PART E – KNOWLEDGE AUDITING

 

INTRODUCTION

 

“The knowledge audit (K-Audit) is a systematic and scientific examination and evaluation of the explicit and tacit knowledge resources in the company. The K-Audit investigates and analyses the current knowledge-environment and culminates, in a diagnostic and prognostic report on the current corporate ‘knowledge health’. The report provides evidence as to whether corporate knowledge value potential is being maximised. In this respect the K-Audit measures the risk and opportunities faced by the organisation with respect to corporate knowledge.”

                                                                                                                                                                      Dr. Ann Hylton

 

The first stage in adopting a knowledge strategy is performing an audit of existing data, information and knowledge contained within the organization.

 

This section will cover four main areas of the knowledge audit:

 

  • The aims and objectives of the audit.

  • The key tasks involved.

  • Process mapping.

  • The audit outcomes.

 

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

 

There are three broad aims of a knowledge audit:

 

  • Leveraging the organisation's knowledge.

  • Creating new knowledge or promoting innovation.

  • Increasing collaboration and hence enhancing the skill level of employees.

 

The objectives of a knowledge audit are:

 

1. Study and develop a deeper understanding of existing communities (groups that share resources, provide support and show reciprocity) content (forms and combinations of words, images and pictures) and conversations (exchanges of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas).

 

2. Identify opportunities to add value to current communities, content and conversations.

 

3. Develop a knowledge management strategy that delivers on the identified opportunities.

 

Most commonly, knowledge audits result in the following outcomes:

 

  • Development of a knowledge repository;

  • Forming and nurturing communities of practice.

 

However, there are many others to explore.

 

KEY TASKS

 

It is possible to separate a knowledge audit into seven key tasks:

 

1. Create a data, information and knowledge systems database: This involves creating an inter-relational database (possibly using MS Access or Oracle) with tables for:

 

  • each section of the organisation;

  • data, information and knowledge repositories

  • types of communication, such as, face-to-face, analogue and digital systems.

 

2. Identify areas of organisational quick gain: This can be used as a way of demonstrating to key players that you are committed to high levels of achievement in the short as well as the medium and long-term.

 

3. Perform process mapping: It is important to ‘map’ key processes as well as key players within the organization. There are a number of software tools that can be used for such mapping including MS Project and MS Visio. It is possible to take mapping a stage further by using XML image maps to illustrate processes over Intranets, Internets and extranets.

 

4. Organise focus groups: The composition of such groups needs to be balanced between differing levels of seniority, front/back office and differing locations. Focus groups are an important means of keeping on track. Well-balanced focus groups can be used again over time.

 

5. Design and pilot knowledge needs survey: The importance of a pilot project is that it sets an achievable object in the foreseeable future, say, six to twelve months. Senior managers are often very keen on pilots as, if they fail to work, resources used are limited and lessons learnt can be recorded quickly.

 

6. Organise feedback session: This is particularly important where you have a project steering group for the audit. This steering group, through its involvement with the strategy, will feel empowered and capable of enthusing and empowering others. An effective steering group should consist of:

 

Chair: An operational Director

Representatives: One from each Section

Quality Minutes: Rotate between members

Regular Meetings: Monthly and ad hoc

Email List: Discussion List for core, active and peripheral members

Intranet Presence: Tracking progress

Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures: Internal consultant

 

7. Draft strategy: This should demonstrate key findings, be well analysed and the data should be arrayed in an accessible format.

 

PROCESS MAPPING

 

Process mapping is a simple exercise. It helps an organisation to know where to start making improvements that will have the biggest impact. A good definition of a process describes it as a series of connected steps or actions to achieve an outcome. A process has the following characteristics:


1. A starting and end point.
2. A purpose or aim for the outcome.
3. Rules governing the standard or quality of inputs throughout the process.
4. It is usually linked to other processes.
5. It can be simple and short, or complex and long.

 

Process mapping is one of the most powerful ways for multi-disciplinary teams to understand the real problems from the individual’s perspective, and to identify opportunities for improvement.

A map will give you:


1. A key starting-point to any improvement project, large or small.
2. The opportunity to bring together multi-disciplinary teams from primary, secondary, and tertiary organisational levels to create a culture of ownership, responsibility and accountability
3. An overview of the complete process – helping staff to understand, often for the first time, how complicated the systems can be.
4. An aid to help plan effectively where to test ideas for improvements that are likely to have the most impact on the project aims
5. Brilliant ideas – especially from staff who don't normally have the opportunity to contribute to service organisation, but who really know how things work
6. An event that is interactive, that gets people involved and talking
7. An end product – the map – which is easy to understand and highly visual Process mapping is also easy, creative and fun.

 

OUTCOMES

 

The outcome of a knowledge audit tends to be marked by the production of a document. This document should be made available in both hard and soft copy. It should be accessible both as a dynamic Intranet site and interactive CD ROM.

 

Below is an example of the format of such a document produced as a result of a knowledge audit within a Local Authority Directorate.

 

Section One: The Data, Information and Knowledge Relationship

 

Data only becomes information when it is placed in appropriate context. The Division gathers much data that is not always placed in an appropriate context and subsequently lacks quality in terms of information. Knowledge is not shared effectively and contributes to poor quality information. Systems need to be created which allow for the effective placing of a data in an appropriate context and the sharing of knowledge that adds value to that information.

 

Section Two: Understanding Communities & Communities of Practice

 

If we are to understand existing and future knowledge networks we can use the concept of community as a unit for analysing the exchange of data, information and knowledge.

 

A community can be defined as any group of people with a shared set of values or beliefs.

 

Communities within the Division can be divided into:-

 

  • External: A range of subsets of Inactive Citizens x Active Citizens x Community Activists

  • Internal: Staff x Section x Corporate x Policy x Operational

  • Management: Senior, Middle, Junior

                        

Communities learn from experience and in communities of practice.

 

A community of practice is a diverse group of people engaged in real work over a significant period of time during which they build things, solve problems, learn and invent...in short, they evolve a practice that is highly skilled and highly creative.

 

Section Three: Knowledge Audit

 

Data, Information and Knowledge are shared in three phases of activity each containing a cycle of three further activities:-

 

1. Formatting: Analogue, Digital, Intellectual

2. Networking: Information Exchange, Communication, Collaboration

3. Learning: Action, Emotion. Knowledge

 

Section Four: Methodology

 

A methodology to compile a user-defined Knowledge Management Network (KMN) might involve the following:-

 

  • Initial Key Stakeholder Meeting: Outline of Exercise

  • Best Value Performance Indicators

  • An Overview of What is Available and Appropriate

  • Identification of Areas of ‘Quick Gain’

  • Social Network Analysis

  • Focus Groups of Communities of Practice

  • Structured Survey of Information, Knowledge and Skills Needs

  • Feedback of Draft Proposal to Key Stakeholder Group

 

Section Five: The Way Forward

 

  • Draft Proposal for Discussion

  • Final Draft for Implementation

 

Section Six: Resource Implications

 

  • Financial

  • Human

  • Technological