1. #PMICongress
Gina Hortillosa, PE, PMP
Snohomish County
Zahid Khan, PE, PMP
King County
Tackling Knowledge Transfer
at a Project Level While Aiming
for Operational Impacts
2. No one lives long enough to learn everything
they need to learn starting from scratch.
To be successful, we absolutely, positively,
have to find people who have already paid
the price to learn the things that we need to
learn to achieve our goals. - Brian Tracy
3. Learning objectives
2 Identify organizational Knowledge Transfer
barriers and examine solutions
3 Align Knowledge Transfer with the
PMI Talent Triangle™
4 Generate ideas as to how attendees
can influence Knowledge Transfer in
their organizations
1 Interpret Knowledge Transfer basic theory
and recognize concepts
5. Knowledge Transfer history
• Survival depended on ancestral knowledge
• Knowledge was captured in stories and chants
• Children learned through direct observation
6. Evolution of Knowledge Transfer
• Educational institutions transfer
explicit knowledge
• “Knowledge Management”
emerged in the 1980s
• Influenced by cognitive science,
business theory, social sciences,
information sciences and artificial
intelligence
7. Knowledge
. . . is information that is
relevant, actionable and at
least partially based on
experience.
“
“
Knowledge
Leonard, Swap and Barton, 2015, p.18). Critical Knowledge
Transfer: Tools for Managing Your Company's Deep Smarts.
Information
Data
8. Critical knowledge
. . . business critical and at least partially based
on experience.
Leonard, D., Swap, W., Barton, G. (2015). Critical Knowledge
Transfer: Tools for Managing Your Company's Deep Smarts.
Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
“ “
9.
10. What is Knowledge Transfer?
. . . Knowledge Transfer is the methodical
replication of the expertise, wisdom, insight, and tacit
knowledge of key professionals into the heads and
hands of their coworkers.
Project Management Institute. 2015. Pulse of the Profession®:
Capturing the Value of Project Management through
Knowledge Transfer. Newtown Square, PA: Larry Prusak.
“
“
11. What is Knowledge Transfer?
– Employees, experts and leaders functioning as
teachers by intentionally weaving “teachable
moments” into daily business (connecting)
– It is not limited to document storing (collecting)
Project Management Institute. 2015. Pulse of the Profession®:
Capturing the Value of Project Management through
Knowledge Transfer. Newtown Square, PA: Larry Prusak.
12. What is Knowledge Transfer?
Project Management Institute. 2015. Pulse of the Profession®:
Capturing the Value of Project Management through
Knowledge Transfer. Newtown Square, PA: Larry Prusak.
Connect + Collect = Knowledge Transfer
14. Knowledge
Leonard, Swap and Barton, 2015, p.18). Critical Knowledge
Transfer: Tools for Managing Your Company's Deep Smarts.
Tacit
Explicit
Implicit
Document, share and
transfer the hard-earned
knowledge that is in the
minds, bodies and
hearts of employees
15. • “Know what”
• “Know how”
• Systems
• “Know who”
• Interpersonal
• Filter noise
• Scent
• Sounds
• Touch
Cognitive Behavioral Physical
Knowledge Dimensions
• Who they are
• Presence
• In their hearts
Character
Leonard, D., Swap, W., Barton, G. (2015). Critical Knowledge
Transfer: Tools for Managing Your Company's Deep Smarts.
Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
16. Knowledge Transfer Life Cycle
Project Management Institute. 2015. Pulse of the Profession®: Capturing the Value of
Project Management through Knowledge Transfer. Newtown Square, PA: Larry Prusak.
Capture
Identify
Share
Apply
Assess
19. In-depth interviews
What are examples of critical knowledge
for your organization?
Theory
Theory
?
What metrics does your organization use
to assess knowledge transfer??
20. Interview highlights
Theory
Area of inquiry Responses (trends)
Most important critical knowledge
Relationships and Leadership
(trust)
Most important project level
knowledge transfer tool / technique
Assigning a deputy project
manager
Most commonly used organizational
knowledge transfer tool/technique
Mentoring and coaching
Most common lesson learned
or insight
Systemic knowledge transfer
is dependent on leadership
commitment and prioritization
21. How does a PM or GM
know what knowledge
to transfer?
22. PM GM
• Project strategic
business alignment
(clarity of purpose)
• Exit interview
mindset
• Business critical
knowledge vs.
“historical” knowledge
• Engage employees
Capture
Share
Apply
Assess Identify
Identify
24. Share
. . . the manner in which we offer our knowledge is
always relational, and therefore the level of care or
coldness in which we offer it will have a great effect on
the way the information is received and integrated.
Rechtschaffen, D. (2014). The Way of Mindful Education.
New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Capture
Share
Apply
Assess Identify
“
“
26. Knowledge Transfer barriers
• The perception that Knowledge Transfer
represents a loss of power (ego)
• Lack of trust
• Lack of commitment:
– Time
– Patience
– Emotional availability
27. Removal of barriers (tools)
• Engage the users to develop their own tools
• Modeling (Mentoring)
• Infusion of social fluency (culture and work)
30. Assess
. . . measure what you can, evaluate what you measure,
and appreciate that you cannot measure the vast majority of
what you do. And at least every once in a while, make time
to take a step back and think about what you are doing.
Catmull, E., & Wallace A. (2014). Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming
the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration.
NewYork, NY: Random House.
“
“
Capture
Share
Apply
Assess Identify
31. Operational impacts
Impacts occur when:
• Employees intentionally weave “teachable
moments” into daily business operations
• Leadership is exercised at all levels
of the organization
32. Operational benefits
• Cost savings (less relearn)
• Engaged employees
• Team development
• Learning mindset (culture)
• Innovation
35. Real Case Scenario
You are the supervisor of a five member team. Joe is the
subject matter expert (SME) in your team. You suspect
that he will be retiring within the next twelve months.
He is of particular value to the organization because of
his professional relationships, industry understanding
and strategizing abilities.
Although he is a much respected professional, he has
an abrasive personality and an impatient demeanor.
36. Real Case Scenario
1. Identify three leadership skills (from PMI’s Talent
Triangle) that you (Joe’s supervisor) need for
Knowledge Transfer to occur within your team?
2. What is one Knowledge transfer technique that you
would use?
3. What are three options to remove Knowledge
Transfer barriers?
37. Real Case Scenario (remove barriers)
• Bonus (extrinsic motivation)
• Clarity: intentions vs actions
• Trust
• Other
40. Summary
1 Knowledge Transfer must take into account
motivation, behaviors, cognition and feelings
(engaged employees)
2 Leadership is the bedrock of Knowledge
Transfer
3 Knowledge Transfer makes business sense
41. What is your role in Knowledge
Transfer at your organization?
How are you, your project team and
organization benefiting from
your role?
Challenge
43. LinkedIn
Gina M. Hortillosa, P.E., PMP
Gina.Hortillosa@snoco.org
Thank you!
LinkedIn
Zahid Khan, P.E., PMP
Zahid.Khan@kingcounty.gov
Please rate our
session in the
mobile app
