‘Inspiring Ireland: Preservation, the public and collaborative collection’ (Poster)
Knowledge Preservation in the Public Service
17
www.rowanwood.ca 1 Knowledge Preservation in the Public Service: Why is it important and what can we do about it?
-
Upload
thom-kearney -
Category
Education
-
view
1.316 -
download
1
description
What goes around, comes around. This is the presentation from a Knowledge Preservation panel I hosted at GTEC in Ottawa in 2006.
Transcript of Knowledge Preservation in the Public Service
www.rowanwood.ca
1
Knowledge Preservation in the Public Service:
Why is it important and what can we do about it?
www.rowanwood.ca 2
Agenda
Introduction
What we mean by knowledge and preservation
Discussion Questions:Why, How, What, Where, When?
Next steps
Conclusion
www.rowanwood.ca 3
The Panel
Thom KearneyFacilitator: Managing Partner, Rowanwood Consulting
Catherine WatersHuman Resources, Governance and Public Policy
Joe GollnerVice President Enterprise Solutions, Stilo Corporation
Rita MoritzCIO Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Wendy StarkInformation Management and Architecture
Dr. Albert Simard (Al)Director, Knowledge Strategies, NRCan
www.rowanwood.ca 4
What do we mean by knowledge?
To do your job To make decisions To understand systems To interpret data To make a change To succeed To make things better…
“Stuff you need to know.”
The file’s in Bob’s
cubicle!Do you
know her number?
How hard can it be to fix?
OK it’s on the intranet! Where on the intranet?
What did we do last time?
There must be a record of that!
Why does the system work that
way?
Password?
www.rowanwood.ca 5
What do we mean by Knowledge Preservation?
Capture
Maintain
Organize Retrieve
Store
Anything that makes knowledge an enduring corporate asset — two types of activities:
No act is too small No act is too small
Sharing & Collaboration
Knowledge Resources
Direct knowledge transfer
Creating new knowledge
www.rowanwood.ca 6
The Questions
1. Why do we need to preserve knowledge, what’s all the rush about? (Rita)
2. How can we preserve knowledge? (Joe)
3. What are the impacts of knowledge preservation on service delivery (Wendy)
4. Where are the connections with service transformation and global leadership (Thom for Al)
5. When do we need it — under what conditions is knowledge preservation essential? (Catherine)
www.rowanwood.ca 7
1. Why preserve knowledge?
1. Public Service fuelled on timely, accurate, complete information for policy development, program design and delivery, research & management.
2. Focus on accountability, even over time
3. Focus on demonstrated benefits
4. Speed with which technologies introduced, changed and varieties of media
5. Changing workplace
6. Changing workforce…
www.rowanwood.ca 8
What’s the rush about?
…6. Changing workforce:
Retirements
Middle career
New recruits
Need to find a way to blend richness of perspectives, experience, energy, skills…
this is a unique time in history
www.rowanwood.ca 9
Why Preserve Knowledge…
We built that power plant… but we don’t remember how…
www.rowanwood.ca 10
2. How do we preserve knowledge?
Personal
• Job shadowing
• Mentoring programs
• On-the-job Training
• Hand-over procedures
• Organize working materials
• Document key lessons
• Document key procedures
• Record opinions and concerns
Team
• Mix new and retiring staff
• Cycle roles to speed learning
• Retiring staff giving guidance
• Use collaboration tools
• Document team practices
• Establish team repository
Directorate
• Provide orientation for new staff
• Retiring staff give training
• Launch innovation programs that engage new & retiring staff
• Document legacy practices
• Develop ‘new’ practices
• Facilitate access to holdings
• Implement IM procedures
Department
• Facilitate networking venues
• Launch training programs
• Plan to retain key experience
• Document legacy systems
• Establish collaboration platform
• Establish IM infrastructure
Sharing & Collaboration Knowledge ResourcesFocus
www.rowanwood.ca 11
Success Stories
Competition BureauIndustry Canada
Serious risks posed by the loss of expert knowledge. • hiring and training staff
• process redesign efforts
• introducing collaborative tools for core business
• introducing web learning and support tools
Samsung IndustriesSeoul Korea
Competing globally to attract and retaintechnical knowledge.
• facilitating knowledge sharing with incentives
• establishing global collaboration forums
• Introducing sophisticated technology
Challenge Solution StrategyOrganization
www.rowanwood.ca 12
3. What are the impacts of knowledge preservation on service delivery?
Knowledge preservation strategies are designed to leverage existing knowledge
to improve performance, and
to create new knowledge (innovation)
Create the opportunity to build on existing knowledge and avoid re-inventing the wheel (counter knowledge loss);
Knowledge preservation through sharing counteracts departmental /divisional isolationism that inhibits citizen-centric service delivery and prevents efficiencies.
The structure and tools of IM and IT enable effective organization and access to the knowledge base, and support knowledge transfer – across the enterprise and within various departments or organizations.
www.rowanwood.ca 13
4. Where are the connections?
How can preserving knowledge enable and accelerate the transformation of government services and sustain Canada’s position as a global leader in online government?
In the Beginning, there is Knowledge Preservation:
Preservation is the first step to managing content.
Preservation links the past, present, and future.
Preservation links what we know to organizational efficiency.
Preservation connects content with external services.
Preservation keeps the lights on.
www.rowanwood.ca 14
5. When?
WHEN? … Right Now !!
Under what conditions is knowledge preservation essential?
Labour shortages (now and anticipated)55% of PS Employees are over 45, while more than 60% of EX level PS employees are aged 50-591
Skill shortages – finding new ways of getting key skills and knowledge
Succession planning
Work design / project-based learning / virtual organizations
Coaching / mentoring
Change management and organizational renewal
Creating a learning organization
www.rowanwood.ca 15
Next Steps: What do we do now?
Discussion:
What should the GoC do now?
What can you do in the next 90 days? Examples of knowledge preservation… What is your role in preserving knowledge ?
www.rowanwood.ca 16
Summary
There is more knowledge than ever
It needs to be preserved for the sake of innovation, efficiency and service
We all have roles to play (IT and IM particularly)
Preserving knowledge means sharing and sharing means a culture shift – from “knowledge is power” to “powerful knowledge”
It does not mater where we start, only that we do
