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Why Knowledge Mapping is the First Step and Not the End Goal (Knowledge Mapping Part 3)

April 18, 2024

Knowledge holds value when it can be turned into actionable insights, help you make smart decisions, or repurposed it to save time that might otherwise be spent in recreating data that already exists. 

Knowledge continuously evolves hence we need to continue to harvest, and review the knowledge to keep it relevant. The knowledge that can be acted upon is useful, and the framework that defines and streamlines the process to harvest, review, and make the knowledge available for the person who needs it to take action or decision is the knowledge management framework.

One of the key components of knowledge mapping and a key first step is knowledge mapping. The context of knowledge mapping differs from organization to organization depending upon their goals, and requirements. Knowledge mapping is a key entity for any service line or offering. It helps the stakeholders understand where the current knowledge resides, the key knowledge owners, gaps versus requirements, and how to establish the flow of knowledge from owners to the seeker while overcoming the gaps, and challenges.

It is a visual representation of knowledge flow in a team, project, or service line to identify:

  • Knowledge sources both tacit and explicit
  • Knowledge gaps
  • Knowledge gap impact and areas at risk due to knowledge gaps

Here are simple steps to build your knowledge map. 

  • Establish the objective – what we want to achieve through this exercise, your targeted goals, business outcome, and key stakeholders.
  • Identify an area of concern and key sources – Once you have zeroed down the team or project, you want to start with, identifying the key skills or knowledge required for employees to perform their tasks, their current skill levels and gaps as well as current knowledge residing in your organization to help employees upskill.
  • Connect the dots – Once you identify your knowledge sources and map them against the existing skill set, it is easy to identify the gaps and areas of concern.

Also, as we discussed knowledge mapping is just the starting point and not the end goal as it provides a visual goal of where knowledge resides, the current state of knowledge, and the gaps, and obstacles in the flow or use of knowledge which can then help you define your knowledge strategy to achieve efficiency and intended outcome. 

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Mapping the Success Quotient of your Business with Knowledge Mapping

April 15, 2024

Part 2

As we already discussed in the last article, knowledge mapping is one of the most powerful KM tools to identify and inventorize knowledge gaps, risks, and sources and to build a bridge between the two, to ensure a seamless connection of knowledge and SMEs to the knowledge seeker. 

A knowledge map for a specific service line or business process gives a clear picture of the various knowledge sources, locations, owners, and criticality. This can help the knowledge managers and leads understand the knowledge gaps, bottlenecks, and employees who need this knowledge to successfully perform their roles and responsibilities for a specific project. 

Let’s start with the basics of how to create a knowledge map:

  • Start with the process map of the business unit to understand the current flow of knowledge from people to system and reverse. This will help you understand the key knowledge owners, the skills required for the unit employees to perform their roles, and the knowledge gaps obstacles, and risks explicitly.
     
  • The next step is to narrow down the risks, gaps, and bottlenecks and strategize ways to fill the knowledge gaps in areas where the skill gap can have maximum impact on role performance and business.
     
  • Some of the questions to be considered while prioritizing knowledge gaps are:
    • What knowledge is critical for the successful completion of work and project execution
    • What knowledge is readily available and what is missing
    • How the knowledge flow can be achieved to fill the knowledge gaps
    • What are the specific steps required to achieve this outcome
       
  • Creating a knowledge map is not the end result, it is a roadmap that needs to be continuously reviewed, audited, and updated to streamline the knowledge management process.
     
  • Use the knowledge maps to create a successful knowledge management framework and measure it closely by leveraging metrics like stakeholder satisfaction, business outcome achievement, impact on quality, efficiency, and innovation.

This is a whole series where next we will discuss how to create a knowledge map aligned with the business unit, management goals, and business outcomes and the types of knowledge maps aligning to your specific needs.

Next, we will talk about the barriers, and how to keep them relevant and current and some successful knowledge mapping case studies and their outcome. Stay tuned and I hope this series of blog help you with your knowledge mapping process.

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The Mind-Body Connection: Enhancing Cognitive Function for Knowledge Management Workers through Physical Activity

April 8, 2024

Knowledge management (KM) is a fast-paced, demanding field. As a KM professional, you’ll spend most of your day analyzing data, communicating with stakeholders, and making critical business decisions based on the insights that you uncover.

Left unchecked, this full-on approach to KM can cause stress and cognitive strain. Without adequate rest and recovery, this can undermine your ability to process data and may worsen your decision-making process.

Rather than letting stress impact your KM capabilities, take proactive steps to protect your mental focus and cognitive agility. Even simple exercises, like walking during your lunch break, can enhance your mental clarity and boost your ability to think critically while under pressure.

The Mind-Body Connection

If you’ve ever felt fatigued after a cold or low after a busy day at the office, you already understand the crucial connection between the mind and the body. When you put yourself through too much mental strain your physical health will falter. Conversely, failing to take care of your physical well-being will lead to diminishing cognitive function and ailing mental health.

This sentiment is supported by Dr. Scott McGinnis, an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School. McGinnis explains that “regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions.” Researchers from the Harvard Medical School also posit that physical exercise can improve your:

●      Mood;

●      Memory;

●      Resilience when stressed;

●      Sleep;

●      Cognitive function.

This makes sense on an anecdotal level, too. You’re almost certainly more productive at work when you feel happy and are mentally alert. Similarly, you’re far more likely to spot errors and adjust to sudden changes when you’re well-rested and feel refreshed.

Improving your cognitive function through physical activity doesn’t require you to run marathons or become a bodybuilder, either. Sometimes simple changes, like walking more regularly and learning a new skill like Tai Chi, can give a mental boost and help you use your KM skills to lead healthy changes at work.

Finding Time

If you’re a busy KM professional, you probably don’t have time to swim a hundred lengths an evening or cycle to work. However, this doesn’t mean you should overlook physical activity or cancel your gym membership. Instead, focus on developing habits that embody the kinds of changes you want to see in the workplace.

If you work from home and want to spend more time working out, consider converting your garage into a home gym. A home gym makes it easier to work up a sweat when you’re on your work break and gives you all the tools you need to improve your health before or after work. If a home gym sounds appealing to you, get started by:

●      Decluttering and deep cleaning the space;

●      Create a floor plan with accurate estimations of how the equipment will fit in your space;

●      Upgrade the flooring to avoid cracking tiles or concrete;

●      Add insulation and an HVAC system to improve your comfort,

You don’t have to break the bank while buying home gym equipment, either. Look for used sports stores in the area or utilize sites like Craigslist and Facebook. Alternatively, if lifting weights isn’t your thing, consider signing up for subscription-based services like Peloton or Echelon. These spin-style services are perfect if you’re low on time but still want to boost your physical and mental health.

Long-Term Lifestyle Changes

You’ll need to make some lifestyle changes if you want to protect your physical health and improve your cognitive function. Without a health-positive approach to life, you’re almost certain to run into chronic health issues that will undermine your performance as a KM professional and will detract from your ability to lead a team.

Start by adjusting your desk setup to improve the ergonomics of your workplace. An ergonomic approach can mitigate the risk of injury and help you stay active for longer. When making adjustments to improve ergonomics, consider factors like:

●      Sit with your legs at ninety degrees;

●      Raise the monitor so the top of the screen is at eye level;

●      Get up and move your body at least once every 30 minutes;

●      Don’t hunch; instead, keep your arms at a right angle and use a laptop holder to maintain proper posture.

These simple changes can alleviate the risk of headaches due to poor posture and will ensure you do not pick up repetitive strain injuries. When you do decide to take breaks from the screen, consider rehydrating and eating a healthy, balanced snack. This might look something like:

●      A tall glass of water;

●      A water-dense fruit or vegetable (cucumbers, oranges, watermelon, etc);

●      Some kind of protein source (jerky, nuts, or Greek yogurt).

This will help you refresh mentally and energize you throughout the day. This is key if you’re working on an important KM project and are juggling the needs of multiple stakeholders. A healthy, hydrated diet will supercharge your mental focus, give you the motivation to exercise, and help you feel like you can take on the world.

Conclusion

Understanding the mind-body connection can improve your mental focus and help you stay energized throughout the day. Simple changes, like walking when on a break, can help you hit the “reset” button and return to work feeling sharp. This is key when working in KM, as you’ll need your full faculties to break down data sets, liaise with stakeholders, and make well-informed decisions.

 

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Are you Knowledge-Mapping your Organization's Knowledge Yet?

April 6, 2024

The process of visually representing the intellectual assets, knowledge flows, and relationships within an organization or a specific domain is knowledge mapping. It is an integral component of any successful knowledge management framework and is used by knowledge managers as a strategic tool to visualize, organize, and understand an organization’s knowledge assets. 

The knowledge mapping process involves creating a structured framework of the organization’s knowledge – identified, organized, and categorized in the form of graphs, metrics, diagrams, or charts for better understanding and utilization of existing knowledge and knowledge gaps to foster innovation and growth of employees and organization as a whole. 

Now let’s discuss more about the practical role of how knowledge mapping works towards strengthening the overall KM program.

  • Knowledge mapping helps better understand what knowledge sources exist (both explicit and tacit) in the organization, where they reside, and where the gaps exist. A better understanding of current sources and gaps paves an easy way for the better utilization of knowledge sources and upskilling to fill the gaps for better employee performance and outcomes. 
     
  • The lowest-hanging fruit of knowledge mapping is enhanced collaboration leading to a ready exchange of knowledge (especially tacit), ideas, skills, learnings, and best practices by mapping knowledge flows and networks by identifying experts, communities of practice, and knowledge hubs, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration. 
     
  • By mapping knowledge flows, organizations can better understand the movement of knowledge across different departments, teams, and individuals. This visualization helps in identifying bottlenecks, gaps, and opportunities for improving knowledge sharing and collaboration for improving overall skills and efficiency.
     
  • Knowledge mapping can help organizations identify knowledge and skills gaps, dependencies against the demand, and critical knowledge areas for better decision-making when it comes to learning and talent development.
     
  • Knowledge maps further highlight areas of expertise and skills within the organization. By identifying experts and knowledge holders, organizations can facilitate knowledge transfer, mentorship, and talent development initiatives.
     
  • Knowledge mapping helps design a structured inventory of existing knowledge resources. It helps in identifying valuable intellectual property, managing intellectual capital, and mitigating the risk of knowledge loss due to employee movement or retirement.

Knowledge mapping plays a critical role in fostering innovation by enabling knowledge managers to visualize knowledge assets and flows. This can help KM managers work with the department leads to streamline processes, reduce redundancy, and identify opportunities for innovation, thus enabling the organizations to leverage their intellectual resources more efficiently and effectively for staying successful in the very competitive and agile business landscape.

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Why Being Creative is the Key to Capture Tacit Knowledge

March 22, 2024

In today’s highly competitive and agile business landscape, organizational knowledge has been recognized as a key component in the organization’s quest to foster innovation and stay relevant and successful.  

Organizations put a lot of effort into managing their data and knowledge, but they often overlook the importance of capturing #tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is the kind of knowledge that is not easily written down or documented because it is implicit and subconscious hence difficult to capture through traditional KM strategies. This knowledge is often gained through experience and is crucial for organizations to succeed.

#Creativity can be the best tool in a #KM’s arsenal to capture this gold mine of knowledge. Tacit knowledge is bound to peoples’ experiences, intuition, insights, expertise, and personal conclusions, and cannot be transferred through standard written documentation and knowledge assets.

Here are some of the creative ideas you can apply to your KM framework to capture, externalize, and leverage this powerful innovation tool.

Storytelling: Encourage individuals to share stories or anecdotes about their experiences, challenges, and successes. Through storytelling, tacit knowledge can be conveyed in a narrative form that makes it easier for others to understand and internalize.

Shadowing and Observation: Allow individuals to shadow or observe experts in action. By observing how experts perform tasks, make decisions, and solve problems, others can pick up on the tacit knowledge embedded in their actions and behaviours.

Mentoring and Coaching: Establish mentorship or coaching programs where experienced individuals transfer their tacit knowledge to less experienced individuals through one-on-one interactions. This can include informal conversations, guidance sessions, and feedback exchanges.

Project Debriefs and Post-Mortems: Conduct structured debriefs or post-mortem sessions at the end of projects or initiatives. Encourage team members to share their experiences, identify what worked well and what didn’t, and extract tacit knowledge from their collective insights.
Knowledge Harvesting Workshops: Organize workshops specifically aimed at capturing tacit knowledge from subject matter experts. Use techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping, and affinity diagramming to extract insights and experiences from participants.

Nurture Community of Practices (CoPs): The foundation of the CoPs is to connect people encouraging conversation to build and share knowledge. The moderators should periodically reach out to its members to harvest and tag knowledge leading to its dissemination across borders and different organization levels.

Set up exhaustive exit interviews: These are no longer the times when an can employee join an organization straight out of college and work till retirement. When a company loses its employees, it also loses the accompanying knowledge and experience. The need is to have an exhaustive exit strategy in place where outgoing people capture their experiences, feedback, contacts, insights, and directories of work that can be passed on to the replacing employee to get a head start.

Succession Planning: Develop robust succession planning strategies to identify and groom potential successors for key roles. This helps ensure a smooth transition of tacit knowledge when experienced employees retire or leave the organization.

Technology Solutions: Explore the use of technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to capture and analyze tacit knowledge. This can include tools for sentiment analysis, expertise location, and knowledge mapping.

Gamification: Gamify the process of knowledge capture by turning it into a game or competition. For example, create challenges or quizzes that require participants to demonstrate their tacit knowledge in a fun and engaging manner.

The benefits of capturing tacit knowledge extend beyond mere knowledge sharing for time and effort saving. It catalyses fostering collaboration, enhancing decision-making, and driving organizational learning. So organizations must design a strategy for its retention and dissemination. These creative approaches can help organizations effectively capture and leverage tacit knowledge, enabling continuous learning and innovation.

 

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