TCS has implemented extensive knowledge management systems and tools to capture and share knowledge across its large global operations. It utilizes databases, portals, and collaboration tools to manage both explicit and tacit knowledge. These knowledge management investments have helped TCS improve key business processes like bidding for projects, development, implementation, and customer service by enabling consultants to efficiently access lessons learned and best practices from prior work. The implementation of knowledge management has been a strategic asset for TCS's continued growth and success.

1. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND
COLLABORATION AT TATA CONSULTING
SERVICES
G S T 5 0 8 3
INFORMATION SYSTEMS & ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
Group Members

2. Company Background
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
• Founded in 1968 in India
• An IT-services, business solution and outsourcing
organization.
• Offers a portfolio of IT enabled services to clients all over
the globe in horizontal, vertical, and geographical
domains.
• Has over 108,000 IT consultants in 47 countries.
• The largest Indian company by market capitalization and is
the largest India based IT services company by 2013
revenues.

3. Q1. ANALYZE THE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT EFFORTS AT TATA
CONSULTING SERVICES (TCS) USING THE KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT VALUE CHAIN MODEL
The knowledge management efforts at TCS can be divided into the
following activities:
1. Knowledge Acquisition:
• Over the years, TCS had acquired a vast body of knowledge and
experience in several fields through on shore projects for its
clients across the globe including GE insurance, GE Health,
Hewlett Packard, Prudential, Standard Chartered Bank etc.
• TCS regularly rotated people across various function and within
other Tata Group Companies to gain cross industry experience.
• Employees were also encouraged to be part of outside bodies
like the IEEE, and go in for certifications.

4. CONT’S
2. Knowledge Storage:
• TCS had developed various repositories and databases for knowledge
storage such as Kbases, Process Asset Libraries, KnowMax, and
Ultimatix.
3. Knowledge Dissemination:
• Knowledge was disseminated using a variety of techniques such as:
- Ultimatix a web based electronic knowledge management portal
- Propel session: brought together employees with similar interest
- Live Meeting and Knowledge Transition sessions at the project level
- “Tip of the Day” email comprising technical, conceptual or human
skills tips were shared within the organization daily.

5. CONT’S
4. Knowledge Application:
• Employees could access the knowledge repository that raised on
the corporate and branch servers through the intranet.
• Students or anybody should visit the TCS website to explore the
new capabilities developed by TCS and how it relates to the
knowledge they have accumulated over the years about the
customers, markets, systems development, and technologies.

6. WHICH TOOLS OR ACTIVITIES WERE USED FOR MANAGING TACIT
KNOWLEDGE AND WHICH ONES ARE USED FOR EXPLICIT
KNOWLEDGE
• KBases
• Process Asset Libraries
• KnowMax
• Ultimatix
Tools/activities to
manage explicit
knowledge
• Redesign of development
centers
• Propel sessions
• Knowledge Transition Sessions
• Communities of practice
Tools/activities to
manage tacit
knowledge

7. Q2. DESCRIBE THE GROWTH OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS AT TCS? HOW HAVE THESE SYSTEMS HELPED TCS IN ITS
BUSINESS?
• The concept of knowledge management (KM) was introduced in TCS in
1995 and dedicated KM team called “Corporate Groupware” was
formed in 1998.
• This group launched the KM-pilot in mid 1999. At that time, KM in TCS
covered nearly every function, from quality assurance to HR
management.
• The employees could access the knowledge repository that resided on
the corporate and branch servers through the intranet, with a browser
front end or a Notes client.
• The knowledge repository, also called Kbases, contained a wide range
of information about processes, line of business, line of technology,
and projects.

8. CONT’S
• The next step was to create Process Asset Libraries (PALs) which
contained information related to technology, processes, case studies
for project leaders which were made available to all development
centers through the intranet.
• The same thing was done through the web-based electronic
knowledge management portal library and Kbases, which were
hosted on the intranet, were merged with Ultimatix, which had sub-
portals for quality management system, software productivity
improvement, training materials, and tools information.

9. CONT’S
• TCS developed Knowmax, a knowledge management system, using
Microsoft share point portal server that gave TCS consultants access
to nearly 40 years of experience and best practices arranged by type
of engagement, the technology in use, and customer requirements.
• It supported more than 60 knowledge assets and was accessible via
Ultimatix to all TCS associates. Any associate could contribute to the
K-Bank and Knowledge officers were made responsible for
maintaining the quality of content.
• The benefits of these tools and systems to TCS are described in
detail Q5.

10. Q3. DECRIBE THE COLLABORATION TOOLS USED AT TCS? WHAT
BENEFITS DID TCS REAP FROMTHESE TOOLS?
TCS used a variety of collaboration tools :
• Infinity that includes instant messaging, IP telephony, and video
conferencing
• Blogs and wikis
• Idea Storm, TIP, and
• Mysite
The benefit:
• Collaboration overseas and local offices improved as instant messaging
(IM) got rid of cultural and pronunciation differences that could occur on
the phone.
• Corporate communications was able to run a 24 hour internal news
broadcast to all TCS offices in the world
• Travel and telecommunications costs were reduced by 40 percent and 6
percent respectively.
• The other tools improved collaboration, communication, and knowledge
sharing among the employees.

11. Q4. HOW DID WEB 2.0 TOOLS HELP TCS MANAGE KNOWLEDGE AND
COLLABORATION AMONG ITS EMPLOYEES?
• Blogs, wikis, and other tools:
- Boosts communication and productivity among employees
• Wikis
- Collaborating on materials related to project,
- Supporting brainstorming sessions,
- Developing presentations.
• Blogs
- Used as a means to gather inputs on problems that they faced
on a project.

12. CONT’S
• Just Ask System
- Allowed employees to pose a question and in turn get answers
from other colleagues, sometimes leading to a detailed discussion.
- If someone often answered questions on a particular domain, the
relevant specialist group invited that person into the domain group
and thus gave the visibility to talent within the company.
• The IdeaStorm
- Used by the management, helped in generation of ideas on topics
posted by the corporate team.
• TIP
- Used as a portal for product innovation and new ideas.
- Helped the management to gamer ideas related to product/
service innovation and helped in solving problems.
• Social Net Working MySite
- To help employees communicate better with each other

13. Q5. HOW DO YOU THINK KM TOOLS HAVE CHANGED SOME KEY
OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AT TCS, SUCH AS BIDDING FOR NEW
PROJECTS, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION,
CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND SO ON ?
• Systems development and implementation activities are more
likely to be done by TCS in a manner that is timely, effective,
and cost efficient.
• The same for customer service – by knowing customer
requirements and also taking ideas from other industries that
are stored in the KM databases, the company can provide new
and innovative solutions to resolve customer queries.

14. CONT’S
• TCS aims to move up the value chain and to continue to bid for
higher level projects, beyond those of maintenance and
development.
• By accumulating knowledge, it has built capabilities to
understand how to service clients through consulting and in
other strategic areas. So KM has enabled TCS to continue to
move higher up and to bid for more strategic projects.
• KM repositories that capture best practices in the projects it has
undertaken make the company more efficient in servicing clients.
This means it can execute better.

15. CONCLUSION
• Overall, KM tools have become a key strategic resource at the
company and all hires are required to learn them as a part of
their orientation.
• These tools are also the first go to before starting any project or
approaching a client.
• Knowledge in these database allows TCS consultants to quickly
gather intelligence about the client or similar projects and thus
align themselves better with what the client might want.
• This has led to higher success rate in bidding and project
execution.

16. THANK YOU