For Knowledge Managers

Knowledge Cube is a concept and method to conduct a KM analysis.

Using the Knowledge Cube is a quick way to give a KM program direction with the greatest value to the organization. It was developed in a consulting project led by Pavel Kraus in 2021.

In March 2023 we have introduced the Knowledge Cube concept at a SKMF roundtable.

Knowledge management solutions:
As a knowledge manager you want to translate the potential of knowledge management tools into tangible business results and increased organizational profitability, innovation or productivity. Does your selection of methods and digital tools result in an active or only passive contribution to the success of your organization?

Knowledge management analysis - The Knowledge Cube:
It is common wisdom that KM programs begin with a needs assessment. It starts with the need to improve profitability, innovation or productivity. Focusing on the usual suspects such as collaboration, information access or knowledge transfer one starts with an analysis of the organization's shortcomings.

An alternative way, which is simple and pragmatic, to analyze the KM needs that bring the most value to the organization is the "Knowledge Cube" approach. It is based on three aspects: Impact of knowledge on success, availability of knowledge, and risk of knowledge loss.

Knowledge manager's role:
You deal with the many recent offshoots of knowledge management. And they are many: Most recently AI with chat GPT, but also Working Out Loud, agile methods, design thinking, digital collaboration, scrum with sprints and stand-ups, retrospectives, digitalization of new work with or without squads etc.

You have to explain them and the role of digitalization to your management and introduce them into your organization. Ideally without too much confusion about what they mean and how do they exactly differ from what you are doing already.

Focus on Knowledge Management in digital world:
Knowledge management has been AHT's core competence for the last 25 years. Our KM education services can lead you through the jungle of concepts, hype words and help you to bring clarity and simplicity into your work.

3 Sphere Model
In November 2017 we have introduced the new 3 Sphere Model for Knowledge Management. A significant revision of the model has been published in March 2021 and minor update in May 2022. It is equally valid for Digitalization, Innovation Management, ITIL Knowledge Management, Design thinking and Agile Collaboration. This model is further developed as new techniques and tools appear or gain in importance.  

The model allows fast clarification of terms and identification of knowledge management program direction.

Furthermore, it shows where KM related digitalization and other techniques bring the greatest benefits and are contributing to success of the organization. It also shows where the costs are highest. This improves the understanding when defining outcomes of a knowledge management project. 

We use it at the beginning of a KM project to get the right focus.

Strategic view

• How to avoid loosing knowledge when people leave. Securing critical knowledge and avoiding risk for the organization.
  
  
• Need assessments and options for knowledge management strategy based on KM Success Logic
  
  
• Keeping knowledge within a networked organization - Communities of Practice, expert forum and think tanks.
  
  
• Innovative Intranet search, content curation and learning concepts. Company ontology or taxonomy is the backbone for effective digitalization and access to information
  
  
• Coaching and support of KM teams.

Process view

• Process visualization for quick identification of context information and access to relevant digital content
  
  
• Knowledge management process integration into daily business
  
  
• Knowledge transfer within matrix organizations
  
  
• Simplification of processes and knowledge maps using state-of-the-art ontology or taxonomy.
  
  
• ITIL v3 Knowledge Management processes and implementation strategy
  
  
• Expansion of classical BPM with KM processes and digital architecture
  

Project view

• Project start-up acceleration workshops beyond IPMA
  
  
• Project portfolio management - A classic knowledge management challenge
  
  
• Team communication improvement workshops (knowledge and documentation)
  
  
• Lessons learned workshops
  
  
• Knowledge maps for mission critical areas, incl. Technology Roadmaps or IT Service Designs (ITIL Knowledge Management)
  
  
• Knowledge digitalization as a special project to discover and close gaps in knowledge management 
  
  
• KM in R&D, Health care, Hospital management, Building Information Management (BIM)

The following text is an article published on Linkedin

Knowledge management starts with value

Discussion around knowledge management (KM) unfortunately often center about this or that tool. What is the best tool for knowledge sharing? What is the best knowledge management system? Should we implement design thinking? Which agile method is the best?

After being for more than 20 years in the KM arena, I have seen so many discussions, which all fail to address the main point. And the main point is: What is exactly the additional value we want to get out of our efforts? Or what value we want to to get out of improved and simplified business processes, agile methods, digital transformation, project management etc.? 

It should all really start with identifying the additional value we expect from any type of knowledge management activities. What should a change deliver?

Here are few examples of goals from completed KM projects: 

1. Collaborators can identify the right experts fast in order to receive specific mentoring
2. Projects start faster and at the same time save each project members dozens of working hours 
3. A new business model based on digitalization is developed and accepted
4. Competitor intelligence work is carried out and shared easier than before. Nothing important is forgotten.
5. Unstructured office documents in disorganized shares or SharePoints have to be accessed by new employees efficiently and fast

The above goals that stood are the beginning of a KM project lead to the following solutions:

1. Faster visual access to experts by creating a digital process collaboration portal in the Intranet.
2. Creation of a special agile workshop for a project start-up that accelerates any type of project and ensures success.
3. Development of a series of workshops each with a special design by a thorough capturing of knowledge during and after the workshop.
4. A unique «Mind Office Knowledge Database» supports triggering and interconnecting information inputs.
5. Advanced Search Tool combining following search methodologies: semantic, facetted, full text, taxonomy and special expressions.

The key point is to clearly separate the desired value and the need from the tool itself. The preoccupation with digital tools hinders more than helps the critical thinking about the desired outcome. This is the key success factor for successful improvement initiatives and digitalization. These and other success factors are the main focus of the roundtables of the Swiss Knowledge Management Forum.