Working knowledge

Craig Mathews, Oct. 16, 1998

"Some drink at the "Some drink at the fountain of fountain of

knowledge...others just knowledge...others just gargle."gargle."


Working KnowledgeWorking Knowledge

Making Knowledge Making Knowledge Management and Management and

Collaboration Work For YouCollaboration Work For You By Craig MathewsBy Craig MathewsIS Director, McKim & CreedIS Director, McKim & Creed


Share Your Knowledge!Share Your Knowledge!


““The only irreplaceable capital an The only irreplaceable capital an organization possesses is the organization possesses is the

knowledge and ability of its people. knowledge and ability of its people. The productivity of that capital The productivity of that capital

depends on how effectively people depends on how effectively people share their competence with those share their competence with those

who can use it.”who can use it.”

Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie


Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management DefinitionDefinition Taking Inventory of Your Most Taking Inventory of Your Most

Valuable AssetValuable Asset Ways to Capture and Utilize Ways to Capture and Utilize

Corporate KnowledgeCorporate Knowledge


Virtual CollaborationVirtual Collaboration A Working DefinitionA Working Definition Measuring Your Virtual Measuring Your Virtual

Collaboration Quotient (VCQ)Collaboration Quotient (VCQ) Trends in Collaborative ToolsTrends in Collaborative Tools


Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management


““Like sand in a beach Like sand in a beach house, information gets in house, information gets in

everywhere”everywhere”

Thomas A. StewartThomas A. Stewart


Had Any of these Had Any of these Challenges?Challenges?

Information glut or lack of information Information glut or lack of information Many are unaware of information Many are unaware of information

elsewhere in organization elsewhere in organization Significant "reinventing the wheel" Significant "reinventing the wheel" Common use of out-of-date information Common use of out-of-date information


Philosophy LessonPhilosophy Lesson


Knowledge is PowerKnowledge is Power

Francis BaconFrancis Bacon








What good is knowledge if What good is knowledge if it’s not used?it’s not used?


It is only the It is only the ApplicationApplication of of Knowledge that leads to Knowledge that leads to

PowerPower


““Information and knowledge are the Information and knowledge are the thermonuclear competitive weapons thermonuclear competitive weapons

of our time. Knowledge is more of our time. Knowledge is more valuable and more powerful [if valuable and more powerful [if

applied] than natural resources, big applied] than natural resources, big factories, or fat bankrolls.”factories, or fat bankrolls.”

Thomas StewartThomas Stewart


““Ages” of the CenturyAges” of the Century


Intellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital


Hugh MacDonald,Hugh MacDonald, Futurologist, Futurologist, ICLICL

Intellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital is “knowledge that is “knowledge that exists in an organization that can be exists in an organization that can be used to create differential advantage”used to create differential advantage”


Thomas A. StewartThomas A. StewartIntellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital: Intelligence : Intelligence becomes an asset when free-floating becomes an asset when free-floating brainpower is given a coherent form; brainpower is given a coherent form; when it is captured in a way that when it is captured in a way that allows it to be described, shared, and allows it to be described, shared, and exploited; and when it can be exploited; and when it can be deployed to do something that could deployed to do something that could not be done if it remained not be done if it remained scattered… Intellectual capital is scattered… Intellectual capital is packaged useful knowledge. packaged useful knowledge.


Thomas A. StewartThomas A. StewartIntellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital: Packaged : Packaged

useful knowledge. useful knowledge.


Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management DefinitionDefinition


andand

Knowledge Management is “the Knowledge Management is “the systematic leveraging of information systematic leveraging of information and expertise to improve organizational and expertise to improve organizational innovation, responsiveness, innovation, responsiveness, productivity and competency.”productivity and competency.”


Brooke AkersBrooke Akers

Knowledge Management is “the Knowledge Management is “the process of drawing upon the collective process of drawing upon the collective wisdom of employees and data wisdom of employees and data repositories on behalf of company repositories on behalf of company goals.”goals.”


Patel and FennerPatel and Fenner

Knowledge Management is “the Knowledge Management is “the harnessing of a company’s collective harnessing of a company’s collective expertise wherever it resides, and the expertise wherever it resides, and the distribution of that expertise to the right distribution of that expertise to the right people at the right time.”people at the right time.”

September/October 1998


Patel and FennerPatel and Fenner

Knowledge Management is “the Knowledge Management is “the harnessing of a company’s collective harnessing of a company’s collective expertise wherever it resides, and the expertise wherever it resides, and the distribution of that expertise to the right distribution of that expertise to the right people at the right time.”people at the right time.”

September/October 1998


Benefits of KMBenefits of KM Higher productivityHigher productivity Less duplicated effortLess duplicated effort Better decisions based on better Better decisions based on better

informationinformation Access to a person’s knowledge without Access to a person’s knowledge without

access to the personaccess to the person Competitive advantage through Competitive advantage through

leveraged intellectual capitalleveraged intellectual capital



Valuable AssetValuable Asset


But how do we account for But how do we account for it?it?


““It has been 500 years since Pacioli It has been 500 years since Pacioli [the founder of accounting] [the founder of accounting]

published his seminal work on published his seminal work on accounting and we have seen accounting and we have seen virtually no innovation in the virtually no innovation in the

practice of accounting - just more practice of accounting - just more rules”rules”

David WilsonDavid WilsonPartner, Ernst & YoungPartner, Ernst & Young


““The components of cost in a The components of cost in a product today are largely R&D, product today are largely R&D,

intellectual assets, and services. The intellectual assets, and services. The old accounting system, which tells old accounting system, which tells us the cost of material and labor, us the cost of material and labor,

isn’t applicable.”isn’t applicable.”

Edmund JenkinsEdmund JenkinsPartner, Arthur AndersenPartner, Arthur Andersen


Goals of KM InitiativesGoals of KM Initiatives Competitive IntelligenceCompetitive Intelligence Skill transferSkill transfer Creating and designing new products Creating and designing new products

and servicesand services Improved Decision SupportImproved Decision Support Access to documents, newsletters, Access to documents, newsletters,

policies, calendars, manuals and policies, calendars, manuals and courses onlinecourses online


What could you do with What could you do with the right knowledge?the right knowledge?


This little bit This little bit of knowledge of knowledge can make or can make or break a break a business!business!

Tom Peters, Tom Peters, Circle of InnovationCircle of Innovation


Questions to Start WithQuestions to Start With What information do we need to What information do we need to

make good decisions?make good decisions? How does that knowledge add value How does that knowledge add value

to the decision-making process?to the decision-making process? How can it be stored?How can it be stored? How can we get it to the right How can we get it to the right

people at the right time?people at the right time?


““We needed a way to transfer We needed a way to transfer our allegiance from the product our allegiance from the product line to the engineering practice. line to the engineering practice. Communities of practice are the Communities of practice are the

bridge.”bridge.”

Skip HovsmithSkip HovsmithNational SemiconductorNational Semiconductor


Community of PracticeCommunity of PracticeAn informal group with at least one An informal group with at least one

core common interest that core common interest that advances each member’s skills and advances each member’s skills and

expertise through communityexpertise through community


Ideas for Knowledge Ideas for Knowledge SharingSharing

Communities of PracticeCommunities of Practice– Recognize them and their importanceRecognize them and their importance– Give them the resources they needGive them the resources they need– Fertilize the soil, but stay away from Fertilize the soil, but stay away from

the husbandry (don’t fund them too the husbandry (don’t fund them too much and expect deliverables)much and expect deliverables)



Valuable AssetValuable Asset Ways to Capture and Utilize Ways to Capture and Utilize

Corporate KnowledgeCorporate Knowledge


Capturing KnowledgeCapturing Knowledge Roundtable discussions on topicsRoundtable discussions on topics Put the infrastructure for knowledge Put the infrastructure for knowledge

sharing in place and watch it worksharing in place and watch it work Use the intangible value chain Use the intangible value chain

(upstream and downstream sources (upstream and downstream sources such as suppliers, dealers, such as suppliers, dealers, tangential businesses)tangential businesses)


Capturing Knowledge Capturing Knowledge (cont’d)(cont’d)

Pay-for-Knowledge programsPay-for-Knowledge programs Make knowledge sharing/capture Make knowledge sharing/capture

part of performance evaluationpart of performance evaluation Make knowledge management part Make knowledge management part

of each job descriptionof each job description Make KM part of the culture of the Make KM part of the culture of the

organization, starting from the toporganization, starting from the top


Knowledge ManagementKnowledge ManagementKnowledgebasesKnowledgebases

Intellectual CapitalIntellectual CapitalData MiningData Mining

Data MartsData Marts

Data WarehousesData Warehouses

Decision Support SystemsDecision Support Systems

EISEIS


Knowledge ManagementKnowledge ManagementKnowledgebasesKnowledgebases

Intellectual CapitalIntellectual CapitalData MiningData Mining

Data MartsData Marts

Data WarehousesData Warehouses

Decision Support SystemsDecision Support Systems

EISEIS


Knowledge should be Knowledge should be intuitively organized for intuitively organized for

easy accesseasy access


Knowledge TechnologiesKnowledge Technologies Networks (infrastructure)Networks (infrastructure) Enterprise-wide Information Enterprise-wide Information

Systems (data warehouse)Systems (data warehouse) KnowledgebasesKnowledgebases WorkflowWorkflow VisualizationVisualization Process SimulationProcess Simulation


Primary KM InitiativesPrimary KM Initiatives Corporate Yellow Pages (knowing Corporate Yellow Pages (knowing

who the experts are and where who the experts are and where knowledge lies)knowledge lies)

Lessons Learned (constant Lessons Learned (constant improvement)improvement)

Competitor IntelligenceCompetitor Intelligence Customer and Supplier IntelligenceCustomer and Supplier Intelligence


““Information systems put the onus Information systems put the onus of asking the right question on the of asking the right question on the

user of the system. Knowledge user of the system. Knowledge management systems, correctly management systems, correctly

implemented, shift that burden to implemented, shift that burden to the system.”the system.”

Thomas KoulopoulosThomas Koulopoulos


To Consider in a KM To Consider in a KM SystemSystem

Knowledge SourceKnowledge Source Date of knowledge acquisition (Y2K Date of knowledge acquisition (Y2K

compliant)compliant) Date for review/deletion (shelf life)Date for review/deletion (shelf life) Processes/tools to make knowledge Processes/tools to make knowledge

more valuablemore valuable Ubiquitous access to contents (except Ubiquitous access to contents (except

sensitive data)sensitive data)


Thomas A. Stewart, Thomas A. Stewart, Intellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital

Company’s CapitalCompany’s Capital


Working KnowledgeWorking Knowledge

A Break from the RoutineA Break from the Routine


Virtual CollaborationVirtual Collaboration A Working DefinitionA Working Definition


Bob Guns,Bob Guns, The Faster Learning OrganizationThe Faster Learning Organization““The essence of a team is the The essence of a team is the members’ interdependence. Each members’ interdependence. Each team member needs the others to team member needs the others to get the work done; a team can’t get the work done; a team can’t

succeed if even one member doesn’t succeed if even one member doesn’t do his or her job.do his or her job.

Interdependence builds Interdependence builds collaboration, and these two collaboration, and these two

qualities lead to a high-performing qualities lead to a high-performing team.”team.”


Virtual CollaborationVirtual CollaborationUtilizing technology to facilitate Utilizing technology to facilitate

team interaction regardless of team interaction regardless of geographic locationgeographic location



Collaboration Quotient (VCQ)Collaboration Quotient (VCQ)


Take the TestTake the Test



Collaboration Quotient (VCQ)Collaboration Quotient (VCQ) Trends in Collaborative ToolsTrends in Collaborative Tools


Virtual Collaboration ToolsVirtual Collaboration Tools Microsoft NetMeetingMicrosoft NetMeeting Netscape CommunicatorNetscape Communicator Electronic WhiteboardsElectronic Whiteboards EmailEmail News Groups/Bulletin BoardsNews Groups/Bulletin Boards Open Text LiveLinkOpen Text LiveLink Many OthersMany Others


Tom PetersMy Hero!

““Success in the marketplace today is Success in the marketplace today is directly proportional to the knowledge that directly proportional to the knowledge that

an organization can bring to bear, how an organization can bring to bear, how fast it can bring that knowledge to bear, fast it can bring that knowledge to bear,

and the rate at which it accumulates and the rate at which it accumulates knowledge.”knowledge.”


BibliographyBibliography BooksBooks

– Stewart, Thomas A., Stewart, Thomas A., Intellectual CapitalIntellectual Capital – Koulopoulos, Thomas, Corporate Instinct– Guns, Bob, Guns, Bob, The Faster Learning OrganizationThe Faster Learning Organization– Lipnack, Jessica and Stamps, Jeffrey, Lipnack, Jessica and Stamps, Jeffrey, Virtual TeamsVirtual Teams– Tapscott, Don, Tapscott, Don, The Digital EconomyThe Digital Economy– Naisbitt, John, and Aburdene, Patricia, Naisbitt, John, and Aburdene, Patricia, Re-inventing the CorporationRe-inventing the Corporation– Hargrove, Robert, Hargrove, Robert, Mastering the Art of Creative CollaborationMastering the Art of Creative Collaboration– Nilles, Jack M., Nilles, Jack M., Managing TeleworkManaging Telework– Peters, Tom, Peters, Tom, Liberation ManagementLiberation Management– Peters, Tom, Peters, Tom, Circle of InnovationCircle of Innovation

PeriodicalsPeriodicals– Group ComputingGroup Computing– Fast CompanyFast Company– CIOCIO– KM WorldKM World– Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management

OtherOther– Silver, Dr. Bruce, “Collaborative Knowledge Management”Silver, Dr. Bruce, “Collaborative Knowledge Management”

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471292796/qid=908416453/sr=1-1/002-5089104-7251016

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471292796/qid=908416453/sr=1-1/002-5089104-7251016

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Working knowledge