On a different but related topic, readers may be interested in the Harvard Business Review article, “How to Design Smart Business Experiments” in the Feb. 2009 issue.

http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/02/how-to-design-smart-business-experiments/ar/1

The author, Thomas H. Davenport, describes an approach to gathering data from experiments to form a more sound, if not scientific basis for business decisions. It’s not KM in the usual sense, but rather a more scientific approach to knowledge building and capture. He does state the knowledge generated should be captured and disseminated, but doesn’t go further. So presumably this approach could/should be integrated into a full-blown KM process.

He acknowledges it is usually more applicable to tactics than to major strategic decisions, but does nice job of laying out a logical approach, giving interesting case studies, identifying when and when not to use the approach, and how it relates to other organizational processes.

On yet a third topic, a dept in our organization is currently undergoing a “strategic” inititative, hiring a big consulting company, doing internal/external reviews, to identify how the dept can meet/manage internal customer needs better through restructuring, capturing best practices, becoming more strategic rather than tactical, redefining roles, etc.

So I would step back and ask the question about the big picture of KM. Peter has just described when it can be appropriately used for cost containment/downsizing, my reading of the HBR article implies the KM could be built on or linked to learning initiatives (whether they be experiments or just CQI), and organizations keep reinventing the wheel in terms of optimizing dept function. Is there a systematic classification of types of KM or roles and applications of KM that address real business needs–rather than being focused on KM itself? This may represent my “outsider” perspective on KM, although I’ve been an interested follower from a distance for a number of years. Is there a clear understanding and language for describing the value of KM in tangible business terms?

In my opinion, you passed the interview with flying colors.

I hope the Universe agrees too – for everyone’s sake!

I am hopeful that the rage of WIKIs these days as well as the recession will give some executives a chance to pause and brush up on trends, but more the WHYs of the trends. WHY is social media a craze? WHY is collaboration a craze? WHY the thirst for knowledge (more than surface PR)?

The Internet has created this unquenchable thirst for knowledge. That’s the good news. And with that comes the need for proper and organized systems that are helpful, not WIKI disasters/insanity (seen those for years – I’ve stumbled on at least 6 or 7 in different companies – usually only in engineering – and even that, why is that?).

I continue to applaud Atlassian for setting the example with their own implementation exposed to the Web on how good it can be. Building this is not overnight – it didn’t happen for Atlassian overnight – but it did take a top-down, bottoms-up, and side-to-side appreciation for company-wide collaboration in knowledge sharing. This is clear.

Atlassian’s tools are good – but I’m actually starting to think their reference implementation trumps !

It is one of a kind, a model that all companies should follow with like-evolution for effective communication and collaboartion inside and out, in my opinion.

More general point, though: I’ve never considered any software tool more than an “enabler.” We can agree on that.

There are no other products that do this.

I feel your same passion, with same thoughts about years of experience “dealing” and FINALLY a company (and plugin developers) making and enabling SW that fixes real problems – not only at the tool level, but also organizational level!

Indeed it is and will continue to be a game-changer!

Well put! Kudos!

KM is more difficult to sell as it is based on understanding the value that km brings to an organization, and IT needs to sell that value to the business

Securing that commitment is one of the most difficult challenges in KM. It’s harder than picking the right software platform. And it’s much more critical to the ultimate success of the initiative.