Coordination, Control, and Use of Knowledge

Coordination, control, and effective use of the knowledge generated are essential if a system for using project-generated knowledge is established. One of the key problems is how to get people involved. The role of a knowledge manager can greatly ease this problem as they can facilitate the generation and flow of knowledge generated through the company. For effective knowledge management, an implementation and control plan needs to be prepared and specific responsibilities assigned. Discussion and training sessions around the company's offices should aim to promote the initiative, conveying the strategy and general techniques. A survey should be undertaken of what is currently being done and how effective it is-in particular identifying 'best practice/lessons learned' techniques and approaches which can then be spread throughout the company. Technical managers and discipline-based groups (departments and divisions) should be encouraged to identify and discuss opportunities in their fields. They must come up with plans for managing their own knowledge, which would then be communicated to the knowledge manager for comment and coordination. The various company-wide activities, such as the staff experience database, should be initiated following the initial round of discussion/training sessions. Identified strategies for knowledge management can be reviewed against available technologies, such as intranet, extranet, project sharing databases, and so forth, in order to identify any improvements. For most companies, it is recommended that they start with identified 'big gain' items-those with the most potential benefits and least chance of failure. Although individual or 'local' elements of the knowledge management system should not be developed without considering the larger, system-wide issues, appropriate application of the basic knowledge management principles identified should permit development of effective elements to occur. Certainly it is neither appropriate nor beneficial to try to determine a 'complete' detailed system strategy before proceeding with any implementation steps.