Knowledge Management-Taming the Intangible

Knowledge Management Taming the Intangible Jack Eapen C [email_address]

Wizards lived in the Ivory Tower, and knew many things
Serfs, farmers, had problems with their farms
King asked Wizards to help
In the beginning... Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Serfs’ farming was still unsuccessful although Wizards claimed that they told what they knew.
Both Serfs and Wizards blamed each other.
Serfs said Wizards did not really help. What Wizards told were useless.
Wizards said Serfs understood something so hard that Serfs had to come back to see them again and again. They then could not do their work, while Serfs did not actually apply all knowledge from them for farming.
Problems Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Used their own technical language (techknowspeak), while most Serfs understand only plain language.
Understood that only their techknowspeak could communicate their knowledge well and completely.
Not concerned of Serfs’ environment, culture, and communication style while giving out knowledge
Problems with Wizards Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Did not share knowledge among themselves
Did not understand jargons used by Wizards
Hence, did not take any action
Problems with Serfs Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

King got troubadours and knowms to solve problems.
Knowms’ background
Understand techknowspeak
Familiar with serfs’ environment
Solutions Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Knowms talked with Wizards and took notes on method of transferring knowledge, Serfs’ problems, knowledge required by Serfs
Knowms talked with different groups of Serfs about their problems and knowledge they needed.
Knowms observed how some skilful Serfs did farming.
Knowms noted down what they had observed from serfs
Some successful Serfs, who could do the farming well, told other Serfs how to farm
Categorised knowledge into groups according to Serfs’ requirements
Used templates for different types of knowledge needed to be collected for each specific group of Serfs (acts as a filter)
What Knowms Did? Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Troubadours travelled around, and knew a lot about Serfs and environment outside
Composed songs from the available knowledge.
Travelled around and sang songs
What Troubadours Did? Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

More time for Wizards to do something else, instead of re-telling the same information (time saving)
Wizards may even spend the available time to create more knowledge.
Serfs now have easy access to systemized knowledge which helped them in producing better crops
Finally, country became prosperous
Benefits Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

After the harvest season had ended, the knowms called a meeting with all the key people involved in the improvement of the farms
From the serfs and town leaders in the areas that had done well, knowms asked about what had been most helpful
Where the farms had not done so well, knowms asked serfs and town leaders about why they thought things had not improved.
They put all their results together, and worked with a few of the wizards and serfs to work out where things could be done better. They carefully drew up a plan to use for the next year.
They went to the king, and showed him all the results and their plans for the future.
The king was very pleased, and called a feast for all those who had done so much to make the kingdom prosperous again.
In the end... Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

One day, a prince from another kingdom came to visit the king. While they were talking, the prince said to the king that his kingdom had fallen on hard times.
The wise king called the chief knowm, and asked him if his team would be able to help.
The knowm explained to the prince that the method they had used to improve the farms could be used to improve the weavers’ work as well.
The prince wanted to know more about how the program worked, so the knowm called on one of the troubadours, who had written a song about the improvement of the farms.
The knowm said that he would need the help of the wizards in the prince’s kingdom, and that they would need to appoint their own knowms to arrange for everything.
After the end... Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Can You Relate Yourself to this situation? Source: “ The Ivory Tower – a Knowledge Management Fable” by Keith De La Rue

Do you face any of these problems?

Rule of this Room If you are afraid of change… …Don’t afraid to walk out

KM Definitions
What is knowledge
KM Myths
SECI Model
KM Tools
KM Methods
A Real World Example
Roadmap to KM in an organization
Agenda

Definitions… Knowledge Management (KM). A conscious strategy to leverage the knowledge assets of an organization to help achieve the business results.

Definitions…
A managed system for ensuring that
The right knowledge
Reaches the right people
At the right time
To help them make the right decisions

KM Thoughts
“ If Hewlett Packard knew what Hewlett Packard knows, we would be three times more profitable.”
-Lew Platt, CEO of HP

What is Knowledge? Source: R. Ackoff’s “Pyramid to Wisdom” (1989, 1996) Data Information Knowledge Wisdom Raw / hard facts Collection of related data with context and perspective Organized information that provides guidance or initiates action Understanding that permits knowledge to be used

The DIKW continuum

Types of Knowledge
Explicit Knowledge
Knowledge that is written down – and thus, easily recorded, shared, tracked, and measured, as well as edited or improved by others.
Tacit Knowledge Knowledge in your head. What you know but cannot easily share that lets you do a better job.

KM Advantages
In today’s knowledge economy “knowledge is the biggest capital”
Knowledge is linked to performance
KM helps innovation
Take advantage of what others already know
Avoid past mistakes
Avoid redundant work
Retain organizational knowledge

KM Thoughts
“ In the end, learning faster than our competitors is the only sustainable competitive advantage”
-Arie de Geus – Shell

Knowledge Management Myths
Knowledge can be managed
Don’t manage, facilitate
KM implementation is the goal
KM is an enabler to achieve bigger goals
KM means implementing a software
Technology is only an enabler
KM needs changing culture
Can’t change culture, influence it

KM Thoughts
“ You can’t manage knowledge – nobody can. What you can do is to manage the environment in which knowledge can be created, discovered, captured, shared, distilled, validated, transferred, adopted, adapted and applied.”
Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell,
Learning to Fly: Practical Knowledge Management from Leading and Learning Organizations ”

KM Enablers

Knowledge Management involves processes for
Knowledge acquisition
Knowledge creation
Knowledge storage
Knowledge sharing
Knowledge application

Knowledge Sharing Source: http://www.slideshare.net/nickmilton/introduction-to-knowledge-management Connecting Collecting

KM Thoughts
“ Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes.
A demand for knowledge will stimulate a supply, but not vice versa”

Unclear concept/ vision
“ Knowledge is power “ mentality
Lack of knowledge sharing processes
No time allowed
No knowledge sharing by executives
Managers do not walk the talk
Ineffective channels of knowledge distribution
Lack of knowledge filters
Lack of encouragement
Bureaucracy
Barriers to KM

KM Thoughts
Our approach to KM is far more than stick or carrot. We say, "Knowledge Sharing is your job. Do it! As a reward you may keep your job ”
-Bob Buckman

SECI Model

Socialisation
Tacit-to-Tacit
Knowms observed how some skilful Serfs did farming.
Troubadours travelled around, and knew a lot about Serfs and environment outside (can be by observing as well).
Externalisation
Tacit-to-Explicit
Knowms noted down what they had observed from serfs
Some successful Serfs, who could do the farming well, told other Serfs how to farm
SE..

Combination
Explicit-to-Explicit
Composing songs from the available knowledge.
Having discussions among Knowms and Wizards for additional knowledge
Knowms noted down knowledge told by Wizards.
Internalisation
Explicit-to-Tacit
Hearing the songs and the could applying them to farming.
Troubadours travelled around and sang songs
CI..

KM Tools Wiki RSS File Sharing

KM Portal Wiki RSS File Sharing

KM Methods
After action reviews
Storytelling
Lessons Learned
Best Practices
Communities of Practice (CoP)

[email_address] Sunyee's life revolve around learning... ... because Sunyee is a knowledge worker

Knowledge Management processes at SunTec
eLearning portal
SunGuru
Knowledge collaboration
SunWiki
Knowledge repositories
SunDocs
Knowledge Sharing Events
Product Watch, Project Watch
Knowledge Evaluation
Certification, Monthly online exams
Knowledge Transfer
Mentoring, presentations, Audit meetings

Roadmap to KM in an Organization
Realize the “knowledge factor”
Knowledge Audit
Form a team
Devise a KM strategy
Communicate well
Institutionalize effective processes
Implement supporting IT systems
Re-look and re-do

Imagination
Is more important than
knowledge

Thank You

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Knowledge Management-Taming the Intangible

by Jack Eapen on May 09, 2009

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