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Some Barriers to Organizational Improvement in the Public Sector

Knowledge Management in the Public Sector

15 years of lessons learned…and other painful experiences

January 2011

Knowledge Management in the Public Sector

15 years of lessons learned…and other painful experiences

January 2011

Paul McDowall

Knowledge Management Advisor

Canada School of Public Service

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Key QuestionsKey Questions

1. What is KM and how might it apply to me, and to my group?

2. How/where could/should I start?

3. How will I have to change?

4. How will our work need to change?

5. How can we sustain this change?

6. What about the organizational culture?

7. How will we know that we are getting better?

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• What is Knowledge Management?

• How does Knowledge Management apply to the Canadian public sector?

• How has Knowledge Management been applied across the Canadian public sector?

• Lessons Learned in applying KM

AgendaAgenda

“The purpose of management is the productivity of knowledge.” Peter Drucker

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Explicit knowledge: knowledge that is articulated in formal language and which can be easily transmitted among individuals. It can be expressed in scientific formulae, codified procedures or a variety of other forms. It includes codified information, data, facts, records and documents, text, etc and is held in many different types of media.

Tacit knowledge: knowledge that is embedded in individual experience such as perspective and inferential knowledge. Tacit knowledge includes insights, hunches, intuitions, and skills that are highly personal and hard to formalize, making them difficult to communicate or share with others. It can be ‘learned’ from someone often only by close association with them for a period of time. It represents the cognitive abilities of people.

Knowledge Exists in Two Forms (M. Polanyi)

Knowledge Exists in Two Forms (M. Polanyi)

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Its about the Creation and Flow of Knowledge(Nonaka and Takeuchi)

Its about the Creation and Flow of Knowledge(Nonaka and Takeuchi)

to Tacit to Explicit from

Tacit Socialization (e.g. conversation)

Externalization (e.g. codification)

from Explicit

Internalization (e.g. reflection)

Combination (e.g. semantic analysis)

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Knowledge Spaces(D. Snowden)

Knowledge Spaces(D. Snowden)

1. Routine

•Standards, manuals•Bureaucrats, administrators•Categorize, process

2. Specialized

•Technical documents•Experts, consultants•Design, develop systems

3. Complex

•Tacit knowledge•Scientists, experience

•Find patterns, understand

4. Chaotic

•Observations•Explorers, innovators•Explore, test

Adapted from Snowden (2002)

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Knowledge Management Principles Knowledge Management Principles

Davenport/Prusak:

Knowledge originates and resides in people's minds

Knowledge sharing requires trust

Knowledge sharing must be encouraged and rewarded

Management support and resources are essential

Knowledge is creative and should be encouraged to develop in unexpected ways

Technology enables new knowledge behaviours

Snowden: Knowledge can only be volunteered, it cannot be conscripted We only know what we know when we need to know it In the context of real need few people will withhold their knowledge Everything is fragmented Tolerated failure imprints learning better than success The way we know things is not the way we report we know things We always know more than we can say, and we always say more than we can

write down

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Knowledge Management, or the management of an environment to facilitate the creation and use of knowledge for increased innovation and value, is a multi-disciplinary field that draws from theories in economics, sociology, philosophy, and psychology. It also engages the applied fields of information technology, information and library science, and business. This matrix gives KM dimensions that other management approaches lack and thus can provide comprehensive and practical management solutions.

S. McIntyre and I. Moen, Vanguard, Issue 4, 2002Defence Research and Development Canada

What Does KM Look Like?What Does KM Look Like?

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What Does KM Look Like?What Does KM Look Like?

Knowledge management refers to the processes of creating, capturing, transferring and using knowledge to enhance organizational performance. Knowledge management is most frequently associated with two particular types of activities:

- those activities that attempt to document and appropriate knowledge that individuals have (sometimes called the codification of knowledge) and activities to disseminate that knowledge throughout the organization, and

- those activities that facilitate human exchanges in which knowledge that is not codified (tacit knowledge) can be shared.

Public Service Commission of Canada, 1998

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What Does KM Look Like?What Does KM Look Like?

Knowledge Management is a multi-disciplinary approach to using and managing organizational knowledge that is based on sound Information management practices, focussed on organizationallearning, recognizing the contribution and value of employees, andis enabled by technology. It is primarily concerned with the content of knowledge within the organization and how that knowledge canimprove organizational performance.

Interdepartmental Knowledge Management Forum, 1999

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What is Knowledge Management?

• How does Knowledge Management apply to the Canadian public sector?

• How has Knowledge Management been applied across the Canadian public sector?

• Lessons Learned in applying KM

AgendaAgenda

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A Changing Service Agenda- program effectiveness – results!- collaborative arrangements- efficiency and innovation – strategic review- accountability- risk sensitivity

A Changing Policy Agenda- policy re-focussing and rationalization

A Changing Workforce – changing demographics

A Changing Workforce Management Agenda- public service renewal - core learning and professional development - recruitment and staffing - Talent Management- retention and workplace well-being

A Knowledge-based Public SectorA Knowledge-based Public Sector

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“Employee development is the responsibility of both the individual and the institution, but it serves a single purpose: to improve effectiveness and productivity in current and future jobs. This requires going beyond

coursework and classroom learning. The task is to consciously create learning environments where knowledge management is done well and where employees have ready access to the information they need to do their jobs…

To renew the workplace, we must put greater emphasis on collaboration,

technology, innovation, back office systems and knowledge management. We must also improve our ability to make choices and set priorities as we carry out our work.”

Clerk of the Privy Council’s Seventeenth Annual Report, 2010

A Knowledge-based Public SectorA Knowledge-based Public Sector

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“In addition to embedding renewal across their organizations, deputy heads will also advance renewal in four specific areas to support Renewing the Workplace: …

2. Knowledge Management

Our knowledge and information are important government assets that should be systematically captured and shared among individuals and across organizations.

Deputy heads will assess and improve their approaches to managing knowledge and information as

corporate assets.

Deputy heads will build knowledge transfer considerations into their talent management and succession planning strategies for executives and other critical positions.”

2010-11 Public Service Renewal Action Plan

A Knowledge-based Public SectorA Knowledge-based Public Sector

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“Loss of vital knowledge and experience is taking its toll on Canada’s cherished institutions – the Public Service of Canada in particular. Veteran employees are retiring in unprecedented numbers. Continual change and organizational churn are now the norm. New technologies allow us to store vast amounts of information, but also to misplace vast amounts of information. We, as an institution, are forgetting important lessons from the past…

Preserving knowledge is a core responsibility of every manager…

There are no longer any excuses for doing nothing.”

François Guimont, Chair, CSPS Action-Research Roundtable on Organizational Memory

(from Lost & Found A Smart-Practice Guide to Managing Organizational Memory, April, 2007)

The Challenge for the Public SectorThe Challenge for the Public Sector

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What is Knowledge Management?

How does Knowledge Management apply to the Canadian public sector?

• How has Knowledge Management been applied across the Canadian public sector?

• Lessons Learned in applying KM

AgendaAgenda

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Interdepartmental Knowledge Management ForumInterdepartmental Knowledge Management Forum

Our Raison d’être: The Interdepartmental Knowledge Management Forum (IKMF) creates an exploratory environment that stimulates Knowledge Management (KM) practice in the public sector.  As a community of practice, the IKMF creates a safe environment for reflection, discovery, dialogue and innovation through the sharing of experiences, practices and insights between practitioners and those interested in KM. 

The objectives of the Forum are: to encourage dialogue and collaboration between colleagues from knowledge-

intensive communities to focus on and share experiences in the implementation of knowledge management in the public sector

to be a centre of excellence and expertise in the development and use of knowledge management in the public sector

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KM Across the Canadian Public Sector KM Across the Canadian Public Sector

• Virtually all have tried, multiple times Science-based (Environment, Health, Nat’l Resources, National Research

Council, SSHRC, HRSDC) Operational (PWGSC) International Development (CIDA, Bellanet) Military and Security (DND, DRDC, RCMP, PSEPC) Central Agencies and organizations (OAG, TBS, PSC, PSHRMAC, CSPS) Financial and Economic (Bank of Canada, EDC) Legal (Justice)

• Overall, limited long-term (>3yr) sustainable impact Political/public policy drivers Mobility across the system at ALL levels, esp. senior managers Myths and misconceptions Turf Costs – hard costs vs soft costs Technology Lack of business focus

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Defence Research and Development CRTI

KM Approach*KM Approach*

Tacit

Explicit

Tacit Explicit

SocializationSocialization

CombinationCombination::

ExternalizationExternalization

InternalizationInternalization:

*Nonaka, I. and H. Takeuchi. The Knowledge Creating Company. New York: Oxford, 1995.

Tacit

•Exercises•Clusters•First Responder Workshops

•After action reviews •Symposia•Workshops• Tech Demos• Competency Map

•Lessons learned• New Protocols• Documents/Reports• Communications• Portal• Databases• Info Management

• Exercises• Shared Experience• Training

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Office of the Auditor GeneralOffice of the Auditor General

We want people to get to the knowledge and tools need to do the work as quickly and intuitively as possible

•People

•Work•Done

•Knowledge •tools

•Gather/share

•Decide/act•Contribute •experience

People

WorkDone

Knowledge tools

Gather/share

Decide/actContribute experience

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Client/dep’t Knowledge(business, issues, history, etc)

Government Knowledge(Machinery of Gov’t - who, how, when)

General Knowledge (skills, competencies, techniques)

Human Resource

Management Practices

StaffTraining

Information Management

Practices

Leadership& Planning

Supportive Technology

Professional Development

Knowledge Management Enablers

Critical Knowledge Areas for TBS

TBS Knowledge(organization, people, processes, etc)

Domain Knowledge(policy and subject matter areas)

Collaboration & communication

TBS Priorities & Core

Business

Knowledge Management for TBS

Financial Resource

Management Practices

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Learning and Knowledge Management in TBSLearning and Knowledge Management in TBS

• Meet the Basic Training Needs - Bring people up to speed ASAP Boot Camps – functional orientation (analysts/managers and admins) Functional guides and reference materials (e.g. TB Submissions, MCs) Custom-developed and customized JIT ‘training’ (1 or 2 per week) - videos

• Operationalize a Core Learning Program (i.e. Make learning a vital part of improving how the work gets done)

CoPs, coaches, mentoring, post-mortems, etc LKM website and many operational guides, reference and learning tools (e.g. Virtual

Boot Camp)

• Make Progress Towards Knowledge Management Organizational KM work assessment w/action plans for gap areas Direct support to departmental ‘teams’ (e.g. team building, collaborative software) Competency profiles and related learning/development tools Leadership workshop / EXCO retreats Leveraging knowledge in day-to-day issues (e.g. facilitation, connections, strategic

and operational work improvement team) TBS-wide Org Learning/KM strategy and plan Ongoing advice to middle/senior managers re. accomplishing operational

requirements TBS priority and process reviews (all ADMS)

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Fou

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Fou

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LeadershipLeadership

Tec

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Tec

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Cu

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Cu

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Inukshuk:Inukshuk:

•“likeness of a person” (essential component of KM) •Identify opportunities•Guide leaders•Very Canadian•Every Inukshuk is different

InternalizationInternalization

SocializationSocialization Externalization Externalization

CombinationCombination

Pro

cess

Pro

cess

Tacit Knowledge Tacit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge

Inukshuk: Defence Knowledge ModelInukshuk: Defence Knowledge Model

Measurement Measurement

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Environment Canada

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Knowledge

Management

CapacityBuilding

Organizational Context

Resources Infra-structure

ContentGover-nance

Culture

Learning

Funds

People

Time

Technology

Systems

Management

Acquisition

Production

Dissemination

Vision

Direction

Commitment

Change

Sharing

Controlling

Education

Skills

Experience

NRCan Canadian Forestry Service

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Natural Resources CanadaNatural Resources Canada

Content

Tools

Organization

People Learning, motivation,

rewards, incentives

Processes

roles, responsibilities, authorities, resources

lessons learned, best practices, work routines

forestry data, information & knowledge

infrastructure & systems to

capture, store, share content

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Natural Resources Canada:What is Knowledge management?

Natural Resources Canada:What is Knowledge management?

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NRCan KM VideoNRCan KM Video

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What is KM?

Knowledge Base& Relationships

People Organization

Supporting innovation, creativity, involvement, and participation among people.

• Development opportunities.• Training.• Assistive and accessible technologies & tools.• Venues (conferences, forums, seminars, discussion groups, etc.) to promote creating, preserving, sharing, and using knowledge.

Developing an organizational culture that values knowledge.

• Champion practices that create, store, preserve, share, and use knowledge.• Quality standards; governance processes.• Performance monitoring and reporting.• Communication, education, and promotion.

Building our knowledge base and relationships.

• Storing, preserving and accessing our stock of knowledge, identifying gaps, and creating new knowledge.• Engaging, and partnering, with stakeholders to learn from experiences and maximize investments.• Sharing, exchanging, and disseminating knowledge internally and externally.• Using knowledge for policy/program development, service delivery, and supporting decision-making.

HRSDC

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HRSD

Knowledge Management

Initiative

Core KM Team Dedicated, full-time team

championing and developing KM.

HRSD KM Working GroupBranch representatives that work to

mutually support DM priorities on KM.Share & exchange with Core KM Team and leverage knowledge capacities.

KM: A Key Corporate Strategy Involving EveryoneKM: A Key Corporate Strategy Involving Everyone

Systems Services

Information Management Services

AdministrativeServices

Human Resources Services

EXAction Learning

Group

Comptrollership & Financial Management

Services

Service Canada Regional Offices

Communication Services

Management Services

Integration & Transformation

Teams

External Networks of Experts, Partners

& Stakeholders

External Networks of Experts, Partners

& Stakeholders

A networked approach will enable us to reach out at all levels, and to link, share, and learn from specialists and all functional areas of the department as well as from external experts.

It will also enable staff to shape change, and take ownership in the development of a new organizational knowledge culture.

HRSDC

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Bank of Canada Knowledge Program Framework

Bank of Canada Knowledge Program Framework

Technology infrastructure that enables easy“in-process” content capture and access, effective collaboration and

transparent management

Effective sharing and exchange of knowledge and information, both within and beyond the organization

Knowledge ExchangeKnowledge Exchange Knowledge Access Knowledge Access

Easy and effective access to quality information and data, as well as people with “know-how”, when and where it is needed

Strategic Outcome: Enhanced organizational capacity to capture, access, and exchange knowledge

“Kn

ow

ledg

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nscio

us”

Man

agem

ent / L

eadersh

ipCONTENT COLLABORATION

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Mandate and Objectives of The National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety

Mandate and Objectives of The National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety

• The NCPC uses a crime prevention through social development approach, which aims to tackle crime by addressing its root causes.

• NCPC Objectives: Increase sustainable community action in support of CPSD Develop and share knowledge of effective crime prevention

strategies Coordinate multi-level support for crime prevention efforts

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Children’s Hospital of Eastern OntarioChildren’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario

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Knowledge Retention/TransferKnowledge Retention/Transfer

Knowledge Transfer Pre-retirement knowledge capture (e.g. Office of the Commission of Official Languages, TBS, CPSA, CIC, HRSDC, PWGSC…)

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What is Knowledge Management?

How does Knowledge Management apply to the Canadian public sector?

How has Knowledge Management been applied across the Canadian public sector?

• Lessons Learned in applying KM

AgendaAgenda

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Knowledge Management is NOT…

working harder

NOT SMART

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Knowledge Management is NOT…bullying

Knowledge Management is NOT…bullying

NOT SMART

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Knowledge Management is NOT….

about Technology

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Who is involved in the KM Value Chain?» Leaders» Managers» Staff/employees» Support groups» Clients/customers/citizens» Suppliers» Stakeholders

KM Value ChainKM Value Chain

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KM Approaches – the Good, the Bad, …KM Approaches – the Good, the Bad, …

• Strategic and/or tactical business-KM • communities of practice, learning networks, functional communities,

collaborative arrangements• organizational learning & knowledge sharing (Lessons learned, debriefs,

AARs, coaching, organizational learning events) • organizational analysis (knowledge mapping/auditing, Social Network

Analysis)• knowledge creation/innovation – knowledge capture, knowledge transfer• team-based management• process improvement • HR/workplace and workforce initiatives (succession planning, Workplace

Well-being)• IT (intranets, group/collaborative software, portals, yellow pages, expert

locators, virtual teams, conferencing, search tools)• Training & Dev (individual, team)• dM/IM/RM/DM (data, information, records and document management)

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• After Action Reviews• Exit Interviews• Learning Histories• Lessons Learned Inventories• Communities of Practice• Guided Learning (Action Learning, etc)• Learning Events (Organizational Learning, etc)• Job Overlap• Phased Retirement• Network Based Solutions (Expert Locator systems)

Externalization of Functions• Document Repositories and Portals• Automation Self-Service• Knowledge Centres

Smart-Practice Tools (Peter Stoyko)Smart-Practice Tools (Peter Stoyko)

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Some Other Practices/ToolsSome Other Practices/Tools

• Visualization• Storytelling• Social Network Analysis• Succession Planning/mentoring/coaching• K-risk assessment, knowledge audits• KM Maturity Assessment and benchmarking• Concept Mapping• Mindmapping• Business Process A/R/M• Simulation techniques• Knowledge Retention• Learning Labs• Expert location/’Ask the Expert”• Data mining/email analysis…• …

50Knowledge Transfer in the Government of Canada: Needs Analysis and Knowledge Transfer Guide by Kathleen Webster, May 2010

51Knowledge Transfer in the Government of Canada: Needs Analysis and Knowledge Transfer Guide by Kathleen Webster, May 2010

52Knowledge Transfer in the Government of Canada: Needs Analysis and Knowledge Transfer Guide by Kathleen Webster, May 2010

53Knowledge Transfer in the Government of Canada: Needs Analysis and Knowledge Transfer Guide by Kathleen Webster, May 2010

54Knowledge Transfer in the Government of Canada: Needs Analysis and Knowledge Transfer Guide by Kathleen Webster, May 2010

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CSPS Best Practice Research in KMCSPS Best Practice Research in KM

• Best practice approaches: Critical Success Factors

• Best management practice: Where to start How to make progress How to sustain progress

• Best practice relationships and engagement: Who’s who and how to get engagement

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Best Practice ApproachesBest Practice Approaches

To Tacit To Explicit

From Tacit

Socialization

• Social networking• Team-based learning• Mentoring and Coaching• Narratives and storytelling• Innovation, creativity and discovery• Dialogue

Externalization

• Documentation and collection• Interviewing• Knowledge Visualization and Representation• Media-based distillation and dissemination• Post-Activity learning • Network mapping

From Explicit

Internalization

• Formal learning• Self-directed learning and personal reflection • On-demand learning• Embedded learning• Experimentation and practice• Simulations • Research and Distillation

Combination

• Text Mining and Semantic Analysis• Knowledge Organization Systems • Expert, Expertise and Experience Systems

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Key Lessons LearnedKey Lessons Learned

• Focus KM on strategic and tactical business needs• Senior leadership needs to own it, drive it and lead by example• Develop strong relationships with allies (Business managers, OD, HR,

IM, IT,…)• Develop an integrated approach/strategy tied directly to the business

strategy – leave your own agenda at the door• Fix/reduce known problems – start at the point of pain • Build on what is working well - Keep building on success• Engage all levels in the change – ideas and empowerment• Be willing to take some risks – learn from failures• Make better use of tools, both existing tools and new ones• Remember the KM principles • Demonstrate servant leadership• Plan and manage for change

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What are the CSFs? What are the CSFs?

• Business needs and drivers as the focus

• Leadership Engagement – clear and motivating vision, ownership, and driving it at all levels (NOT ‘buy-in’)

• Employee Engagement – intellectual, emotional and social

• Behavioural change – influencing corporate culture

• Sustainable improvement – transformative organizational change, ‘stable’ organization, building on success

• Vision and insight

“That’s just the way we do things around here”

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The Leadership Be-attitudes:

• Be strategic: Identify your organization’s greatest needs; Identify a holistic vision that captures people’s imagination and engagement

• Be practical: Recommend straight-forward solutions to real problems; Build on previous work; Manage the scope of effort and expectations; Deliver what you promise, when you promise it

• Be inclusive: Develop and build on personal relationships - yours and others; Build and use the support of natural allies, both internally and externally; Be helpful and flexible

• Be a champion: Demonstrate servant-leadership, Keep moving forward; Be constructive; Carpe diem!

Lessons in Leadership Lessons in Leadership

P. McDowall

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“Don’ts” for Knowledge Management“Don’ts” for Knowledge Management

• Don’t treat KM as a project, an IT “solution”, or a pilot it’s part of the management discipline!

• Don’t focus on KM; focus on the business needs and use KM practices as useful means to help you be more effective (only if its needed!)

• Don’t underestimate the scope, timeframes and effort, depending upon your needs this is organizational change towards maturity as a knowledge-

intensive organization and for most organizations that’s a huge challenge

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KM Evolution/Maturity CurveKM Evolution/Maturity Curve

From To

Focus on Explicit Knowledge Balance of Tacit & Explicit

Knowledge capture/transfer Knowledge management

Subject Matter Experts Communities, work groups

Individual Development Organizational Capacity

Leaders and high-fliers Knowledge workers

Training and development Organizational Learning (Senge)

KM strategies and tools Business strategies and needs

Separate KM function/organization Business-driven

Tools and Technologies People and culture

ROI on KM The way we do things around here

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Key QuestionsKey Questions

1. What is KM and how might it apply to me, and to my group?

2. How/where could/should I start?

3. How will I have to change?

4. How will our work need to change?

5. How can we sustain this change?

6. What about the organizational culture?

7. How will we know that we are getting better?

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“In the future, we won’t call it ‘Knowledge Management’ …we’ll call it ’Management’”

Gartner Group

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Paul McDowallKnowledge Management AdvisorCanada School of Public Service

373 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6Z2, Canada613-995-3705Paul.mcdowall@csps-efpc.gc.ca

Interdepartmental Knowledge Management Forum: www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ikmf_figs