1

Understanding Knowledge Services

Natural Resources Canada Knowledge Services Task Group

Transforming Government: Better Outcomes for Citizens

September 12-14, 2005

2

An Opening Thought…

“One of the saddest features of the real world is that goods do not spontaneously present themselves for distribution.”   

The Economist (Nov. 5, 1994)

3

Presentation Goals

Speaker: Share results of the NRCan Knowledge Services Task Group

Audience: Gain awareness and relate to your context

Conference: Begin interdepartmental dialogue to develop shared understanding

4

Presentation Outline

Background

Scope

Framework

Flow Charts

Next Steps

5

Government of Canada 2005 Service Vision

Service examples (31): statistics (1) information (5), knowledge (0)

Framework: Canadians, businesses, international

“No generally accepted definitions or descriptions of public sector information and knowledge services.”

“To identify and act on opportunities…the government must first establish a shared understanding of the attributes of public sector information and knowledge services.”

6

The Big Picture

Knowledge CanadiansServing

Our task is to connect the dots.

7

Task Group Mandate

Examine the nature of the work of science and science-related programs in Natural Resources Canada, describe appropriate elements in the context of Government of Canada service transformation, and submit a report.

8

Task Group Members

John Broome (Earth Sciences)

Malcolm Drury (Energy Technology)

Brian Haddon (Canadian Forest Service)

Bob O’Neil (Earth Sciences)

Dave Pasho (Metals & Minerals)

Al Simard (Canadian Forest Service)

Mark Williamson (Earth Sciences)

9

Questions & Answers

Who is the audience? Treasury Board and NRCan senior managers.

What do we want them to do? Adapt programs to the nature of S&T knowledge services to better serve Canadians.

What will we do that causes this response? Increase understanding of S&T knowledge services.

How will we increase understanding? Develop a descriptive model and classification framework for S&T knowledge services.

10

Knowledge Services: Steps

1. Establish Task Group 2. Determine approach 3. Outline and define system framework 4. List and define system functions 5. Report on progress & seek endorsement 6. List components & parameters 7. Define components and parameters 8. List sub-components & sub-parameters 9. Conduct Classification case studies 10. Begin writing report 11. Define sub-components & sub-parameters12. Submit report

11

Presentation Outline

Background

Scope

Framework

Flow Charts

Next Steps

12

A Business Perspective

Effective Strategy = Describe Strategy

+ Measure Strategy + Manage Strategy

Adapted from Kaplan and Norton (2004)

13

Knowledge Spaces

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)

14

Knowledge Services System:Definition

A group of interrelated sub-systems and infrastructure that function collectively, subject to organizational mandates, to embed value into knowledge-based goods & services, preserve it, and enable its extraction to yield benefits.

15

Knowledge Services System

Indirect Outputs

SectorOutcomes

Canadians

Intelligence

Organization

Mandate

Body of Knowledge(Knowledg

e cycle)

Direct Outputs

EvaluatorsRecommendations Benefits

(tertiary)

(secondary)

(primary)Knowledge

16

Knowledge Services-Externalities

Creating or changing organizational mandates

Transforming mandates into programs

Determinants of content generation

Determinants of external user wants or needs

Use of knowledge to create new knowledge

Goods and services not derived from content

17

Knowledge Services: Definitions

Content: Embedded value, in the form of the message or signal contained within all elements of the knowledge value chain that are held or owned by an organization.

Content-based product: Tangible, storable commodity or merchandise, with embedded value, wholly or partly derived from and dependent on content.

Content-based service: Intangible, non-storable work, function, or process, with embedded value, wholly or partly derived from and dependent on content.

18

Organizational outputs

Content Products Services SolutionsObjectsDataInformationKnowledge Wisdom

DatabaseScientific articleTechnical reportOutreach materialGeospatial productsStatistical productsStandardsSystemsDevices

AnswersAdviceTeachingFacilitationSupportLaboratory

DirectionOperationsPositionsCoordinationAccomplishments

19

Presentation Outline

Background

Scope

Framework

Flow Charts

Next Steps

20

Knowledge Services - Approach

Focus on organizations or groups of organizations

Driven by organizational mandates; responds to user needs

Includes supply- and demand-driven processes

Based on flow of goods & services through a value chain

Two resolutions: measuring system performance; classifying organizational activities.

21

Knowledge Services Framework

Component a

Component d

Component…

Component b

Component e

Component…

Component c

Component f

Component…

Purpose 1 Purpose 2 Purpose…

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage …Goods & Services Value Chain

Benefits

Who

Work

What

Why

Elements of Zachman (1992)

22

Knowledge Services - Stages

1. Generate (start Knowledge Services value chain)2. Transform (goods & services increase utility, value)3. Enable (permit transfer)4. Use Internally (accomplish organizational

objectives)5. Transfer (enable external use)6. Enhance (increase availability, utility, value) 7. Use Professionally (sector derives benefits)8. Use Personally (individuals derive benefits)9. Evaluate (organizational mandate, resources)

23

Knowledge Services Hierarchy

Knowledge Services System

Knowledge Services Sub-Systems (5)

Stages (9)

Components (33+7)

Sub-Components (201+27)

24

Presentation Outline

Background

Scope

Framework

Components

Next Steps

25

Production Sub-System

to Existing Inventory

from Accessible Inventory

Society & Nature

Content

Generate

Originators1

Products & Services

Transform

Developers2

Partners OrganizationMandate

26

Management Sub-System

Managers

Lost Value

Preserve

3

Organization Mandate

from Production

Existing Inventory

Enable

Accessible Inventory

to Content

to Sharing

27

Sharing Sub-System

Body of Knowledge

to Sector

to Capacity

Solutions

Users

Use Internally

from Accessible Inventory

4

Outputs

Providers

Transfer & Transact

5

Organization

Mandate

28

Sector Sub-System

to Capacity

to Benefits

from Outputs

Enhanced outputs

Intermediaries

Add value

6

Outcomes

Clients

Use Professionally

7

29

Society Sub-System

Capacity for

Action

from

Outcomes

from

Outputs

Personal & Societal Benefits

Use Personally

Canadians

8 Society & Nature

9

Evaluate

Evaluators

to Organization

Mandate

Recommendations

30

Presentation Outline

Background

Scope

Framework

Flow Charts

Next Steps

31

Model Insights and Questions

There are three flows to Canadians. What proportion of outputs are (should be) in each flow?

Transforming content into goods and services adds value. What proportion of content is transformed?

Production embeds value; use extracts it. What proportion of the inventory is used (lost)?

Clients use outputs for sector outcomes. How visible are organizational contributions to outcomes?

Canadians take action in areas of interest. How many outputs affect Canadian interests?

32

Measurement Strategies

Case studies (horizontal flow)

Survey activity at key points

Process studies (vertical flow)

Measure processes at key points

33

Classification Case Studies

Canadian Wildland Fire Information System

GeoScience Data Repository

National Atlas of Canada

National Forestry Database Program

RETScreen Energy Decision Support Centre

34

Quantitative (Numeric) Model

How the system works (explanation)

Identify interactions (drivers & blockers)

Describe interactions (name key variables)

Define interactions (cause & effect)

35

What could we do?

Measure criteria and indicators

Evaluate system performance

Diagnose system problems

Identify risks and opportunities

Establish priorities

Allocate resources

Adapt programs

36

A Final Thought…

“The first task of any theory is to clarify terms and concepts that are confused… Only after agreement has been reached regarding terms and concepts can we hope to consider the issues easily and clearly and expect to share the same viewpoint.”

Karl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831)