Maturity, Maturity, Maturity

It is the not the first time that I am writing about this topic, but where 5 years ago I felt alone, shouting in the dessert debating the importance of maturity,
today,
the issue becomes well recognised.
I can refer to following artcile quoting KMPG : Digital strategies are barely effective (and sorry - it's in Dutch, but the title says it all).
https://www.computable.be/artikel/nieuws/digital-transformation/6374549/5440850/kpmg-digitale-strategie-is-nauwelijks-effectief.html

This lack of effectiveness is because, whether we talk about knowledge management, or a specific application of knowledge management, such as social, designing digital transformations, new ways of working,... 

always, when we talk about change: take into account the maturity.

That is why we developed a methodology over the last decade, refining this methodology, each time it is applied, to assess maturity: from person, to division, to company.

That way, you KNOW your maturity - because you have measured it.

So you KNOW how to design and implement your digital strategy.

Because success of your digital strategy depends on the people, who need to live it....

Imaging you know how each person reacts to change,

imaging you know what the skillset of each person in digital technologies is,

imaging you know how each person and division will react when implementing digital strategies....

....if you truly know this - from the associates yourself, you do not need us on this point.

If you have any question on this: we invite you to have a look on www.whiteravensculturalanalysis.com - and drop us a line.

We can do more than you think - and we will make sure, your digital strategy IS effective...

Why is this still an issue?

Please look at following figure:

You see overlap in QMS procedures and training material.

Why is this still the case?

My starting position is:

Use your procedures as training material.

If you cannot do that, something is wrong with your procedure.
If you have separate training material, consider making that your QMS procedure.

You see overlap between customer documentation and training material.

Are you sure this is minimized?

My starting position is:

Use single sourcing where possible.

Use customer documentation as training material where possible.
Or the way around.

Or do you have an overlap in what's shown in the user interface of your software and your documentation? Or do you want documentation material in your user interface?

etc.... etc....

But why is this still an issue?
Isn't that normal? Isn't that the standard?

...well, apparantly not.

Because of history...
"we are giving training using presentations already for decades"
"because it would cause company internal tensions - reducing work for the training division"
"because we do not have the tools"
"because we do not know how to start"
"because it is the responsibility of different departments - and I do not want to pick-up that ball!"
"because we're happy with the way things are"

So most of the "Reasons" I encounter are reasons focused on a status quo - and since that is not an acceptable term, typical the term "stability" or "unwanted change" is used.

But life is change.

Survival is change.

Optimization is survival.

Innovation, efficiency and effectivity are required for survival.

So what's the lesson?

There are few!

1 It is easier to manage handling continuous improvement and change,
than to handle a process - in status quo - in innovative environments.

2. Sometimes the question is just not asked: 'Do I perform double work, and
what would be the profit in optimizing this?'

And this doesn't need to take long...

An analysis is only taking maximum a few days.

Suggestions to imrpove, and building a related business case, same.

And if you need guidance, or someone else to do so?

Just call us !! 

Cultural Analysis - What you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask

Imagine.

A world where you can anticipate reaction to every change in your organization.

Imaginge a world where you know the hick-ups in your knowledge flow.

Imaging you know the knowledge maturity of every associate.

The old wolves - working for decades in your organization.

The young stallions - you want to hire.

Imaging being conscious about the focus of innovation and knowledge.

Imaging knowing which associates are good to go - without additional commounication - for innovative projects,

and which associates need a different approach or are blocking innovation.

This is only a small fragment of what cultural analysis can do for you.

Need to know more? Contact geert.willems@whiteravensconsulting.com

Quality Management Systems: the moment it is installed, it is obsolete !

www.whiteravensconsulting.com

Quality Management Systems: elaborating on a white ravens consulting service:

Why a Quality Management System?

The moment it is installed it becomes outdated and obsolete!

check it out on www.whiteravensqms.com

www.whiteravensconsulting.com - Twitter: GeertSWillems

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20 years proof of added value by knowledge management - and why this can help you...

Knowledge management is still a key differentiator.
The possibilities of this area of expertise are enormous:
- SCRUM is an application of knowledge management
- CDT&R is an application of knowledge management
- VSM is an application of knowledge management
- Working out loud is an application of knowledge management
- Problem solving techniques are an application of knowledge management
- Kaizens are an application of knowledge management
- The ‘new way of working’ (getting old in the meantime) is an application of knowledge management
And there is so much more in the pipeline…. Knowledge management is not that very small kitten any more, it has been grown for some time. And a lot of people didn't notice, because one of the big rules in knowledge management to introduce it, is not to call it knowledge management...

‘Yeah, right’, I hear you think.
From my beginning in knowledge management (start of the nineties of previous century) I always had difficulties answering the question: “What can you do with knowledge management in a practical way”.
And even then I answered: “The possibilities are numerous ! Tell me your need, and I will give you the solution based on knowledge management principles. It will be the right solution!”.
And being a consultant, you see a lot of changes in different companies, and again I noticed that SCRUM, CDT&R, VSM etc… all have a common denominator:  knowledge management techniques.
SCRUM and agile is nothing more than applying theoretical knowledge management techniques on software development. The same for the “New Way of Working”, solving problems in organization,…
For each application, a new string of companies, consultants and methodologies was created. And we see that the tools that get hyped and are not based on knowledge management principles disappear, or only apply in very specific circumstances. We also see that the tools that are based on knowledge management principles are here to stay, or to evolve further.
But here is great thing about knowledge management: this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Four years ago, I wrote some books on knowledge management, and in one of them I gave a list of more than 100 strategic goals which can be pursuit by knowledge management.
…and if you are not pursuing your needs using knowledge management principles – as taught in our trainings – you may be heading for unpleasant surprises…
…do you know these principles?
…do you know your needs and the related knowledge management based solution?
www.whiteravensconsulting.com

The solution star to determine your knowledge management methodology, tools and techniques

www.whiteravensconsulting.com - Twitter: GeertSWillems

Building knowledge management solutions for almost two decades now, the following star to determine the knowledge management methodology, tools and techniques seems to be quiet stable!

Het meest interessante boek de laatste jaren over kennismanagement in het nederlandstalige gebied is hier te koop - ook de e-book versie:

www.whiteravensconsulting.com - Twitter: GeertSWillems - Geert Willems

Het meest interessante boek de laatste jaren over kennismanagement in het nederlandstalige gebied is hier te koop - ook de e-book versie. 196 bladzijden met daarin de meest gebruikte strategische doelstellingen die door kennismanagement ondersteund kunnen worden, de praktische regels en richtlijnen die te gebruiken zijn om uw kennismanagementinitatieven te ondersteunen en wat we praktisch moeten onthouden en kunnen gebruiken uit de laatste 20 jaar kennismanagement theorie, 
http://shop.kluwer.be/shop/nl_BE/navigation/377/20-jaar-praktische-kennismanagement-Het-wat-wanneer-en-de-richtlijnen?p=BPHRMTHEMBI14002

The suicidal definition of knowledge management

Follow us on Twitter: @GeertSWillems - www.whiteravensconsulting.com

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I'm taking some time to restart activities, but I could not resist handling this topic.

I saw some anti-knowledge-management articles.

I love critism, since it makes people grow - when it is justified.

But when I saw an article: Enterprise 2.0 is not about knowledge management, leave the people alone, and good times will arise - something very wrong appears.

And it's also in combination with recent customer visits.

I tend to ask a customer why they invite me and what there vision on knowledge management is.

And most of the time the answer is: it is about extracting knowledge, putting this in an expert system, and reuse this knowledge.
Than it takes some will-power not to show my natural reaction. That would be:

When people blog, or give presentations on knowledge management, I really advise them to take a good look at the current status of the field of knowledge management, including,

handling complexity, starting from the personal knowledge sharing attitude and capabilities, enabling culture to share and create knowledge, taking into account life-span of knowledge, taking into account the set of solutions without using expert systems... because THAT's what Enterprise 2.0 and KM is all about today.

It seems that in other management areas, KM is still perceived as a strict, process dependent, inflexible solution... which is far from the truth!!

The Must of a Balanced Knowledge Management: the wave I ride

Follow me on Twitter: @GeertSWillems - www.whiteravensconsulting.com

I've been working hard on a specific customer project ànd delivering 3 books on KM these weeks, so instead of active blogging I took the opportunity to watch the types of articles published and tweeds sent around the world. To analyse the hot topics, and the trends.

Topics and tweets on personal knowledge management and wether or not it's coming back. IT companies still pushing their 'KM solution'. A rare (but valuable) post on handling all four domains of the Cynefin complexity model, instead of preaching one solution.

And then it stroke me: there are still so many tendencies in KM.

It should be obvious by now we need a balanced KM.
KM where indeed all complexities are handeled in their specific way.
Personal knowledge ànd knowledge in networks. Externalised and networked and modelled where needed. Depending on the organisational knowledge maturity - even upto the personal knowledge maturity. Linked to processes on the level they have added value. Supported by the appropriate tools - and where the role of the tool is indeed supporting. Including nets, questionnaires, knowledge cafés, visual capturing techniques where required. Based on business cases proving value or risk analysis for our customers.

In a strategic way. Solving concrete needs.


...guess I just wrote again how I believe KM should be approach....

Just another opinion, one wave in the sea of opinions.

But this is the wave I ride !!

Countering politics and shortsightedness with communication and trust

Follow us @GeertSWillems - www.whiteravensconsulting.com

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I really hate politics and shortsightedness.

Most of the time, as a consultant, the games played are very easy, transparant and do not have an influence in my work.

But sometimes I have to deal with it.

Typically when a person does not know my background, is a control freak with micro-management style, does not know the added value of knowledge management yet, and does not think wider then the minimal short-term output to be delivered.

If this happens it's for me the sign that need to spend more time to communication and need to build trust - in 80% of the times I can prevent this situation. Who said KM was about technology?

Building trust, communicate... a lot! Up-front!
Balanced with low hanging fruit.

I already talked a lot on culture, and on cultural analysis up-front - which in this case I did not do.
The project will be fine - even not delayed.

When implementing KM, the best way is not always from A to B.
You need to go via C sometimes, against your will, but for the sake of the greated good: keep smiling and waving ;-)

The value of guided failing in knowledge management

-------Follow us at @GeertSWillems on Twitter or www.whiteravensconsulting.com

Creative and passionate people, having a good set of brains do not tend to following other ideas and people without questions.

"yes but"
"my experience says"
"there is a shorter way"
"I used to do this in another way"
"I'd like to do it another way"
"Can't the software really do that?"
"What if"

These remarks are very useful. These are personal remarks. And as a part of change - human change - it's a good idea to have these questions answered.

Last week I went to a company, delivering 2 days of consultancy to check if a certain tool could support their knowledge sharing.

There were a few ways to do this exercise:

One way to prepare this meeting was:
investigating the information model that they already had,
investigating the features of the tool,
downloading it, installing it, testing it.
That way I could propose a solution. Knowing it won't be perfect with the preparation I had.

But I looked to solve the concrete problem which triggered them to hire me, discovered how to solve it but saw that plenty more were coming, and lot's of them I couldn't predict.

So I looked at the information model upfront, at the tool capabilities and I knew that these smart people, who wanting to set-up the environment themselves, so I decided to follow the strategy of guided failing, the day after...

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So I went with a rather blank mind and a very simple strategy: let's sit together, pick a part to implement, and start implementing. The low hanging fruit was to defuse the problem had, and use the momentum to start implementing.

We worked in team for about five hours. I guided them through failures and successes, every idea they were enthusiastic about we implemented, or hit the bounderies of the tool.

And the result after those five hours were phenomenal:
- The most complex part of the information architecture was implemented in the tool
- The people who are using the tool:
    - did the implementation themselves
    - know why the way things is implemented
    - know the bounderies of the tools
    - know why the implementation is done the way it is
    - know all the failed ways of implementations and why



Instead of 2 days, we spent five hours.
And my customer was really happy, and more important, the knowledge of implementing their architecture really was internalised!

Compared with: presenting "this is your solution", this approach really proved his value!

And what's more - for me as a consultant - it was really fun to do!