KM 2008 - Case StudyAndy Blunden Knowledge & HR Manager McCormick Rankin Cagney
Company & History McCormick Rankin Cagney Pty Ltd
Transport Consultants South East Asia 50% owned by Australian employees and 50% by
McCormick Rankin Corporation (Canada) www.mrc.ca
Reputation for excellence in complex and unusual projects
Business Improvement Division underpins Transport Reform Agenda and Executive support
Offices Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Auckland
Operating 7 years Grown rapidly as niche Transport implementation
partner International and National presence
www.mrcagney.com
Andy Blunden MBA (Strategic Management, IT Management),
Master Information Systems Knowledge & HR Manager 30+ years Training & Development, HR, IR,
Organisation Development experience Consulting in Strategic development, Quality &
Productivity Improvement, Business Process Re engineering
Specialising in Knowledge Management in Public and Private sectors
The Traffic Management Centre Project
Review and modernise Traffic Management Centre Nerang (Gold Coast District manages over 1000km of state controlled roads in most densely populate area of Qld)
Implement State of art Traffic Management Centre Move centre to a 24 hour shift operation Raise incident management quality & consistency in the
district Implement best practice processes and technologies Standardise on road response to incidents Improve relationships with key stakeholders (police,
ambulance, fire, towing services and public) Implement new traffic management technologies and
Motorway management systems This project driven by addition of new Tugun motorway
connecting Qld and NSW with Tunnel under Gold Coast airport runway
10 months work – 2 consultants, living and breathing Traffic Management operations
What is a Traffic Management Centre? – Background A Traffic Management Centre operates a
CCTV network and other smart incident detection systems
Responds to road incidents (Crashes, Breakdowns, Abandoned vehicles, Congestion, Road rage)
Provides Motorist information and warnings (Web, Phone Radio traffic reports, Variable Message Signs, SMS, Smart GPS – Road Angel)
Adjusts the road network to (Traffic lights, diversions)
Supports ‘on road’ Traffic Management response
Coordinates on road response (integrates Police, Traffic Response Units, Fire, Ambulance, Towing)
Level of risk significantly higher with Tunnels (i.e. Burnley incident, Mont Blanc tunnel fire)
Project Goals Review the Nerang Traffic Management Centre operations
for efficiency/effectiveness toward best practice (Business process review)
Codify operational knowledge and best practices Improve culture Raise operator performance through improved knowledge,
training and knowledge culture to meet changed operating requirements
Move to 24 hour shift operation Operate Tugan motorway (incorporating tunnel under
Coolangatta airport runway) Improve incident response, responder safety and service
visibility Integrate new traffic management technologies with work
process Provide consistent ‘look and feel’ of service as a model for
Qld Dept Main Roads across Qld Create a model approach for possible other TMC
implementations.
Project KM Challenges Recruitment of 10 new staff Rapid technical knowledge and skill acquisition to
meet Tugun timetable Existing operational knowledge fragmented,
inconsistently applied and only partially documented New information technology – complexity and number Additional risk profile associated with tunnel
management (pressure to respond safely) Outsourcing of on road (Traffic Management) response While KM is a ‘Nice’ rather than ‘Nasty’ consulting
process there is still a need for change management in dealing with Knowledge hoarders, Knowledge sellers and Knowledge agents.
KM brings into play all of the other usual cultural obstacles
Underpinning theories applied
Main Knowledge Management theories applied Davenport & Prusak - 5 modes of Knowledge
Generation Hansen, Nohria and Teirney Katzenbach & Smith - Wisdom of teams Knowles – Androgogy O'Dell &Grayson - Value Disciplines Szulanski Knowledge Stickyness Senge - Mental models & Learning
Organisation Johnson Scholes - Cultural Web Kaplan and Norton Balanced Scorecard
The KM Application Prusak - 5 modes
Acquisition of knowledge – Recruitment Fusion – Facilitation of practices and improvement Adaptation and Knowledge networking (involving
all staff in review of processes) Hansen, Nohria and Teirney
Codification of explicit processes Katzenbach & Smith - Wisdom of teams
Power of teams in improving knowledge and communication – consulting approach
Knowles – Androgogy Self directed learning, buy in, use of existing
knowledge
KM Application continued O'Dell &Grayson - Value Disciplines
Operational excellence Szulanski Knowledge Stickyness
Removal of knowledge ‘stickyness’ via learning program and ownership of the knowledge
Senge - Mental models Challenge existing values and beliefs
Senge - Learning Organisation Implementation of learning loops (debriefings) Johnson Scholes - Cultural Web
Understanding the existing culture and thinking
Kaplan and Norton Balanced Scorecard Providing tangible feedback on performance as an
anchor to new behaviours
Scope of work Structure review Recruitment of operators and team leader Process review of the Traffic Management
function Knowledge codification (policy and procedure) Intranet (Body of Knowledge) BOK development Cultural alignment Learning curriculum development and delivery
leading to knowledge transfer and capability Implementation of innovation and learning loop Mentoring, facilitation and support Balanced scorecard Post implementation audits and coaching
My aquired wisdom - Maxims While the project can be defined as a KM project, KM requires integration of well rounded project management, facilitation, process review, documentation, learning & development and change management skills
A consultant facilitates the long term behaviour changes that underpins the new process and interactions – he/she needs to be there a lot!
The cultural change comes from the way the project work is done – live it, do it, role model it (it=behaviours)
Don’t announce the project – use a low key strategy. Announcing the project is the same as wearing a target T shirt
Don’t do all the work yourself – Use the team to do it (but help them) – Make it their system and processes – not yours
Practice Triage as a key change management process Keep your word – follow through on all promises (write all
promises down)
KM Consulting Approach Build Trust and confidence (no BOHICA) Build ‘our own system’ (Not To, Not for, -
With…) No surprises – continuous communication Pygmalion free zone (Treat all with respect) Theory Y Triage Involvement (consultative but not
democratic i.e. ‘a say, not a vote’) Assign progressive responsibility – reward
the helpers Have fun
Cultural issues
Some staff threatened by hiring of new staff
Some pre - existing cultural issues (the thinking was wrong)
Several rapid changes of team leader – no continuity of leadership
Existing level of knowledge fragmented Policy disconnect Long term staff unaware of new
environmental threats, need for change or best practice
Future of the project Hopefully this project will roll on to other
Main Roads districts (model the knowledge and process) as they implement Traffic Management Centres across Qld
Having representatives from other districts on the steering committee tactically supports this outcome
Cost of implementation in other districts will fall due to Knowledge capture and lower cost of replication
There are other major service standardisation benefits likely from ‘domino’ implementation
Problem management strategies Communication matrix – Track acceptance (Triage) Steering Committee – made responsible for making it
happen Communication meetings Joint planning with the client and staff Have a single project sponsor (who has power to help
when needed) Early escalation of issues – cut ‘em off early Risk matrix – continuous re assessment of project
risks Continuous communication (one on one) Meet commitments and promises Fix things that don’t work Project web site (pull rather than push info) Problem management database (each issue
numbered)
Success management Get early wins and celebrate ‘the new way’ Have fun and don’t be too serious Promote successes – internal media Capture ‘moments of truth’ and replay them Engender pride in ‘what we achieved’ Be matter of fact and grounded - do not aim
for ‘consultant glory’ or someone will surely shoot you down
No silver bullets – just constant increments Be prepared to recognise that something
isn’t working and fix it Humour is good……
Measurement
TMC Implementation of Balanced Scorecard
within the Traffic Management Centre Project
Project % done report Budget Deliverables matrix Risk matrix
Maintaining post implementation momentum
Conduct of system audits Post implementation support Knowledge and Capability transfer
(be able to manage our system ourselves when you go)
Moments of Truth Watching them respond to self directed
learning Watching them respond to critical
incidents with confidence Seeing the system work Seeing the team grow Hearing what others are saying about
the project Being asked to do it again somewhere
else
Thank you for your attention Questions