Keith De La Rue - KM Performance

Improving Knowledge Management performance for advantage

Improving Knowledge Management performance for advantage

Keith De La RueAcKnowledge Consulting

Keith De La RueAcKnowledge ConsultingTuesday, 2 September 2008Tuesday, 2 September 2008

AcKnowledgeAcKnowledge ConsultingConsulting

Overview Managing knowledge as an asset

A knowledge transfer toolkit Channels for knowledge transfer

Building sharing technology for people Something old, something new…

Ownership and currency maintenance

Managing knowledge as an assetManaging knowledge as an asset

A knowledge transfer toolkitA knowledge transfer toolkit


Business Sales Force Business Customer

s

Product &

Marketing Teams

The environment

Hundreds of

Products

Hundreds – On the road and desk-

based

Thousands

Sp

ecia

list

Sale

s

KM Team


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

Different media to suit different audience needs Content, communications and training in one

The iStore On-line document library

Sales KnowHow Bulletin Weekly web-based newsletter

Knowledge Bites Web and audio conference briefing


The core asset – 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 3,000+ entries 270 contributors… 370 products, services, solutions &

campaigns Average over 60,000 hits per month Multiple indexes and search

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


Knowledge as an asset Knowledge base is an identifiable asset Critical requirement for sales success Must be up to date, accurate and

reliable… … and easy to find needed info

Availability saves time searching Need access to knowledge at the time of

need!


Must be “business as usual” Address real business needs

Need to introduce new products and solutions

Need to equip sales force Part of standard product build process

Mandatory step in “Launch Ready” stage Adopt standardised IT support process Engage all stakeholders

Gain management support Sell benefits and promote

Channels for knowledgetransfer

Channels for knowledgetransfer

Technology for the peopleTechnology for the people


Choosing the channels Ignore traditional distinctions

Content, communications and training End result is an informed audience

Build channels to meet audience needs Use available technology Get new technology as required

Go outside the firewall if necessary! Use “safe-fail” experiments


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 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


iKnowItAll Quiz Online interactive quiz

Flash-based, with question database management

Fun learning Simple questions

Multiple choice, true/false, perfect match Source document supplied Ideally suited to desk-based staff

Used as a team sport!


Other tools eLearning (iBrief)

Online 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

Ownership and

currencymaintenanc

e

Ownership and

currencymaintenanc

e

Accountability,

behaviour and

engagement

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 Every entry must have one 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 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


Sales input and awareness All entries have feedback form

Messages go to contributor Available for archived entries

All entries have “five-star” rating The audience is part of currency

management 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

Phone calls to recalcitrants Provide training and help

Engage the community Quarterly emails to contributors


Other considerations Management support critical Need “WIIFM” factor Rewards & Recognition program

Depends on organisation structure & budget Build into KPIs (Key Performance

Indicators) A “Knowledge points” system Depends on organisation structure


An open policy "Knowledge can only ever be volunteered;

it cannot be conscripted" David Snowden

Make it as easy as possible to share knowledge

Simple, web-based entry form Same form for creating and updating Upload attachment

Author chooses index categories Mandatory meta-data


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

Open access to all No log-in required But 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


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!Thank You!

[email protected] 0418 51 7676

Blog: Blog: http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/

[email protected] 0418 51 7676

Blog: Blog: http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/