KM Checklist - 1

In continuation of my earlier blog on KM and L&I specialist I will like to draw upon the readers attention towards the People dimension of KM. Managing knowledge is not new. Managing and applying knowledge has been a feature of human socieites throughout history.

In the new era, the focus for many organisations is on how to leverage maximum value from the existing knowledge base and how to expand that knowledge base. This drives the development of KM techniques. Find below a checklist for success of KM from people dimension.

1. Knowledge Management is a multi-disciplinary area requiring the collaboration of HR, IT and L&I specialists.

2. A key role of L&I specialists is to help bridge the gap between what people know - the information and expertise that are available to them - and what they do. The role is of a facilitator.

3. KM will be more effective if the pay and reward system recognises people for sharing their knowledge, for acquiring new knowledge and for sharing information.

4. HR need to ensure a systematic recruitment, retention and succession planning. The approach should become less about filling jobs and more about filling knowledge gaps - either current or anticipated.

5. The knowledge retention should involve taking into account the higher expectations and higher perceptions of self and economic worth of the knowledge workers.

6. Succession planning has to include planning for the retirement of people and systems.

7. Training and development activities need to focus on equipping managers to foster innovation and creativity, enabling staff to manage their own learning and development, training in the skills of using information effectively and training in the techniques for generating new ideas and new ways of doing things.

8. Creation of 'virtual teams', using the Internet, enables organisations to bring a diverse ranges of skills and abilities to bear on issues and projects. Virtual teams can include all stakeholders.

9. Individuals need to be allowed to apply their own expertise and knowledge with minimum interference and maximum autonomy.