Understanding
Knowledge Management: Six Main Characteristics
The
challenge of Knowledge Management is to determine what information
within an organization qualifies as "valuable." All information
is not knowledge, and all knowledge is not valuable. The key is
to find the worthwhile knowledge within a vast sea of information.
Knowledge Management
is about people. It is directly linked to what people know, and
how what they know can support business and organizational objectives.
It draws on human competency, intuition, ideas, and motivations.
It is not a technology-based concept. Although technology can support
a Knowledge Management effort, it shouldn’t begin there.
Knowledge Management
is orderly and goal-directed. It is inextricably tied to the strategic
objectives of the organization. It uses only the information that
is the most meaningful, practical, and purposeful.
Knowledge Management
is ever-changing. There is no such thing as an immutable law in
Knowledge Management. Knowledge is constantly tested, updated, revised, and sometimes
even "obsoleted" when it is no longer practicable. It
is a fluid, ongoing process.
Knowledge Management
is value-added. It draws upon pooled expertise, relationships, and
alliances. Organizations can further the two-way exchange of ideas
by bringing in experts from the field to advise or educate managers
on recent trends and developments. Forums, councils, and boards
can be instrumental in creating common ground and organizational
cohesiveness.
Knowledge Management
is visionary. This vision is expressed in strategic business terms
rather than technical terms, and in a manner that generates enthusiasm,
buy-in, and motivates managers to work together toward reaching
common goals.
Knowledge Management
is complementary. It can be integrated with other organizational
learning initiatives such as Total Quality Management (TQM). It
is important for knowledge managers to show interim successes along
with progress made on more protracted efforts such as multiyear
systems developments infrastructure, or enterprise architecture
projects.
1.
Recognize the role of information management in creating value.
An organization must recognize and accept the critical role information
management plays in the success of an organization and the leadership
role the CIO must assume in order to maximize the full potential
of information technology.
2. Position the CIO for success. The CIO must be recognized as
a full participant of the executive management team, and be given
the technical and management skills to meet business needs.
3. Ensure the credibility of the CIO organization. Without credibility,
the CIO organization will struggle. The CIO must have the commitment
of line management; must accomplish quick, high-impact, visible
successes balanced with longer-term strategies; and must learn
from partnering with successful leaders in the external information
management community.
4. Measure success and demonstrate results. Technical measures
must be balanced with business measures, and managers must continually
work to establish active feedback between performance measures
and business processes.
5. Organize information resources to meet business needs. In order
to execute its responsibilities reliably and efficiently, the
CIO organization must have a clear understanding of its responsibilities
in meeting business needs. The organization should be flexible
enough to adapt to change.
6. Develop information management human capital. The CIO organization
identifies the skills it needs to implement information management
in line with business needs; develops innovative ways to attract
and retain talent; and provides the training, tools, and methods
IT professionals must have to effectively perform their duties.
