Accelerators of KM maturity: Part 3

First, analysis reveals a strong connection between consistent, enterprise-level knowledge flow processes and the introduction of new and enhanced KM methods across the organization. Thirty-nine percent of organizations with standardized knowledge flow processes have successfully implemented new or enhanced KM methods, compared to only 1 percent of organizations without standardized knowledge flow.

It makes sense that standard processes are almost an absolute prerequisite to the continuous improvement of the KM program and toolkit. After all, it is difficult—if not impossible—to methodically improve a process that has not been first studied, codified and standardized to a reasonable extent (allowing for some flexibility to accommodate local needs and practices). Once an organization has consistent processes, however, any new and enhanced KM methods it adopts can be applied broadly, allowing it to make targeted investments and benefit from economies of scale.

The data also suggests that organizations benefit from standardizing how they capture and retain tacit knowledge stored in the heads of their employees. For example, organizations with standard knowledge capture/transfer approaches are almost twice as likely to achieve localized knowledge reuse and secure active KM champions and sponsors out in the business  (see Figure 2 on page 14, KMWorld, March 2016, Vol. 25, Issue 3 or download chart 2). They are also six times more likely to identify and address barriers to knowledge sharing and use and four times more likely to leverage knowledge for competitive advantage.

Why are all these benefits associated with the introduction of consistent knowledge capture/transfer approaches? The link to knowledge reuse is, perhaps, the most self-explanatory. If an organization leverages a standard methodology to capture knowledge from experts and experienced employees and then makes that knowledge available to others, the available knowledge assets should improve and reuse should increase accordingly (assuming that those who would

benefit from the documented knowledge are aware of it and can access it quickly and easily).

The connection between standardization and securing active KM champions and sponsors is less direct, but still logical. In APQC’s experience, organizations that apply standard methods to capture/retain valuable individual knowledge are better positioned to reap tangible benefits from KM—and for those benefits to be clear to business stakeholders. This, in turn, may motivate people out in the business to take on more active roles in promoting and sponsoring KM initiatives.

The final two relationships, which link KM standardization to more effective change management and superior business outcomes, likely stem from the overall improvements in KM maturity that standardization denotes. Consistent processes make it easier to examine how knowledge transfer is working, identify any barriers that are impeding it and systematically address those challenges. And when KM is standardized, it is more broadly adopted, which in turn boosts the chance of leveraging knowledge for competitive advantage.

Integrate KM tools into the overall IT strategy

Earlier, we talked about the role of IT needs assessments in helping to ensure that new KM technologies align with the needs and preferences of the target user groups. But there is another side to consider—namely, how well the tools align the organization’s broader IT portfolio. If the KM team fails to include its IT partners in technology selection, design and deployment, it may overlook important considerations related to implementation feasibility and compatibility with existing systems.

This is borne out by APQC’s assessment data. According to the analysis, only 30 percent of organizations have standardized KM tools and applications that are integrated into their overall IT strategies. However, those organizations are achieving certain advanced KM technology capabilities at much higher rates than their peers.

First, organizations that integrate KM into their broader IT strategies are more than eight times more likely to build that technology into core business processes and workflows. That connection makes a lot of sense. Most day-to-day work is facilitated by non-KM applications chosen and maintained by the IT group. If IT is involved in designing and deploying KM tools, those tools probably will fit more smoothly into the overarching technology landscape of the organization. That, in turn, boosts adoption and makes it easier to connect KM activities to business processes and workflows.

Integrating KM tools and applications into the overall IT strategy also ensures a more coherent technology environment for users. When separate groups handle functions such as KM, employee learning and process improvement, it’s easy for duplication and silos to emerge. However, an informed IT department can point out where required capabilities overlap and help build bridges between knowledge-related functions and the technology used to support them. This is, perhaps, why organizations that integrate KM into their broader IT strategies are eight times more likely to leverage learning and process tools to support KM efforts.