Improving Knowledge Management performance for advantage Keith De La Rue AcKnowledge Consulting Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Overview Managing knowledge as an asset A knowledge transfer toolkit Channels for knowledge transfer Building sharing technology for people Something old, something new… Ownership and currency maintenance

Managing knowledge as an asset

A knowledge transfer toolkit

Channels for knowledge transfer

Building sharing technology for people

Something old, something new…

Ownership and currency maintenance

Managing knowledge as an asset A knowledge transfer toolkit

The environment Business Sales Force Business Customers Product & Marketing Teams Hundreds of Products Hundreds – On the road and desk-based Thousands Specialist Sales KM Team

The KM approach Product, service and solution “know-how” Build a standard toolkit and activity program Different media to suit different audience needs Content , communications and training in one The iStore On-line document library Sales KnowHow Bulletin Weekly web-based newsletter Knowledge Bites Web and audio conference briefing

Product, service and solution “know-how”

Build a standard toolkit and activity program

Different media to suit different audience needs

Content , communications and training in one

The iStore

On-line document library

Sales KnowHow Bulletin

Weekly web-based newsletter

Knowledge Bites

Web and audio conference briefing

The core asset – the iStore Everything sales staff need to know – in one place Documents for internal & external use Multimedia content Standard document templates Provide sales information in predictable format Also stored on iStore Lotus Notes/Domino database Web browser access for all Hand-held device access Secure Admin access

Everything sales staff need to know – in one place

Documents for internal & external use

Multimedia content

Standard document templates

Provide sales information in predictable format

Also stored on iStore

Lotus Notes/Domino database

Web browser access for all

Hand-held device access

Secure Admin access

iStore scope 3,000+ entries 270 contributors… 370 products, services, solutions & campaigns Average over 60,000 hits per month Multiple indexes and search Every entry accessible by any index Anonymous reader access Subscription for weekly updates…

3,000+ entries

270 contributors…

370 products, services, solutions & campaigns

Average over 60,000 hits per month

Multiple indexes and search

Every entry accessible by any index

Anonymous reader access

Subscription for weekly updates…

Knowledge as an asset Knowledge base is an identifiable asset Critical requirement for sales success Must be up to date, accurate and reliable… … and easy to find needed info Availability saves time searching Need access to knowledge at the time of need!

Knowledge base is an identifiable asset

Critical requirement for sales success

Must be up to date, accurate and reliable…

… and easy to find needed info

Availability saves time searching

Need access to knowledge at the time of need!

Must be “business as usual” Address real business needs Need to introduce new products and solutions Need to equip sales force Part of standard product build process Mandatory step in “Launch Ready” stage Adopt standardised IT support process Engage all stakeholders Gain management support Sell benefits and promote

Address real business needs

Need to introduce new products and solutions

Need to equip sales force

Part of standard product build process

Mandatory step in “Launch Ready” stage

Adopt standardised IT support process

Engage all stakeholders

Gain management support

Sell benefits and promote

Channels for knowledge transfer Technology for the people

Choosing the channels Ignore traditional distinctions Content , communications and training End result is an informed audience Build channels to meet audience needs Use available technology Get new technology as required Go outside the firewall if necessary! Use “safe-fail” experiments

Ignore traditional distinctions

Content , communications and training

End result is an informed audience

Build channels to meet audience needs

Use available technology

Get new technology as required

Go outside the firewall if necessary!

Use “safe-fail” experiments

The audience Sales staff, Sales Specialists, Technical Sales Large customers: face-to-face, on the road Smaller customer: by phone, desk-based Sales specialists need more technical detail Increasingly time-poor Need to know how to sell solutions Focus on customer needs Income at risk, based on sales and revenue

Sales staff, Sales Specialists, Technical Sales

Large customers: face-to-face, on the road

Smaller customer: by phone, desk-based

Sales specialists need more technical detail

Increasingly time-poor

Need to know how to sell solutions

Focus on customer needs

Income at risk, based on sales and revenue

Sales KnowHow Bulletin Weekly web-based newsletter Latest news on products and campaigns Notice emailed to target audience Only read items of interest Front page has 50-word summary Click through layers to detail Suits time-poor audience

Weekly web-based newsletter

Latest news on products and campaigns

Notice emailed to target audience

Only read items of interest

Front page has 50-word summary

Click through layers to detail

Suits time-poor audience

Knowledge Bites Weekly audio and web conference Two 10-minute “bites”, with Q&A Introduced and managed by KM team Presentations delivered by SMEs Slide pack loaded to iStore Audio edited and loaded to iStore Enhanced subscription service Provides ‘podcasting’ Suits time-poor audience

Weekly audio and web conference

Two 10-minute “bites”, with Q&A

Introduced and managed by KM team

Presentations delivered by SMEs

Slide pack loaded to iStore

Audio edited and loaded to iStore

Enhanced subscription service

Provides ‘podcasting’

Suits time-poor audience

iKnowItAll Quiz Online interactive quiz Flash-based, with question database management Fun learning Simple questions Multiple choice, true/false, perfect match Source document supplied Ideally suited to desk-based staff Used as a team sport!

Online interactive quiz

Flash-based, with question database management

Fun learning

Simple questions

Multiple choice, true/false, perfect match

Source document supplied

Ideally suited to desk-based staff

Used as a team sport!

Other tools eLearning (iBrief) Online Suits desk-based staff Scripted audio and video (ProductStream) Online Suits desk-based staff Audio CDs (iRadio) For on the road staff Replaced by Knowledge Bites audio

eLearning (iBrief)

Online

Suits desk-based staff

Scripted audio and video (ProductStream)

Online

Suits desk-based staff

Audio CDs (iRadio)

For on the road staff

Replaced by Knowledge Bites audio

Ownership and currency maintenance Accountability, behaviour and engagement

The contributors Product Managers, Marketers, SMEs Increasingly time-poor The “Ivory Tower” syndrome Knowledge “hoarding” Interested mostly in products and solutions Want to provide lots of detail! More accountable for costs than sales Not usually hired as communicators Focus only on own product

Product Managers, Marketers, SMEs

Increasingly time-poor

The “Ivory Tower” syndrome

Knowledge “hoarding”

Interested mostly in products and solutions

Want to provide lots of detail!

More accountable for costs than sales

Not usually hired as communicators

Focus only on own product

Contributor accountability Self-service Contributors load and own all content Every entry must have one accountable owner Manage entry status, currency and validity Draft, Published, To be deleted Guides and training provided Including eLearning modules Control hand-over as required… Job changes Extended leave

Self-service

Contributors load and own all content

Every entry must have one accountable owner

Manage entry status, currency and validity

Draft, Published, To be deleted

Guides and training provided

Including eLearning modules

Control hand-over as required…

Job changes

Extended leave

Regular reviews All entries have a 90-day timer “Entry last updated” date displayed Auto review reminder emails to contributor Update, republish or delete Automatic archive at 90 days Contributor advised Entry visible, but attachment not accessible Entries may be deleted if archived > 2 weeks

All entries have a 90-day timer

“Entry last updated” date displayed

Auto review reminder emails to contributor

Update, republish or delete

Automatic archive at 90 days

Contributor advised

Entry visible, but attachment not accessible

Entries may be deleted if archived > 2 weeks

Extended currency management Attachment currency critical Separate “file last uploaded” date tracked Attachment age checked at each review If attached file more than six months old: Contributor asked to confirm content review Confirmation logged & copy sent to manager If attached file more than twelve months old: Monthly scorecard sent via senior management

Attachment currency critical

Separate “file last uploaded” date tracked

Attachment age checked at each review

If attached file more than six months old:

Contributor asked to confirm content review

Confirmation logged & copy sent to manager

If attached file more than twelve months old:

Monthly scorecard sent via senior management

Sales input and awareness All entries have feedback form Messages go to contributor Available for archived entries All entries have “five-star” rating The audience is part of currency management Messages logged on Admin interface…

All entries have feedback form

Messages go to contributor

Available for archived entries

All entries have “five-star” rating

The audience is part of currency management

Messages logged on Admin interface…

Administration Monitor entry status on Admin interface Provide reporting Monitor email failures and responses Identify and follow up staff movements Intervene as required Phone calls to recalcitrants Provide training and help Engage the community Quarterly emails to contributors

Monitor entry status on Admin interface

Provide reporting

Monitor email failures and responses

Identify and follow up staff movements

Intervene as required

Phone calls to recalcitrants

Provide training and help

Engage the community

Quarterly emails to contributors

Other considerations Management support critical Need “WIIFM” factor Rewards & Recognition program Depends on organisation structure & budget Build into KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) A “Knowledge points” system Depends on organisation structure

Management support critical

Need “WIIFM” factor

Rewards & Recognition program

Depends on organisation structure & budget

Build into KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

A “Knowledge points” system

Depends on organisation structure

An open policy "Knowledge can only ever be volunteered; it cannot be conscripted" David Snowden Make it as easy as possible to share knowledge Simple, web-based entry form Same form for creating and updating Upload attachment Author chooses index categories Mandatory meta-data

"Knowledge can only ever be volunteered; it cannot be conscripted"

David Snowden

Make it as easy as possible to share knowledge

Simple, web-based entry form

Same form for creating and updating

Upload attachment

Author chooses index categories

Mandatory meta-data

Be afraid! A completely open system Anyone can create, update or change Open access to all No log-in required But identity captured and audit trail kept Risk of incorrect information Never eventuated Trust a critical element The heart of Web/Enterprise 2.0 Trust has been consistently honoured

A completely open system

Anyone can create, update or change

Open access to all

No log-in required

But identity captured and audit trail kept

Risk of incorrect information

Never eventuated

Trust a critical element

The heart of Web/Enterprise 2.0

Trust has been consistently honoured

Summary Build a broad-based toolkit Make it "the way we do things around here“ Know the business and meet the needs Know your audience and contributors And how they operate Manage currency and accuracy Address accountability, behaviour and engagement Exercise trust, and make it as easy as possible Human issues come before technology!

Build a broad-based toolkit

Make it "the way we do things around here“

Know the business and meet the needs

Know your audience and contributors

And how they operate

Manage currency and accuracy

Address accountability, behaviour and engagement

Exercise trust, and make it as easy as possible

Human issues come before technology!

Thank You! [email_address] 0418 51 7676 Blog: http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/