Context
KM - Identification of Training Needs
KM - Competency and Skill
KM - Organizational Knowledge Base
KM - Individual Domain Knowledge
How does KM enable Project Management?
I had taken a stab at this last year and believe that it answers the above query even though it does not adopt the framework I have been using to answer other queries from this set.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
KM - Individual Domain Knowledge
Context
KM - Identification of Training Needs
KM - Competency and Skill
KM - Organizational Knowledge Base
How does KM help in Building Individual Domain Knowledge?
I don't see this to be very different from the way I responded to the third question on Competency and Skill. It is the building of knowledge and the application of it that eventually leads to improved competency and skill.
KM - Identification of Training Needs
KM - Competency and Skill
KM - Organizational Knowledge Base
How does KM help in Building Individual Domain Knowledge?
I don't see this to be very different from the way I responded to the third question on Competency and Skill. It is the building of knowledge and the application of it that eventually leads to improved competency and skill.
KM - Organizational Knowledge Base
Context
KM - Identification of Training Needs
KM - Competency and Skill
How does KM help in Building Organizational Knowledge Base?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? Driver
Traditionally: People keep their knowledge artifacts with themselves and use it whenever they need it. They approach others in their teams and networks for help in case they do not have the required knowledge artifact. Sharing proactively is limited to the distribution of the artifacts via email if the employee feels like. Storage and retrieval is entirely based on the individual’s style of managing content. When someone picks up something from the internet, he would download the file and maybe create a personal bookmark of the source.
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in clear objectives in terms of the knowledge that needs to be managed, analysis of what knowledge is required, where it can be found or created, how it can be created and managed, who are the key people and also why it needs to be done. KM can help in the improvement of the knowledge life cycle in relevant business processes. Concepts of KM can be leveraged upon to better understand how knowledge is created, what are the motivating factors, how it can be distributed and reused efficiently and effectively, and how it benefits the organization. Overall, KM can bring in discipline, purpose, and passion for building a knowledge base.
The Idea: The KM team needs to understand the business dynamics and the knowledge therein. It then needs to understand existing process of knowledge generation, analysis, capture, storage, classification, distribution, application, reuse and enhancement. It needs to consider what knowledge artifacts are appropriate candidates for the knowledge base and what aren’t. It needs to tackle them accordingly. It needs to understand the sources of knowledge and identify elements that motivate the generation, distribution and reuse of knowledge and establish them. The KM team needs to work on the requisite culture, environment, process and tools and continuously manage them. The management needs to happen via activities like measurement, feedback analysis, best practices and tool developments.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Appraisals, Incentives, Recognition and rewards, Repository, Content Management, Document Management, Collaborative Tools, Email management, Reuse initiatives, Analysis of knowledge processes to improve knowledge creation, distribution, capture, application and enhancements.
KM - Identification of Training Needs
KM - Competency and Skill
How does KM help in Building Organizational Knowledge Base?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? Driver
Traditionally: People keep their knowledge artifacts with themselves and use it whenever they need it. They approach others in their teams and networks for help in case they do not have the required knowledge artifact. Sharing proactively is limited to the distribution of the artifacts via email if the employee feels like. Storage and retrieval is entirely based on the individual’s style of managing content. When someone picks up something from the internet, he would download the file and maybe create a personal bookmark of the source.
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in clear objectives in terms of the knowledge that needs to be managed, analysis of what knowledge is required, where it can be found or created, how it can be created and managed, who are the key people and also why it needs to be done. KM can help in the improvement of the knowledge life cycle in relevant business processes. Concepts of KM can be leveraged upon to better understand how knowledge is created, what are the motivating factors, how it can be distributed and reused efficiently and effectively, and how it benefits the organization. Overall, KM can bring in discipline, purpose, and passion for building a knowledge base.
The Idea: The KM team needs to understand the business dynamics and the knowledge therein. It then needs to understand existing process of knowledge generation, analysis, capture, storage, classification, distribution, application, reuse and enhancement. It needs to consider what knowledge artifacts are appropriate candidates for the knowledge base and what aren’t. It needs to tackle them accordingly. It needs to understand the sources of knowledge and identify elements that motivate the generation, distribution and reuse of knowledge and establish them. The KM team needs to work on the requisite culture, environment, process and tools and continuously manage them. The management needs to happen via activities like measurement, feedback analysis, best practices and tool developments.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Appraisals, Incentives, Recognition and rewards, Repository, Content Management, Document Management, Collaborative Tools, Email management, Reuse initiatives, Analysis of knowledge processes to improve knowledge creation, distribution, capture, application and enhancements.
KM - Competency and Skill
The Context
KM and Identification of Training Needs
How does KM help in Competency and Skill Mapping?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? Enabler
Traditionally: The work experience per se, the training plans and programs, the self-learning as well as mentoring programs help develop the competency of the employee. Not so sure what is meant by mapping here. If you’re talking about recognizing someone’s competency and skill levels and keeping track of them in an employee matrix, then I guess this is traditionally put together by the HR team in coordination with the business managers
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in the following to contribute to competency and skill development as well as mapping: a) Focus on mentoring using social network analysis b) community-based learning and competency development c)mapping of competency and skill levels using the participation quotient of the employee in KM initiatives like expertise banks, discussion forums, repositories, communities etc. Additionally, Blogs can help the employee reflect and collate his thoughts and establish his competencies in a much more transparent manner.
The Idea: A KM environment promotes competency development programs that leverage on not just formal and external agents but also internal resources on a part time basis. It can help connect people who can learn from each other and of course mentors and mentees. Additionally, a person’s real expertise and knowledge (which is a reflection of the competency) can be gauged by his participation in the collective endeavors that form a part of typical KM systems.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Mentoring, Social networking tools, Blogs and community interaction.
KM and Identification of Training Needs
How does KM help in Competency and Skill Mapping?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? Enabler
Traditionally: The work experience per se, the training plans and programs, the self-learning as well as mentoring programs help develop the competency of the employee. Not so sure what is meant by mapping here. If you’re talking about recognizing someone’s competency and skill levels and keeping track of them in an employee matrix, then I guess this is traditionally put together by the HR team in coordination with the business managers
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in the following to contribute to competency and skill development as well as mapping: a) Focus on mentoring using social network analysis b) community-based learning and competency development c)mapping of competency and skill levels using the participation quotient of the employee in KM initiatives like expertise banks, discussion forums, repositories, communities etc. Additionally, Blogs can help the employee reflect and collate his thoughts and establish his competencies in a much more transparent manner.
The Idea: A KM environment promotes competency development programs that leverage on not just formal and external agents but also internal resources on a part time basis. It can help connect people who can learn from each other and of course mentors and mentees. Additionally, a person’s real expertise and knowledge (which is a reflection of the competency) can be gauged by his participation in the collective endeavors that form a part of typical KM systems.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Mentoring, Social networking tools, Blogs and community interaction.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Social Intelligence
Zeph pointed me to this wonderful resource - not surprisingly, from HBR - on Social Intelligence that Dan Goleman is now working on. It has a video, an article and a quick summary of the parameters of Social Intelligence. I found it to be fascinating, motivating and exciting. Thanks to my work roots - KM and Collaboration. I think this will find great use in the field of KM & Collaboration...as a framework for enabling such a culture. Social Intelligence is not just required in leaders but also in every employee if one is looking to nurture a culture that is rich in knowledge management and collaboration.
Here is the table (Summary of the SI parameters) that HBR has on the home page of the link that I've provided above. You can watch the video and read the full article on following the link.
Do organizations today have the purpose, intent, motivation and time to pursue such skills? Or will most business leaders trash this as rubbish and fluffy?
Here is the table (Summary of the SI parameters) that HBR has on the home page of the link that I've provided above. You can watch the video and read the full article on following the link.
| Empathy | Understand what motivates other people, even those from different backgrounds? Are you sensitive to their needs? | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Attunement | Listen attentively and think about how others feel? Are you attuned to others’ moods? | ||
| Organizational Awareness | Appreciate your group’s or organization’s culture and values? Understand social networks and know their unspoken norms? | ||
| Influence | Persuade others by engaging them in discussion, appealing to their interests, and getting support from key people? | ||
| Developing Others | Coach and mentor others with compassion? Do you personally invest time and energy in mentoring and provide feedback that people find helpful for their professional development? | ||
| Inspiration | Articulate a compelling vision, build group pride, foster a positive emotional tone, and lead by bringing out the best in people? | ||
| Teamwork | Encourage the participation of everyone on your team, support all members, and foster cooperation? | ||
Do organizations today have the purpose, intent, motivation and time to pursue such skills? Or will most business leaders trash this as rubbish and fluffy?
How we learn...
Terry has an interesting post on how we learn to be leaders. I am inclined to believe that this is how we learn almost everything....not just how to lead! :-)
Reproducing an excerpt that I want to remember forever...
~ 70% of the learning is in the doing (learning by experience)
~ 20% of the learning is in relationship with coaches and mentors (learning from others)
~ 10% of the learning is in formal settings like seminars, classes, and training programs (learning in formal learning environments)
Now, I think there is a lesson for KM as well here. The tools for collaboration catering to the 20% learning and the personal KM tools catering to the 70% learning.
Another thing on my mind is that this distribution also depends the stage of learning that you are in. For example, when you begin to learn something for the first time, the training and learning from others would be more critical than at later stages. Another not-so-obvious example would be the need for refreshing theoretical concepts after a long stretch of practice that almost makes us forget why we do something the way we do it.
Reproducing an excerpt that I want to remember forever...
~ 70% of the learning is in the doing (learning by experience)
~ 20% of the learning is in relationship with coaches and mentors (learning from others)
~ 10% of the learning is in formal settings like seminars, classes, and training programs (learning in formal learning environments)
Now, I think there is a lesson for KM as well here. The tools for collaboration catering to the 20% learning and the personal KM tools catering to the 70% learning.
Another thing on my mind is that this distribution also depends the stage of learning that you are in. For example, when you begin to learn something for the first time, the training and learning from others would be more critical than at later stages. Another not-so-obvious example would be the need for refreshing theoretical concepts after a long stretch of practice that almost makes us forget why we do something the way we do it.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Uh-Oh...
By Paulo Coelho -Don’t try to be brave when it is enough to be intelligent. (The Pilgrimage)
Something to think about!
And...folks, I stepped into office this morning expecting a regular day but here I am, all cold and shivery. Not sure what could be wrong. So, scooting off to get some rest and medication.
Jeevan: I know there are a few KM queries that are pending to be answered. I wanted to post my responses to those over the next few days but it looks like it will have to wait. Apologies. Hope I come up with better answers once I recover!
Have a great weekend, everyone! :-)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
You've got Mail....to You've got Knowledge
This comes at a controversial time - a time when many KMers I know are on a roll against Emails. While I quite agree that Emails are meant for one to one communication more than anything else (especially not for collaboration), I shall not rule out emails as a good source of an individual's knowledge as yet. In fact, increasingly, there are tools that are adopting the approach of analysing email flow from and to a person in order to assess her connectivity, popularity in terms of knowledge sharing, and expertise levels. This, ironically, is providing inputs for determining social networks, identifying potential communities, expertise identification etc.
My intention of writing this post was to share an idea that just came to me. This is a simple and obvious idea of cross leveraging on the comparatively recent phenomenon of tags and tag clouds. Its underlying intention is to help people manage knowledge via emails as well as share it. I think it would be a good idea to introduce tags for email management in applications like Outlook. (Gmail already allows users to attach tags to their mails.) Default tags could be suggested by the application (based on the sender of the email, the subject and the contents). Additionally, the user should be allowed to edit the tag list. Tag clouds should then be created on a dynamic basis so as to allow for a visual image of the individual's interests and further aid the easy location of knowledge via the tag cloud links. And, yes, these tag clouds could be made public and searchable as well. Another point I almost forgot to mention - users should be allowed to mark certain emails as public (and such emails should be copied and pushed into a corporate email tag cloud via links).
I think this would be an example of adapting to the culture rather than trying to change it radically!
My intention of writing this post was to share an idea that just came to me. This is a simple and obvious idea of cross leveraging on the comparatively recent phenomenon of tags and tag clouds. Its underlying intention is to help people manage knowledge via emails as well as share it. I think it would be a good idea to introduce tags for email management in applications like Outlook. (Gmail already allows users to attach tags to their mails.) Default tags could be suggested by the application (based on the sender of the email, the subject and the contents). Additionally, the user should be allowed to edit the tag list. Tag clouds should then be created on a dynamic basis so as to allow for a visual image of the individual's interests and further aid the easy location of knowledge via the tag cloud links. And, yes, these tag clouds could be made public and searchable as well. Another point I almost forgot to mention - users should be allowed to mark certain emails as public (and such emails should be copied and pushed into a corporate email tag cloud via links).
I think this would be an example of adapting to the culture rather than trying to change it radically!
Simplify and Simply Fly
I like playing with my GTalk status message. It is fun to key in something extremely inspiring or something ridiculous and meaningless. The rest are more or less boring. But I don't really stop to think what made me compose my status message. I let anything dictate and like it that way.
Here's my current message: Great Life = Enthusiasm+Energy+Excitement. Always. And while I was generally looking at the message and wondering how incomplete the message sounded and that there has to be a lot more on the right hand side of the equation, something struck me in a flash.
Imagine any task that you need to take up in life and then look at my silly equation, if you will. When you get started with the task, you must have all the enthusiasm that it takes. When you get going, you must give it all the energy that it needs and when you're done with it, you must have all the excitement that it deserves (be happy about the outcome and what you've done irrespective of whether it goes to the Oscars or not. Just be excited about where you are and what you have learnt). Taking this to the next step, a string of tasks approached from this perspective promises a great life. Uh?
Sorry if you don't believe in simplification. My view on simplification is otherwise. If it's true that what matters is our attitude and how we react to things, then why not look at this complex world/life (that's the truth, of course) and simplify your perception of it, so you start believing you know exactly what to do (and not worry about other things which are anyway not under your control)? After all, what you believe....you can achieve! ;-)
With due apologies to an erstwhile local airline....simplify and simply fly!
Here's my current message: Great Life = Enthusiasm+Energy+Excitement. Always. And while I was generally looking at the message and wondering how incomplete the message sounded and that there has to be a lot more on the right hand side of the equation, something struck me in a flash.
Imagine any task that you need to take up in life and then look at my silly equation, if you will. When you get started with the task, you must have all the enthusiasm that it takes. When you get going, you must give it all the energy that it needs and when you're done with it, you must have all the excitement that it deserves (be happy about the outcome and what you've done irrespective of whether it goes to the Oscars or not. Just be excited about where you are and what you have learnt). Taking this to the next step, a string of tasks approached from this perspective promises a great life. Uh?
Sorry if you don't believe in simplification. My view on simplification is otherwise. If it's true that what matters is our attitude and how we react to things, then why not look at this complex world/life (that's the truth, of course) and simplify your perception of it, so you start believing you know exactly what to do (and not worry about other things which are anyway not under your control)? After all, what you believe....you can achieve! ;-)
With due apologies to an erstwhile local airline....simplify and simply fly!
Brain Games...
Awesome list.
There's so much that one can do to lead an exciting life!...and here we are....most of us....complaining about this and that! Hmph!
There's so much that one can do to lead an exciting life!...and here we are....most of us....complaining about this and that! Hmph!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Need for a Common Repository
I was just thinking about wrapping up Atul's recent musings on the need for a common repository with re. to KM (as opposed to separate team KM areas that are independently maintained but searchable) and my own excited response to that, in a single post. So, I headed towards his blog promptly and... what do I discover? He has saved me some energy and created such a post himself! :-) So, all I have to do is provide a link here...! Thanks Atul!
Here's the link then...
================
"Lots of organizations don't seem to buy the idea of a common repository! And my key point was very much what you have mentioned here - having a common repository urges employees to get into the sharing (and out of the silo) mentality. A common repository means common taxonomy...a common way of identifying and locating artifacts. A common repository means a visually rich big picture that tells you about all sorts of possibilities....not one that is carved out of a narrow search term!! A common repository means a process of consolidation and integration. A common repository means an upfront identification of overlaps and differences! :-)"
Here's the link then...
================
"Lots of organizations don't seem to buy the idea of a common repository! And my key point was very much what you have mentioned here - having a common repository urges employees to get into the sharing (and out of the silo) mentality. A common repository means common taxonomy...a common way of identifying and locating artifacts. A common repository means a visually rich big picture that tells you about all sorts of possibilities....not one that is carved out of a narrow search term!! A common repository means a process of consolidation and integration. A common repository means an upfront identification of overlaps and differences! :-)"
Contribution to a Noble Cause...
This is a post based on a request from Chessia Kelley. Here's what she wrote to me and I, in turn, urge you to consider her organization's noble intentions and participate in whatever way possible. And do spread the message...
My organization, International Medical Corps, was nominated to be one of the Top 25 in American Express' Members Projects, "Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children." Our project was chosen out of 1,190 projects and is now eligible to receive up to $1.5 million to help feed hungry children, but the voting ends next Tuesday and we need your help to spread the word. I've put together this blogger friendly web release explaining everything.
http://internationalmedicalcorps.smnr.us/
If you are able to post something on Aa..Ha [Thinking Inside The Blog!], please send me the link, it would really help and could potentially save many lives. At the minimum, please vote for "Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children." Please let me know either way. Many thanks.
My organization, International Medical Corps, was nominated to be one of the Top 25 in American Express' Members Projects, "Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children." Our project was chosen out of 1,190 projects and is now eligible to receive up to $1.5 million to help feed hungry children, but the voting ends next Tuesday and we need your help to spread the word. I've put together this blogger friendly web release explaining everything.
http://
If you are able to post something on Aa..Ha [Thinking Inside The Blog!], please send me the link, it would really help and could potentially save many lives. At the minimum, please vote for "Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children." Please let me know either way. Many thanks.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Silos - Silent Killers
HBR articles never cease to intrigue me. Here's something interesting and KMish. For your benefit, here's the gist - Research conducted by a HBR team indicates that boundaryless organizations exist only in theory and that silos are a given. Goes a long way to prove that the larger the organization the more difficult it will be to break silos.
Interestingly enough, just before reading this article I was wondering about why senior managers are so hesitant to aim for a consensus. They seem to run away from anything that calls for a consensus. They see it as time-consuming, pointless, unmanageable and so forth. There is this underlying urge to be quick and get things done rather than understand or admit the long term implications of not involving as many people as possible. No wonder we live in silos. Silos of departments, silos based on seniority etc. Communication, itself, is seen as a pain. Imagine discussing, debating and concluding on a regular basis! What we need to realize is that engagement of employees need not necessarily contribute to decision making but they are nevertheless required to ensure commitment and enthusiasm.
Web 2.0 will help in bringing to light the existing boundaries and provide a path for breaking them. Web 2.0 will enable movements within the organization that may or may not scale all the levels. More often than not, they may cut through the lower and middle levels but not enter into the senior levels of heirarchy. They may help erase some department-based boundaries but I am not so sure about seniority based boundaries. But the movement at the lower levels will, I believe, force the management to reconsider their management philosophies or face failure.
Interestingly enough, just before reading this article I was wondering about why senior managers are so hesitant to aim for a consensus. They seem to run away from anything that calls for a consensus. They see it as time-consuming, pointless, unmanageable and so forth. There is this underlying urge to be quick and get things done rather than understand or admit the long term implications of not involving as many people as possible. No wonder we live in silos. Silos of departments, silos based on seniority etc. Communication, itself, is seen as a pain. Imagine discussing, debating and concluding on a regular basis! What we need to realize is that engagement of employees need not necessarily contribute to decision making but they are nevertheless required to ensure commitment and enthusiasm.
Web 2.0 will help in bringing to light the existing boundaries and provide a path for breaking them. Web 2.0 will enable movements within the organization that may or may not scale all the levels. More often than not, they may cut through the lower and middle levels but not enter into the senior levels of heirarchy. They may help erase some department-based boundaries but I am not so sure about seniority based boundaries. But the movement at the lower levels will, I believe, force the management to reconsider their management philosophies or face failure.
Monday, September 22, 2008
KM - Identifying Training Needs
Click here for the context
So, here's my response to the first query. How does KM help in Identifying Training Needs?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it?: KM is an enabler for identifying training needs
Traditionally: The employee along with her manager identifies the training programs that she needs to attend on an occasional basis. The inputs come from the Job description, performance appraisals and futuristic plans.
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in peer perspective and peer triggers and improve overall awareness of the training (aka knowledge) gaps
The Idea: A KM environment promises awareness of peer knowledge and competencies, which in turn can prove to be a trigger for identifying training gaps. Additionally, focused peer feedback and interaction can bring to light the knowledge gaps which results in identification of training needs. Also, an environment that is knowledge-oriented (repositories, blogs, wikis, expertise locators) brings to light the potential areas that the employee needs to be in touch with.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Social networking tools, community interaction, access to experts, publicity of organizational knowledge maps, and peer-based feedback are some of the solutions for the above
So, here's my response to the first query. How does KM help in Identifying Training Needs?
Would KM drive this need or simply enable it?: KM is an enabler for identifying training needs
Traditionally: The employee along with her manager identifies the training programs that she needs to attend on an occasional basis. The inputs come from the Job description, performance appraisals and futuristic plans.
So, What is KM’s Value-add? KM can bring in peer perspective and peer triggers and improve overall awareness of the training (aka knowledge) gaps
The Idea: A KM environment promises awareness of peer knowledge and competencies, which in turn can prove to be a trigger for identifying training gaps. Additionally, focused peer feedback and interaction can bring to light the knowledge gaps which results in identification of training needs. Also, an environment that is knowledge-oriented (repositories, blogs, wikis, expertise locators) brings to light the potential areas that the employee needs to be in touch with.
The Details: Culture, Process and Technology: Social networking tools, community interaction, access to experts, publicity of organizational knowledge maps, and peer-based feedback are some of the solutions for the above
KM Queries
A friend from my personal KM network sent me a few queries a couple of days ago and I decided to attempt to answer them on my blog. He has various questions related to how KM can enable or drive something (viz. training, innovation etc). I have broken them up into different individual posts revolving around one query each (or similar queries) and would like to invite inputs and experiences from the readers as well.
Here’s the framework I’ve decided to use to answer his queries.
· Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? (Drive: The initiative can be owned, designed and managed by the KM ‘forces’. Enable: It is likely to be owned by someone else in the organization but KM can very well play the role of an enabler and work in coordination with the owner of the area)
· Traditionally….: This will indicate the traditional methods of handling the requirement under question. Mentioning this will hint at the benefit of adopting an approach revolving around the concepts of KM.
· So, What is KM’s Value-add: This will explicitly state the value that KM can bring into the situation
· The Idea: Very briefly, this will touch upon how KM can add value from the perspective of the typical KM elements
· The Details: Culture, Process and Technology. Wherever applicable, I will delve deeper into the Idea and provide readers with some details of each of the KM dimensions - C, P and T.
Note: Here’s a very important principle underlying this KM framework. What do I call KM?
· Purpose-led collective thinking, collective learning (past, present and future) and collective activity
· Identification and management of knowledge (business, operational, support, people, process, technology, strategic, competitive, customer, partner, market etc), its sources, its generation, its classification, its storage, its retrieval, its distribution, its usage and its enhancement
· Simplification of knowledge (through its life cycle and various forms) as it appears in business and operational procedures and practices
· Consolidation and presentation of information and knowledge in a well-organized manner. Assigning responsibilities, designing processes and tools
· Knowledge sharing – organized and on demand - and organized mentoring activities
· Proactive building a network or community of people who think alike, people from whom you can learn, people who need your help, people who can contribute to your tasks directly or indirectly
· Inculcating a discipline around, motivating, encouraging, facilitating, recognizing and rewarding the following behaviours – reflection, learning, sharing, mentoring, leadership, reusing and individual as well as team-based innovation
· Tools, utilities and applications that help in a) generation of new knowledge, b) consolidation, organization, distribution and usage of knowledge, c) collaborative activities and endeavors, d) discovery of trends and patterns associated with knowledge, e) reflection and sharing, f) reuse of knowledge, g) learning from the past, h) facilitating a collective approach to innovation g) recognition and analysis of people dynamics leading to better leveraged networks and creation of effective communities
· Personal KM elements – organizing one’s knowledge (thoughts, ideas, resources, network, articles etc), connecting with people, learning, reusing, working together with others.
· The study, measurement and assessment of the tangible and intangible benefits of KM - knowledge reuse, collective knowledge generation and collective competency development due to sharing and mentoring, management of knowledge artifacts resulting in improvement of performance, productivity, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction, and business growth due to innovation
I have a few more points hopping around in my mind and asking to be added to the list above but I think I’ll draw the line here, lest it gets confusing rather than add any further value. Hopefully, the list should be representative enough for us to go ahead with the queries.
PS: Answering the first query in the next post.
Here’s the framework I’ve decided to use to answer his queries.
· Would KM drive this need or simply enable it? (Drive: The initiative can be owned, designed and managed by the KM ‘forces’. Enable: It is likely to be owned by someone else in the organization but KM can very well play the role of an enabler and work in coordination with the owner of the area)
· Traditionally….: This will indicate the traditional methods of handling the requirement under question. Mentioning this will hint at the benefit of adopting an approach revolving around the concepts of KM.
· So, What is KM’s Value-add: This will explicitly state the value that KM can bring into the situation
· The Idea: Very briefly, this will touch upon how KM can add value from the perspective of the typical KM elements
· The Details: Culture, Process and Technology. Wherever applicable, I will delve deeper into the Idea and provide readers with some details of each of the KM dimensions - C, P and T.
Note: Here’s a very important principle underlying this KM framework. What do I call KM?
· Purpose-led collective thinking, collective learning (past, present and future) and collective activity
· Identification and management of knowledge (business, operational, support, people, process, technology, strategic, competitive, customer, partner, market etc), its sources, its generation, its classification, its storage, its retrieval, its distribution, its usage and its enhancement
· Simplification of knowledge (through its life cycle and various forms) as it appears in business and operational procedures and practices
· Consolidation and presentation of information and knowledge in a well-organized manner. Assigning responsibilities, designing processes and tools
· Knowledge sharing – organized and on demand - and organized mentoring activities
· Proactive building a network or community of people who think alike, people from whom you can learn, people who need your help, people who can contribute to your tasks directly or indirectly
· Inculcating a discipline around, motivating, encouraging, facilitating, recognizing and rewarding the following behaviours – reflection, learning, sharing, mentoring, leadership, reusing and individual as well as team-based innovation
· Tools, utilities and applications that help in a) generation of new knowledge, b) consolidation, organization, distribution and usage of knowledge, c) collaborative activities and endeavors, d) discovery of trends and patterns associated with knowledge, e) reflection and sharing, f) reuse of knowledge, g) learning from the past, h) facilitating a collective approach to innovation g) recognition and analysis of people dynamics leading to better leveraged networks and creation of effective communities
· Personal KM elements – organizing one’s knowledge (thoughts, ideas, resources, network, articles etc), connecting with people, learning, reusing, working together with others.
· The study, measurement and assessment of the tangible and intangible benefits of KM - knowledge reuse, collective knowledge generation and collective competency development due to sharing and mentoring, management of knowledge artifacts resulting in improvement of performance, productivity, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction, and business growth due to innovation
I have a few more points hopping around in my mind and asking to be added to the list above but I think I’ll draw the line here, lest it gets confusing rather than add any further value. Hopefully, the list should be representative enough for us to go ahead with the queries.
PS: Answering the first query in the next post.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Stains are Good!
Been a long time since I discovered and/or wrote about examples of paradox thinking. You may know this if you're a keen observer of advertising in the Indian Media......especially visual media. There was a time when all advertisers demonstrated the pain of removing stains from clothes. The advertisement would be focused on proving how easy it was to remove stains with the product under question as compared to other competitive products. Period.
And then....someone in the advertising world suddenly woke up and thought otherwise. He/she adopted paradox thinking and created a lovely advertisement that said "Stains are good!". It shook most of us. We were intrigued. We wanted to know why. We wanted to understand the logic behind it. We thoroughly enjoyed the first such ad. It showed two little siblings get closer when the girl fell into a mud puddle and the brother pretended to fight with the puddle for what it had 'done' to his little sister. There were more such advertisements following the resounding success of the first. The advts. revolved around how stains could bring people closer, stop fights on the road, and- the latest - stop someone's hiccups. (I wonder if I missed any other such advts. given that I am not a regular TV-watcher). The subtle message, of course, was that we should not avoid stains when they could do so much good and the product under question was anyway available for removing stains in a jiffy! :-)
I love all these advts. I am sure they've had an impact on most people. Proves that one of the best ways to bring some excitement into life is through paradox thinking. Have you experienced it?
And then....someone in the advertising world suddenly woke up and thought otherwise. He/she adopted paradox thinking and created a lovely advertisement that said "Stains are good!". It shook most of us. We were intrigued. We wanted to know why. We wanted to understand the logic behind it. We thoroughly enjoyed the first such ad. It showed two little siblings get closer when the girl fell into a mud puddle and the brother pretended to fight with the puddle for what it had 'done' to his little sister. There were more such advertisements following the resounding success of the first. The advts. revolved around how stains could bring people closer, stop fights on the road, and- the latest - stop someone's hiccups. (I wonder if I missed any other such advts. given that I am not a regular TV-watcher). The subtle message, of course, was that we should not avoid stains when they could do so much good and the product under question was anyway available for removing stains in a jiffy! :-)
I love all these advts. I am sure they've had an impact on most people. Proves that one of the best ways to bring some excitement into life is through paradox thinking. Have you experienced it?
Friday, September 19, 2008
FemiNONE
The mother bears the baby. She, then, bears with the absolutely unfair rules of the society as well.
Sample the world we live in....Are feminine principles only meant to be celebrated but not followed?
Sample the world we live in....Are feminine principles only meant to be celebrated but not followed?
Ills of the Corporate World - Aftermath of Lehman and AIG
Do we do anything much beyond reading such articles from HBR, Wharton, McKinsey and perhaps Business Week? Knowing is different from accepting. Knowing is different from doing. The unilateral pressure to increase profits can only spell more disaster.
KM in 2 Minutes...
Here's a simple and light product that includes most of the stuff that organizations might be interested in from the knowledge management and collaboration perspective. Noodle.
- Intranet pages and announcements
- Ability to create new pages and portlets
- User profiles and an associated social networking dimension (What are you working on, expertise etc)
- Blogs
- Wikis
- Calendar
- Discussion forums
- Folders and files
- Notifications
Gaps - RSS? Security? Roles? Content management based on taxonomy?
I am not so much of an expert when it comes to software evaluation and comparison. Looking at too many products that are designed with a similar purpose in mind sometimes makes me wonder whether it all, eventually, boils down to user experience (which in turn depends on so many factors), the price and politics more than anything else. The product road map is rarely clear to the makers of the product themselves. Of course, that's why marketing strategies and the style of selling make a world of difference.
Anyway, here's what I think. This one's a cool product for the smaller organizations!
- Intranet pages and announcements
- Ability to create new pages and portlets
- User profiles and an associated social networking dimension (What are you working on, expertise etc)
- Blogs
- Wikis
- Calendar
- Discussion forums
- Folders and files
- Notifications
Gaps - RSS? Security? Roles? Content management based on taxonomy?
I am not so much of an expert when it comes to software evaluation and comparison. Looking at too many products that are designed with a similar purpose in mind sometimes makes me wonder whether it all, eventually, boils down to user experience (which in turn depends on so many factors), the price and politics more than anything else. The product road map is rarely clear to the makers of the product themselves. Of course, that's why marketing strategies and the style of selling make a world of difference.
Anyway, here's what I think. This one's a cool product for the smaller organizations!
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