering Committee.

Roles of the Steering Committee Roles of the Steering CommitteeCont…

Submit KM report to various

Portfolios

KM implementation approval

KM budget approval

Provide KM leadership

Improve KM awareness

Advocate for KM staff

Promote organisational learning

KM Oversight

KM strategy/Policy approval

Consider the development of

institutional KM

Ensure integration of KM to

functions of the organisation

All Directors to get KM key

Performance

Members of the Steering Committee

• City Manager (chair)

• Executive Directors

• Directors

• KM Manager

Participants in the training thought that for KM institutionalization to happen in BCMM there should be a Steering committee formed of senior leadership in order to give strength to KM implementation.

The Steering committee is responsible for the institutionalization of KM in BCMM by advocating for, KM Directorate, budget, KM staff and allocation of a Portfolio head for KM.

The technical committee is to present the KM joint report of both technical and operational committee to the steering committee and the steering committee to endorse and approve KM resources and resolve the challenges raised for KM.

Level of authority of KM Champs Level of Authority Continues

Have delegated authority to perform

the function

Appointed by the Head of the

directorate

Accounting Officer to delegate to

Executive Directors to appoint KM

Champions

Mandate to liaise with other KM

Champions in other Directorates

The groups in the training thought that it will be necessary to assign some level of authority to KM champions as they need to function in a cross cutting fashion.

Also for departments to give time to champions to do their roles as well as being allowed to visit other directorates on a KM mandate.

The Mayor, City Manager and Directors should support the KM Champions if KM is to be implemented successfully.

The participants in the training suggested a collective and collaborative approach to BCMM KM institutionalization plan.

The pertinent question raised was;

”What is the way forward towards KM institutionalization after the training?”

Various groups indicated that KM is a cross cutting function therefore, various directorates were assigned to play different roles in institutionalizing KM.

Various departments were given responsibilities reflecting a collective commitment to KM.

Actions within the next 3 Months

• KM Unit to design a tool to be used to conduct KM baseline within different Directorates

• Assess and pilot the tools

• Develop a KM awareness strategy

• Assist department to define their KM plan in workshops

KM Strategic Priorities for the Next 3-5 Years

• Engage in Awareness outlining the benefits

• Improve KM Policy

• Improve KM Structure

• Place KM structure in appropriate position for Universal Interaction

Implementation Plan of the Strategy in Directorates

• City Manager to become Sponsor for KM

• KM to be in the Agenda of Mayoral Committee, Council Committee and MM meetings

• KM to get a Portfolio Head

• Directorates to workshop KM Plan and Prioritise KM activities

• More marketing of the strategy by KM unit and various Directorates

• Appoint dedicated staff in KM Unit to support other Directorates

• Fill Vacancies in KM Unit

• Appoint KM Champions in Directorates

Implementation Plan of the Strategy in Directorates

• Dedicated server for KM linked to KM Champions

• Formalise Sharing and dissemination of information and knowledge

• More training to build capacity

• Municipal Manager to own KM strategic Intent after training and drive KM

• KM Study Tours by Leaderships with objectives

• KM must be in Score cards of Units and Directorates

The participants had concerns which they thought should be known by senior leadership which will become barriers to KM implementation.

It is important that leadership take cognizance of these concerns as they impact not only the KM implementation but on how activities are conducted and how to improve the situation.

These concerns should not be taken as criticism but as constructive critiques to improve the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness.

Certain activities to institutionalize KM in BCMM were presented in the training and were adopted by participants.

Institutionalization of KM in BCMM

The following culture driving tools must be implemented:

• Knowledge sharing reward system must be in place.

• Lesson learning, capturing and documentation must be rewarded.

• Knowledge sharing sessions must be compulsory at least once a month.

• KM Days must be set and recognized.

• KM leadership to be recognized.

Measuring Practice of KM in BCMM

• Number of programmes that adopted PoKM habits

• % of staff, including managers who have adopted PoKM habits

• Number of programmes utilising KM principles and techniques effectively

• % of lessons learned, shared and documented in a year

• Number of programmes applying lessons

• Number of knowledge sharing sessions

• A number of sharing Events, sessions, seminars in a year

• Number of best practices identified and replicated in a year

• % of knowledge workers receiving awards for PoKM

These measures are not cast in stone; BCMM can come up with other measures.

Support of KM Unit and the Upgrade of the Unit to Directorate Level,

Some of the long-serving Councilors indicated that they had been introduced to the concept of KM as far back as 2001 by the then Mayor, S. Mclean, without any further elaboration or progress in operationalizing the concept, and where the idea of KM had met with only a lukewarm reception due to the subject and function being new in SA.

They all agreed that they had learnt a great deal from the workshops and vowed to give their complete support to the KM function and the KM and Research Unit as the main facilitator of this vital tool, and nominated KM Champions to drive the process from the political side from each of the three groups as indicated earlier in the report.

The Councilors unanimously acknowledged the importance of Knowledge Management, Research & Policy in meeting BCMM’s, objectives and mandate.

An important recognition was towards the role played by the KM Unit and work that it undertakes in this regard despite chronic shortage of staff since 2005.

It appears that the current training has covered most Councilors and have agreed in the training that they were able to understand and see the value of the concept of KM and how it can be institutionalized in BCMM leading to improved performance and service delivery.

They promised to support the Unit in its mandate and to ensure that it is sufficiently capacitated to perform its functions, particularly through the appointment of sufficient and relevant staff.

Some of them asked about the proper organizational structure for the Unit seeing that they were now trained and the KM Strategy was in place.

The service provider advised them on the importance of developing the ideal organizational structure for KM and this structure can be improved step by step.

Adequate Resources for KM Unit

It was mentioned by staff who attended the training that KM Unit should get the resources to enable it to do its work efficiently and effectively. Two people who constitute KM unit cannot be expected to support the whole of BCMM.

Also, the fact that the Unit is not at department level was concerning as such a Unit is strategic and needs to interact with Directors and senior leadership regarding knowledge and knowledge policies of the City.

Middle Management and KM Champs felt that KM is as important for them, as it is for Top Management, and that they should also be recognised as a crucial stakeholder in the implementation and mainstreaming of KM in the institution.

Challenges

The absence of a large proportion of Top Management from the Basic KM Training Workshops poses a serious challenge in terms of mainstreaming Knowledge Management in the institution

And in obtaining the buy-in of senior management officials in order to alter the perception that KM is a non-integral add-on function at BCMM, rather than as a core competency of all BCMM employees, as knowledge workers, and to inform action in terms of the implementation of the BCMM KM Framework and Strategy.

Without the commitment of Senior Management towards the mainstreaming of KM, and without adequate training in this regard, serious challenges are posed regarding cascading the knowledge and commitment required for KM to succeed as a vital key component of all BCMM operations.

The End

Thank You