Practical KM Survey Results; Analysis and Commentary from Participants

Boston KM Forum, January 17, 2013

Panel: Lisa O’Donnell (Genzyme/Sanofi), Bert Saul (SGH), Glynys Thomas (The Parthenon Group), Marcie Zaharee (The MITRE Corporation) Moderators: Lynda Moulton and Larry Chait

Entire Contents Copyright © 2013 Chait and Associates, Inc.

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Practical knowledge management…

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Survey Respondents said about their Organization’s ability to leverage knowledge

Excellent7%

Good39%

Average41%

Fair7%

Poor6%

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Perspective: Knowledge leverage initiatives

Centrality of human beings—Only knowledgeable people can determine appropriate fit of new technologies to knowledge initiatives 

State of flux—Impacts of a changing environment on knowledge processing

Knowledge Leverage is the operational force applied to derive institutional benefit from available and authoritative information resources (expert people, knowledge codified in content, and organizational know-how)

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Critical “gut check”Is the knowledge initiative about technology or

does something else need to be addressed first?

Long before technology connectors are acquired or planned for a knowledge opportunity, the leader of a knowledge initiative—and an organization as a whole—must do a serious gut check.

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Questions for panel:

The changing environment…

In what ways have changes in the environment impacted how your organization processes knowledge?

For example: Changes in case law and litigation discovery requiring corporate email retention

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Critical “gut check”In a “gut check,” ask these questions:

What is the changing business, legal or regulatory environment that calls for an initiative?

Given who you are and what you know, can you and your organization address your knowledge opportunity effectively?

Can the needed people and resources be marshaled?

Can you define and convincingly defend the initiative?

Are you—and the organization—willing to take the risk?

Critical “gut check”—critical elements People—the “who”—what knowledge and

competencies are needed, and who are the key stakeholders

Goal—the “what”—what is the value proposition; what will the initiative do and how will it provide value?

Scope—the “how big”—how much of the initiative is in whose domain, and what can realistically be accomplished?

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Questions for panel:

“Gut checks” in your organization…

Has your organization done effective “gut checks” before launching knowledge initiatives?

If so, to what advantage?

If not, with what consequences?

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Survey Respondents Think Major KM Challenges Are:

Finding knowledge when needed

22%

Sharing knowledge effectively

31%

Organizing and managing

knowledge as-sets25%

Accessing knowl-edge with tech-nology support

6%

Hoarding knowledge

2%

Other14%

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Survey: Important attributes for KM leaders

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Out of 50 – Multiple Answers per respondent

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Survey: Important attributes for KM team members

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Where does technology belong relative to these knowledge initiative elements?

Knowledge Initiative

ObjectivesScope

Culture

Staffing

Communica-tions

TechnologyScheduling,

project management

Justification

Measure-ment

Implementa-tion

Ongoing Management

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Possible tensions across roles and when defining knowledge initiatives and technologies

Users – Drivers I/T – Responders

Demand that tools meet the true needs of knowledge initiatives

Rely on standard tools to ensure a stable environment

Are expert in their business and its needs

Are expert in technology and its application

Define business needs for technology

Address technology needs

Ensure that applications are implemented and used effectively

Plan for ongoing resource and security issues

Identify technology functions and usability features that must be incorporated

Integrate disparate software systems

Focus on how processes work Focus on how technology works

Require knowledge initiatives to leverage knowledge

Support IT initiatives to respond to knowledge leverage

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Questions:

Technology in your organization…

What role has technology played in your knowledge initiatives?

When has it been appropriate?

When has it been inappropriate?

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Types of knowledge-centric initiatives Collaboration

Collaborative Software Knowledge-sharing activities

Human Discovery Knowledge Analysis Knowledge Discovery Benchmarking

Repositories Databases Expertise applications

Accessibility Electronic Discovery

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Survey: Successful KM solutions

0

5

10

15

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25

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35

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Survey Organizations: Treatment of knowledge initiatives

One-off, sanctioned project

30%

Part of structured program

38%

Other28%

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Survey Organizations: Ownership of knowledge initiatives

Top management

41%

Business unit benefitting

42%

IT17%

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Survey Organizations: Senior management’s role

Sponsorship and vocal support

44%

Qualified approval30%

Non-enthusiastic

approval14%

Disinterest12%

Vocal opposition0%

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Survey Organizations: Life of knowledge initiatives

1 year or less16%

2 years18%

3 years10%4 years

12%

5 or more years44%

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Audience Questions

Lynda MoultonLWM Technology Services

lmoulton@lwmtechnology.com978-660-1845

Larry ChaitChait and Associates, Inc.

lpchait@chaitassociates.com617-299-0290