A recent query at the LinkedIn KM Edge Group asked about how we get KM – as an operational function – started in the workplace. It was James Mamabolo in South Africa who posed the question:

If you were given the task of starting KM in your organization, how would you begin?

It’s almost an ideal scenario for knowledge workers, isn’t it? Just imagine, being asked what we want to do, to move KM forward in our organization.

Here’s my version for “getting started.” I call it my “strategic road map” because I like the phrase. I first heard it from a recent client (in another context) who asked our company to provide a “strategic road map” for moving forward with our recommendations for the client project. It’s a phrase that captures nicely the steps in our planning process.

So watch this space. Guy’s Strategic Roadmap for Starting KM won’t be described in a single post. It’s a multi-part journey, and there are ten “stops” along the way, each of which will be described in an up-coming post at this site.

First Stop:  Define what you want to do. I’m not sure we are talking about knowledge management (KM) here. Although that’s the accepted term in many organizations, what we’re really putting in place is knowledge services, the management methodology that converges information management, knowledge management, and strategic learning. All three are going to have to be in place to “start” KM in an organization.

That said, the first question to ask is clear and simple: what do you want to do?

Are you seeking to provide a tool or technique so people can find what they are looking for easier, faster, and with fewer mouse clicks? Or have you been approached to build a database that people can use (if they know how to find it) to access company reports, sales data, or some other specific type of information or knowledge?

Or, on the other hand, are you seeking to work across all the company’s functional units, to set up some sort of enterprise-wide knowledge-capture and knowledge-sharing framework, with all organizational affiliates tapping into this resource?

What’s the genesis of the task? Be sure that you (and everyone who will be working with you) share the same ideas and goals for what you expect to achieve as you speak about “starting” KM in the company. Just (excuse the cliché) be sure you and they are on the same page.

Some of those examples I’ve mentioned might focus on this or that department of the organization, which is fine (and you can do bits and pieces of KM/knowledge services within a single functional unit, or a group of units). But how will developing them contribute to the larger, enterprise-wide knowledge picture? How will they cut across those infamous “silos” we hear so much about? If you’re looking at developing an individual KM tool or process for a single functional unit, your focus will be different than if you are working enterprise-wide.

And if you are going enterprise-wide, there’s another question to be asked: what kind of organization are you working with? Is there a knowledge culture? If there is, good, because then you can give your attention to enhancing what’s already in place. [And if there isn’t a knowledge culture, brace yourself – you’ve got some work to do!]

Next Stop: Define your terms.

- Guy St. Clair