Peter Campbell

8/2/2019 Peter Campbell

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Affecting positive change

around KM initiativesSparke Helmore Case Study

Mar 2012



Plain English - Communication “Affecting” vs “Effecting”

Or

Moving KM forward

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Overview

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Observations around KM adoption

The challenges Sparke Helmore faced / face

Approach to improving engagement

Initiatives that made an impact Lessons learned

A perspective from a KM “newbie”



Sparke Helmore National firm – 8 Offices

Insurance, Government, Corporate, Workplace,Commercial

650 people

Pragmatic approach, easy to deal with

Big enough to be interesting, small enough to get thingsdone



KM at the firm in 2010 A good and dedicated team

Some great initiatives and feedback

Problems with visibility

Roles and expectations unclear within the wider firm Good systems and processes

Good tools – (almost)

A good foundation that needs more engagement



What an opportunity!

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Consultation Top down

» Partners and key stakeholders

Bottom up» A survey and focus groups

» Exit interviews

» One on one with some passionate people

Analysis of metrics and evidence» Precedent repository usage and review

» Intranet site usage

» Where does KM fit in the performance framework?



Red Flags Precedents weren‟t rated highly or used as much as we

liked

» Finding them, Content, Awareness

KM not represented strongly enough in the firm‟sstrategy

Relatively low expectations

No KM elements in the performance framework foranyone other than KM

Inconsistent understanding by the firm of who should dowhat

People that cared in the PG‟s felt neglected

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Our own worst critics…

or“It’s not that bad”

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Cycle of improvement

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Pacing and Leading

» Maturity and adoption level

» Culture and other factors

Pushing hard enough

Capabilities and Expectations



Are we doing this or not? Highlight the improvements required

Benefits of making those changes

Incremental or substantial change?

What does that mean?

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What do we need? – Simple isn’t it…

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Education

Context

PermissionAccount-

ability

Support

Systemsand

Structure

Commun-ication



Messaging – Leadership We have a solid foundation

The troops are asking for more

The firm needs to demonstrably „value‟ this activity more

highly

Educate the leaders and the staff about the benefits ofgood KM

Governance model

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Simple Messages to the troops Good KM reduces risk

Good KM makes us better and more efficient

Good KM makes us smarter

The firm is committed to and recognises good KM

Here‟s some examples of success

Where possible, deliver the message from people otherthan KM

Clarity of roles and processes



The role of leadership Agree and communicate the strategy and its

endorsement

» Bake it into the strategic plan

Actively promote the benefits and the approach

Open the door for the rest of the conversations

Encourage individuals and celebrate success

Careful discussions required around what it will take tocommit to this

» Likely time

» Likely results

» Challenges along the way



Leverage Other Initiatives Risk Management

» Review and comment on best practice

» Report on risks around not getting KM right

» A voice that isn‟t the KM team – sponsorship

Process improvement

» Workflow and efficiency is big

Other initiatives» HR – Engagement

» Efficiency Drives

» Performance Management

Actually, this is just ALIGNMENT



Policy Changes Simpler policies, easier to read, easier to enforce

» Update and simplify the firm‟s information

management policy

» Update and simplify the knowledge managementpolicy

Leverage other practice building initiatives

» Work with the leadership development group to

formulate a better model for KM in the practicegroups



Knowledge Custodian Role Consolidate the ownership from individual

authors to collection owners

Formal responsibility (and recognition) Not always a Partner (SA and SC)

Supported by KM and promoted in comms tothe leadership team and the firm

KPI‟s around the knowledge review process for

precs (their KPI‟s and the process KPI‟s)

Formalise measurement and tracking of review

cycles and adherance to them



Embedding KM into thePerformance Framework Lobby Exco and HR to change the performance

framework

Add as a key facet of practice building Focus on outputs rather than inputs

Develop sample objectives and KPI‟s

Suggest them to stakeholders and individuals

Talk about it like it has already happened



Revisit the Barriers My partner doesn‟t really care compared to billable work

» Demonstrate why they will

» Remind them that it is also their responsibility

How is it going to help me?» Case studies

» Show the potential

Don‟t know what to focus on

» Here‟s a list » And here‟s why it helps

» And here‟s what your partner is doing



Embedding KM into partner workplans Agreed at exco level to embed 2 key facets of KM into

partner work plans

Draw on agreed performance framework

Examples of activities for the team they can coordinate

Audit the results

» Review what‟s in the plans

» Hold them to it» Communicate that to their teams



KM Team Considerations Elevator pitch for initiatives

Permission to be proud of what we are doing

Shared confidence in the importance of KM

Share the wins “and the implications”

Retain customer focus – generalists at the front,specialists at the back

The left and the right hand



Communications Newsletter / Articles

Where does KM fit? „flyers‟

Case Studies

Team meetings

Knowledge Sharing Initiatives

» Workshops/Seminars

» PPSA» Case notes clubs

Awards/conferences

Relentless and passionate



Measure KPI’s at a firm level Cost (FMRC) Satisfaction of staff/lawyers Engagement of staff and Partners

Relevance and size of Repository Usage of Precedents/Examples

» Docs created from precs compared toSave/As

Usage of Library/research Time spent on KM activities (Fee Earners) Precedents currency What other initiatives are we doing?



How do we know it is working? All the KPI‟s are heading in the right direction

Partner KPI‟s are visible

KM asked to comment on prospective promotions

They are talking to us more

Expectations are rising

There is more energy around the KM team



Never Give Up!! If you thought…

» It‟s hard to get a concept across…

» It will take a lot of effort to get an initiative launched

and completed…

» We will need to communicate a lot, and a lot ofdifferent ways…

» We will need to keep reminding people what we are

doing and what they are doing…

Then you were wrong! Double the effort and timeestimate and you are getting closer to reality

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Thank you

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Peter Campbell