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Course Content
Session One: Course Overview
You will spend the first part getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.
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Pre-Assignment
Course Overview
Session Two: Definitions
Then, participants will learn the definition of knowledge, as well as the differences between tacit and explicit knowledge. The meaning and history of knowledge management will also be covered.
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What is Knowledge?
Assignments
What is Knowledge Management?
History of Knowledge Management
Session Three: The Business Case for Knowledge Management
In this session, participants will learn how knowledge management can reduce costs and grow sales. They will also learn how to build a business case for knowledge management. You will also examine the impact that knowledge management can have on business strategy and profit.
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Reducing Costs and Growing Sales with Knowledge Management
Assignments
Business Case Basics
Sample Knowledge Management Business Case
Assignments
Session Four: The Knowledge Management Mix
Next, participants will learn about three components vital to knowledge management: people, technology, and process. In this session, you will examine the relationship between these three essential knowledge management components.
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People
Assignments
Technology
Process
Assignments
Session Five: The Knowledge Management Framework
The knowledge management framework is comprised of four interdependent elements: needs analysis, resource identification, process analysis, and knowledge handling. In this session, participants will learn about the steps to building their knowledge management framework: needs analysis; resource identification; process analysis, identification, and construction; and accumulating, sharing, and storing knowledge. In this session, you will investigate what the four elements of the knowledge management framework are and how they work together.
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Introduction
Needs Analysis
Resource Identification
Process Analysis, Identification, and Construction
Assignments
Accumulating, Sharing, and Storing Knowledge
Session Six: ITandD’s Conundrum
A pre-assignment is designed to get you thinking about the topic, and to give you some indication of what is coming. In this example, the case study and the carefully crafted questions were intended to have you reflect on the vital role of knowledge within an organization. In this session, you will reflect on the answers you provided in the pre-assignment.
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Introduction
Assignments
Session Seven: Knowledge Management Models
Knowing the theory behind the practice can increase your knowledge and inform what you do. Having a foundational awareness helps you to understand the theory’s evolution and history in the business world and better enable you to see how this system will fit into your organization. In this session, you will investigate four different knowledge management models.
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The KM Process Framework (Bukowitz and Williams)
Knowledge Management Matrix (Gamble and Blackwell)
Assignments
Process Model (Botha)
Assignments
Knowledge Spiral Model (Nonaka and Takeuchi)
Session Eight: The Knowledge Management Toolkit
Cross-functional Teams, mentoring, organizational culture, and IT solutions are all techniques that you can use employ when implementing a knowledge management program in your organization. In this session, you will explore each of these techniques in depth. As you review the information, think about ways that you could use each technique in your workplace.
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Cross-Functional Teams
Assignments
Mentoring
Assignments
Organizational Culture
Assignments
IT Solutions
Which Technologies Would Be Best?
Assignments
Session Nine: Implementing Knowledge Management Initiatives
You see an organizational need for knowledge management. You understand what a knowledge management system is. You have the tools and information you need. Now it’s time to take action: it’s time to begin building the program. In this session, you will identify and investigate the necessary components for implementing a knowledge management program.
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Building Knowledge Networks
Creating a Knowledge Management Body of Knowledge (KMBOK)
Assignments
Creating a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) Position
Advertise for Your CKO
Assignments
Creating a Post-Mortem Plan
Assignments
Creating Measures
Assignments
Start With a Pilot
Assignments
Where Do I Put This?
Assignments
Support Your Organization Through the Change
Post-Course Assessment
Draft Lesson
Recommended Reading List
If you are looking for further information on this topic, we have included a recommended reading list below. Bergeron, Bryan. Essentials of Knowledge Management. John Wiley & Sons, 2003. Dixon, Nancy M. Common Knowledge: How Companies Thrive by Sharing What They Know. Harvard Business School Press, 2000. O'Dell, Carla, and Cindy Huebert. The New Edge in Knowledge: How Knowledge Management Is Changing the Way We Do Business. New John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Pasher, Edna, and Tuvya Ronen. The Complete Guide to Knowledge Management: A Strategic Plan to Leverage Your Company's Intellectual Capital. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Rumizen, Dr. Melissie Clemmons. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management. Alpha Books, 2002.
Knowledge Management
About Lesson

The next step within the knowledge management framework is Process Analysis, Identification, and Construction. This phase has two chief concerns:

  • How do our current organizational processes help or hinder the implementation of a knowledge management system?
  • What processes do we need to create in order to support our knowledge management system?

How do our current organizational processes help or hinder the implementation of a knowledge management program?

Every organization has existing structures and processes. The structure of your organization may include the building in which you work, the geographical layout of your organization, and the way the company is divided into departments. Additionally, the relationships and roles people play within a company also comprise its structure. Finally, the division of resources throughout the company plays a part in its physical structure. All of these existing processes play a part in how knowledge is shared within your organization.

The following questions will get you thinking about your company’s existing processes and structure.

  • Does your company currently have the right setup to facilitate knowledge sharing or can improvements be made to achieve this initiative?
  • Does each employee have access to a computer?
  • Is everyone in your organization in the same building, city, and country, or are the people that comprise your company distributed across a wide area?
  • How is your office organized? Does it allow for discussion and collaboration or do people work in their own individual cubicles?
  • Are managers present and accessible to employees? Do they provide a welcoming environment where employees can share their thoughts or voice concerns?
  • Does your office have an informal space where employees can congregate and talk?
  • How do different departments get along? Do they collaborate or feel the need to compete due to lack of resources? Does your company send the message that some departments are favored over others?
  • Does your company’s tiered structure (CEO down to employees) affect the way that knowledge is shared?
  • How are your current processes and structures working for employees? Are these processes clear and easy to access? Do you encourage people to make alterations to processes when appropriate?
  • Do people have time to reflect on the work they do and how they do it or are they simply strapped for time and more focused on producing results and meeting deadlines?

To better understand your company’s current structure and process, your organization needs to get quality feedback from its employees. To get the most honest feedback, you may want to consider allowing participants to contribute anonymously.

What processes do you need to create in order to support your knowledge management system?

To incorporate knowledge management into your organization, you will need to implement new processes to support the initiative and help with the retrieval, creation, sharing, and storing of knowledge.

Here are some tips for constructing new processes.

  • Do a thorough needs analysis to identify any knowledge gaps within your organization.
  • Give people time to connect with others. Encourage them to collaborate! Create spaces within your organization that promote informal employee gathering.
  • Promote communities of practice and other approaches that encourage employee networking.
  • Implement IT-based solutions that help connect people to each other, and with the information and data they need to do their jobs effectively.
  • Celebrate knowledge sharing successes within your organization.
  • Encourage people to reflect on the knowledge they acquire and share while at work. Help them understand that they are learners within a learning community.

Remember that the processes you choose need to be tailored to your organization and the goals you hope to achieve with your knowledge management program. There is no one right answer for which processes you should choose or leave out. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself time for trial and error. With proper planning and support, you will develop the right processes for your organization.

 

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