Knowledge Discovery and Capture
Establish the mechanisms (processes, roles, skillsets, sources, and linkages — e.g. agent networks, connection to experts) to locate, evaluate, assemble, and record knowledge that exists either inside or outside the organization, as directed by, for example, the KM strategy or specific investigation requests.
Improvement Planning
Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)
Representative POMs are described for Knowledge Discovery and Capture at each level of maturity.
- 2Basic
- Practice
- Conduct training and regular meetings in work environments to facilitate the use of the knowledge discovery and capture procedures.
- Outcomes
- Employees are aware of the need for knowledge discovery and capture and have skills in using knowledge discovery and capture procedures.
- Improved efficiency and effectiveness of knowledge discovery and capture procedures are evident.
- Metrics
- # of training courses and regular meetings in work environments.
- Frequency of training and meeting sessions (# per month).
- % of employees trained in work environments to use the procedures.
- % of trained employees that can use the procedures correctly.
- Practice
- Encourage employees to attend external events to acquire knowledge (e.g. conferences).
- Outcome
- Employees widen their access to knowledge sources and develop networks that can facilitate knowledge discovery.
- Metric
- % of employees attending conferences.
- Practice
- Design basic procedures for guiding work environments in the identification, collection, and capture of knowledge assets.
- Outcome
- Knowledge acquisition of relevant items can be planned in line with business needs.
- Metric
- Yes/no indicators confirming basic procedures are designed.
- 3Intermediate
- Practice
- Define key performance indicators (KPIs) for identification, collection, and capture activities.
- Outcome
- A benchmark of current performance is in place to guide improvements in future knowledge identification, capture, and collection.
- Metric
- % of identification, collection, and capture activities assigned with agreed KPIs.
- Practice
- Formally deploy procedures in work environments to guide the identification, collection, and capture of knowledge assets.
- Outcome
- A systematic approach to knowledge capture ensures the relevance of knowledge assets.
- Metrics
- Yes/no indicators confirming deployment of procedures in work environments.
- Evaluation of the relevance of items captured.
- Practice
- Ensure that knowledge assets are identified, collected, and captured to systems in work environments using the deployed procedures.
- Outcome
- There is increased uptake of consistent knowledge capture procedures, and improvement in the relevance of the knowledge items captured.
- Metrics
- % of business units using the knowledge capture procedures.
- % of business units which are reviewed to ensure procedures are followed.
- Practice
- Identify target users of the knowledge assets.
- Outcomes
- Knowledge assets are appropriately used by employees who can gain maximum value from them.
- Employees do not waste time filtering out irrelevant knowledge assets.
- Metrics
- # of identified target users of knowledge assets.
- Feedback from users on accuracy of targeting.
- 4Advanced
- Practice
- Evaluate performance against KPIs for improvement of the identification, collection, and capture of knowledge assets.
- Outcome
- Improvement activities are in place addressing key knowledge identification and capture issues informed by KPI data.
- Metrics
- % of KPIs for which performance is being measured.
- % of identification activities improved based on defined KPIs.
- % of collection activities improved based on defined KPIs.
- % of capture activities improved based on defined KPIs.
- Practice
- Automate identification, collection, and capture activities; and ensure that automated activities for identification, collection, and capture of knowledge assets are regularly enhanced.
- Outcome
- The efficiency and effectiveness of knowledge asset capture activities are continually improved.
- Metrics
- % level of automation of activities.
- Frequency of enhancements (# of improvement iterations per quarter).
- # of versions of improved procedures (# per 1–2 years).
- Practice
- Administer employee interviews and surveys to establish individual ownership of some captured knowledge.
- Outcome
- Individual ownership of knowledge is mapped, and informs the knowledge collection policy and facilitates shared access.
- Metrics
- % of employees surveyed.
- # of employee interviews conducted to determine ownership of knowledge assets.
- % of captured knowledge assets with ownership recorded.
- Practice
- Ensure that the knowledge assets collection policy is aligned to the KM strategy.
- Outcomes
- The knowledge assets collected contribute to the KM strategy.
- Employees collecting knowledge assets have a clear sense of how their work contributes to the knowledge strategy.
- Metric
- % alignment of knowledge asset collection policy and knowledge strategy.
- 5Optimized
- Practice
- Continuously improve defined knowledge identification, collection, and capture procedures that can be repeated in work environments.
- Outcome
- There is improvement in the quality and relevance of the knowledge assets captured.
- Metrics
- Frequency of improvement to defined repeatable procedures (# of improvement iterations per quarter).
- # of revisions to improved procedures (# per year).
- Practice
- Optimize knowledge discovery techniques by reviewing international emerging practices and techniques.
- Outcome
- The ability to capture knowledge that can provide competitive advantage and novel insights is enhanced.
- Metric
- % of staff time allocated to reviewing emerging knowledge discovery techniques.
- Practice
- Extend input into the knowledge asset collection policy to the wider business ecosystem.
- Outcomes
- The range and quality of knowledge assets are improved.
- There is an increased opportunity for novel knowledge assets to be identified to inform organizational objectives.
- Metrics
- % of stakeholders who have input into the knowledge asset collection policy.
- % of knowledge asset collections that are on topics identified by external stakeholders.