Taxonomies are a proven enabler for information discovery as distinct from targeted search. How does one interpret and anticipate user needs and intentions when designing an information system? When do they need more options, fewer options, and how can they get reoriented should they go down a blind alley? Clarke explores how taxonomies, metadata, and graph queries can help transcend these design challenges and deliver an exceptionally engaging user experience.

Merck Manufacturing Division (MMD) manufactures, packages, and distributes Merck products to more than 140 markets. MMD operates in an integrated global manufacturing network and is committed to delivering compliant, reliable products to customers and patients on time, every time. MMD recognizes knowledge as an equally important “product.” This knowledge is a key competitive advantage. It is rationale behind decisions. It is the know-how and “know why.” It is what MMD knows about its products and processes that enable Merck to be World Class Supplier of medicines that improve the quality of life for its customers. Starting in 2009, MMD developed a KM strategy based on extensive benchmarking and best practices. The goal of this strategy is to improve MMD’s ability to solve technical problems and accelerate the development of more robust products through increased knowledge flow and better collaboration. Four pilots were launched to establish KM capabilities for products, platforms, expertise retention, and connectivity. Building on the business success of the pilots and overwhelmingly positive user feedback, the KM program and capabilities have continued to evolve and mature. This presentation focuses on using a holistic approach, utilizing people, process, content, and technology with effective change management and inclusion principles to successfully evolve a KM program in a complex, global organization within a rapidly transforming industry. Learn about MMD’s critical success factors, challenges, business benefits, and lessons learned.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is developing an enterprise-wide integrated KM strategy to promote and drive quality and improve performance across the organization. As the world’s largest public engineering, design, and construction management agency, more than 37,000 USACE personnel manage dams, canals, and flood protection projects throughout the United States, as well as a wide range of public works throughout the world. The strategy will drive a program which provides approaches, methods, and tools that enable KM best practices and promote the flow of actionable information with the goal of capturing critical knowledge and expertise of a graying workforce, transferring knowledge between teams, and improving collaboration and learning across the USACE enterprise. This presentation examines the results of a 3-month study to understand how KM is implemented today across the entire Department of the Army and to create an Army-wide picture of KM benchmarks and best practices that may be beneficial to any attendee. Twelve critical areas, focused on improving knowledge flow, are addressed in the presentation.

The General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service (PBS) needed better KM approaches for supporting its building maintenance, leasing, construction, and renovation projects delivered annually across the United States. A national KM team was formed and conducted an internal inventory of potential KM approaches. Google Sites/websites and Salesforce Chatter were available within PBS as potential KM tools, and were subsequently configured using agile approaches to support a KM pilot program for property managers. After the successful pilot, additional KM initiatives using combinations of the Google Sites/Chatter format were developed as part of the current KM Initiative, and as independent initiatives. Hear about the critical success factors including the importance of sustained leadership support; the availability of cost-effective tools easily customized to serve users; dedicated staffing to coordinate regular system maintenance and updates; and direct team dialogue for sustaining agility in fluid or turbulent organizational environments.

Organizations are looking beyond a sea of separated systems, with the goal of delivering a seamless digital workplace for staff. This brings together intranets, social and collaboration tools and business systems to provide radically better workforce solutions. While the vision is becoming increasingly clear, the question remains: How to get there from here? Robertson explores how to take an agile approach to delivering the full vision, sharing real-world examples from leaders and innovators.

Using the SharePoint platform for a KM portal requires a shift in approach, design, and, potentially, development. Understand what is involved end to end when considering using SharePoint beyond a traditional intranet. Get tips and techniques to apply in your organization. Then hear how the NPS improved usability and findability of its rich information, as well as improved collaboration, coordination, and reuse of knowledge, with a Common Learning Portal (CLP), centralizing the capture, management, and presentation of information into a single, multifaceted system by leveraging open source content management software. All speakers share key success criteria, lessons learned, and insights.

“Working out loud” is defined as creating observable work and/or narrating one’s work, usually on a social platform. Enterprise technology has made WOL a common technique that fosters a 21st-century culture. The transparency that it creates not only fosters collaboration, but also speed, trust, learning, knowledge sharing, serendipity, and agility. Hear from Pearce about what a simple survey for measuring WOL found using the Lexmark employee base as a pilot survey. Callewaert shares how WOL got successfully anchored, supported by the right tools, in knowledge worker teams at the Port of Antwerp. Combined with the right processes (e.g., dynamic or adaptive case management) and involving the right people roles, he believes WOL can exponentially increase its value as a knowledge-sharing and management tool.

Succeeding in the workplace of today and tomorrow requires that employers create a culture of continuous learning, one that supports growth and provides upskilling and training as an integral part of the organization. Organizations must transform into digital workplaces where knowledge sharing, learning, and innovation are able to occur real time at any time, any place. Managers and executives must be able to identify and grow talent to develop continual learners who can adapt and innovate with the company’s needs. Beliveau-Dunn discusses the importance of doing this and shares insights into how successful companies are creating this type of culture of learning. To accomplish long-term success and to stay relevant in the ever-changing digital economy, organizations must change their collective mindsets and look to new goals, new skills, and new job roles. Get an in-depth view of how this can be accomplished and what implementation actually looks like.

Next-generation knowledge can transform—and not just improve—customer service for a smarter world. eGain clients, who are leaders across industries, have been able to deflect phone calls by 60%, reduce unwarranted product returns and exchanges by 40%, eliminate unnecessary service processes by 50%, and achieve #1 industry rating in agent knowledgeability. Moreover, many have gone from vision to value in a matter of days with revolutionary approaches to piloting knowledge. Our speakers discuss using machine learning technologies to connect people to content and with other people in the organization, making KM effortless. Hear how they did it!

Our industry leaders share their insights on agile and innovative KM platforms and programs. Schifter discusses a case study about building a knowledge network using the experience of the last 6 years in building The Water Network. Get tips and ideas to use in your organization. In today’s more social and connected enterprises, Copps focuses on how curation, attention and context help to analyze information by not just the words, but through our understanding of “who” is reading, writing and curating content. Get tips and ideas to use in your organization.