Developing an OrganisationalKM Strategy

Keith De La RueAcKnowledge Consulting

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Overview Developing a knowledge sharing toolkit Keeping content up to date Dealing with knowledge hoarding Using multiple media

Applying Social Media principles

Developinga toolkit

A knowledge sharing approach

Business Sales Force Business Customers

Product &

Marketing Teams

The environment

Hundreds of Products

Hundreds – On the road and desk-based

Thousands

Sp

eci

alis

t S

ale

sKM

Team

The KM approach Product, service and solution “know-how” Build a standard toolkit and activity program

Different media to suit different audience needs ContentContent, communicationscommunications and trainingtraining in one

The iStore On-line document library

Sales KnowHow Bulletin Weekly web-based newsletter

Knowledge Bites Web and audio conference briefing

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

iStore scope 3,300 entries

90% documents – others link or text only 270 contributors… 370 products, services & solutions Average over 60,000 hits per month Multiple indexes and search

Every entry accessible by any index Anonymous reader access Subscription for weekly updates

Keeping content up to date

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

Contributor accountability Self-service

Contributors load and own all content EveryEvery entry must have oneone 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

Two weeks’ notice, one week reminder 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 27% reduced to 7% over 12 months

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 input and awareness The audience as part of currency management All entries have feedback form

Messages go to contributor Available for archived entries Identity automatically captured through single sign-on

All entries have “five-star” rating 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 Identify issues Phone calls to recalcitrants Provide training and help

Dealing with knowledge hoarding

Tearing down the Ivory Tower

Starting out Start with defined scope A “Knowledge points” system

Built into KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

Rewards and Recognition program Include branding, non-monetary rewards Public recognition Must reward only correctcorrect behaviour

Become part of standard business Need to drive accountability

Extending the scope “Middle-out” approach

Started small, but management support critical

Original culture became accepted Even with organisational changes

Continually emphasise audience needs Sales staff need up-to-date information “Is that on the iStore?”

Build into standard Product Launch process

Keep it simple – and standardised Make it as easy as possible to share knowledge Simple web form

Contributor selects meta-data All key meta-data mandatory With some optional extras

Ensure clarity in classifications Single product name, but optional additional names Single document type, following template Entry title automatically assembled

Building a contributor community Need to Know – quarterly email newsletter

Brief, focus on key issues and system updates Report “Top 10” contributors

Also update via other media Contributor statistics access Help, guides and training provided Use of dedicated emailbox – “! iStore”

Risk of complacency Phone calls, alternative approaches

Usingmultiplemedia

Social Media principles

An open policy "Knowledge can only ever be volunteeredvolunteered;

it cannot be conscriptedconscripted" David Snowden

Be afraid! A completely open system AnyoneAnyone can create, update or change

OpenOpen access to all No log-in required ButBut 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

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

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

Other tools iKnowItAll Quiz

Online interactive quiz Fun learning, 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

Choosing the media Ignore traditional distinctions

ContentContent, communicationscommunications and trainingtraining End result is an informed audience

Build media to meet audienceaudience needs Use available technology Get new technology as required

Go outside the firewall if necessary!

Use “safe-fail” experiments

System review & refresh Change determined by audience Regular review program

Review of entire toolkit

Surveys, Focus Groups, Projects, Reviews Qualitative and quantitative measures

Team strategy workshops Feed back results Communicate changes

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!

Thank You!

keith@delarue.netkeith@delarue.net +61 418 51 7676+61 418 51 7676

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