Can Knowledge Management Help Innovation? Carla O’Dell, Ph.D. President, APQC January 2009

Why Innovators Care About KM One definition of innovation is the combination and/or synthesis of knowledge into new and unique combinations. Best practice firms use KM approaches to become more efficient innovators , especially in scientific and technical domains. Less redundancy and relearning Use lessons learned Reuse knowledge and information All of which… Gives higher yield from the innovation process Lowers risk

One definition of innovation is the combination and/or synthesis of knowledge into new and unique combinations.

Best practice firms use KM approaches to become more efficient innovators , especially in scientific and technical domains.

Less redundancy and relearning

Use lessons learned

Reuse knowledge and information

All of which…

Gives higher yield from the innovation process

Lowers risk

Five Ways KM Can Support Innovation Reducing time to market Creating a supportive environment and culture Increasing access to expert knowledge Collaboration across boundaries Making knowledge worker time more efficient.

Reducing time to market

Creating a supportive environment and culture

Increasing access to expert knowledge

Collaboration across boundaries

Making knowledge worker time more efficient.

1. Reducing Time to Market Time to market often determines market share and regaining the value of development. Wasting time reinventing the wheel hurts. Organizational amnesia or selective memory New people entering product development teams need to come up to speed quickly and not repeat past learnings. KM can enable smarter decisions, faster.

Time to market often determines market share and regaining the value of development.

Wasting time reinventing the wheel hurts.

Organizational amnesia or selective memory

New people entering product development teams need to come up to speed quickly and not repeat past learnings.

KM can enable smarter decisions, faster.

2. Creating a Supportive Environment Senior leadership communicates direction and vision Enabling “Creative Abrasion” in groups Enabling and reinforcing collaborative behavior Providing resources to enable sharing and innovation Time,money; People (“facilitators”); Process and technology Recruiting the right people and linking the right people together

Senior leadership communicates direction and vision

Enabling “Creative Abrasion” in groups

Enabling and reinforcing collaborative behavior

Providing resources to enable sharing and innovation

Time,money;

People (“facilitators”);

Process and technology

Recruiting the right people and linking the right people together

3. Access to Expert Knowledge People need access to people with experience and expertise KM, using Web 2.0 and social networking, has provided new cost-effective vehicles for access to expertise. Experts become more visible A wide array of people with experience becomes available

People need access to people with experience and expertise

KM, using Web 2.0 and social networking, has provided new cost-effective vehicles for access to expertise.

Experts become more visible

A wide array of people with experience becomes available

4. Boundary Spanning Collaboration is the fountain of innovation. Global companies report that more profitable new ideas come from the boundaries—partners, suppliers and customers. When people actively share knowledge within and across boundaries, actionable knowledge results. R&D talking to market research and sales people Technical experts supporting field people Communities of practice can be structured to enable innovation. Communities of practice around a body of knowledge, industry or product

Collaboration is the fountain of innovation. Global companies report that more profitable new ideas come from the boundaries—partners, suppliers and customers.

When people actively share knowledge within and across boundaries, actionable knowledge results.

R&D talking to market research and sales people

Technical experts supporting field people

Communities of practice can be structured to enable innovation.

Communities of practice around a body of knowledge, industry or product

5. Making Knowledge Workers More Efficient Highly-paid people are spending too much time looking for information. Estimates in two of APQC’s past studies indicate up to 20% of R&D or engineering time is spent looking for existing information and knowledge. KM can help manage content so that access is easier and faster, for better results

Highly-paid people are spending too much time looking for information.

Estimates in two of APQC’s past studies indicate up to 20% of R&D or engineering time is spent looking for existing information and knowledge.

KM can help manage content so that access is easier and faster, for better results