Lots of people tell us they feel powerless to manage all of the data within their organizations. To avoid drowning in data, we help teams, organizations and networks extract information from that data and tease out knowledge from that information. Organizations that have knowledge have power.
To create, manage and use knowledge within organizations and among networks, we look not only at technology but also at organizational culture. Our aim is to help get the right information to the right people at the right time. And by doing so, we can help create the routines, patterns and behaviors that can also allow organizations to uncover the wisdom that can be found among their team members.
Our knowledge management efforts focus on four key elements. Think of them as a recipe, not a menu, because together they are essential for success.
- People: The most important factor in the success of any knowledge management system is getting the people who need to be invested to share their knowledge and use the knowledge shared by others in their organization.
- Processes: Clearly defined, efficient and repeated processes for sharing and using knowledge are essential across organizations. Over time, as processes become habits among teams, the very culture can be transformed into a true learning organization.
- Products: A knowledge product is an object that portrays what is known so it can be shared or used. These may include resources, best practices, agendas, reports, information, and lists of “who knows what.”
- Platform: The right technical platform for knowledge management must accommodate the people using the system, allowing them to locate the information at the time they need it, quickly and easily. While technology alone cannot improve knowledge management behavior, the right technical solution can provide a scaffold on which effective knowledge management structures can hang.
