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Knowledge Management

KM 16:00

Overview

What Is It?

Knowledge means understanding patterns. Successful project management relies on knowledge of the project team. There is certain knowledge everyone brings with, and there is knowledge collected during the project course. This process secures the efficient management and exchange of both.

Who Does It?

The Role of Knowledge Manager demands communicative handling and easy to use yet efficient knowledge management (KM) tools mastering. In most cases a person in charge of Project Management Office (PMO) is the best choice.

Why Is It Important?

There is no project where everything to be done is available and known to persons in charge. The willingness to share the intrinsic tacit as well as the newly acquired knowledge, paired with a will to assimilate by others is the decisive success factor.

What Are the Steps?

Define the KM strategy, processes, technology, people and organizational culture. Build an efficient easy to use knowledge management system and draft project management handbook. Motivate teams to engage willingly in knowledge exchange. Moderate and stipulate consciously the knowledge flow. Secure appropriate storage and retrieval. Encourage teams to aggravate the knowledge towards wisdom: understanding rules behind patterns.

What Is the Product?

Technology is a means, not the solution. First the knowledge of the team must be evaluated and then the reasonable goal-oriented KM strategy shall be chosen. Next choose the most welcome PMO officer and set the truly working knowledge exchange procedures.

How Do I Ensure That I Have Done It Right?

Do not rely on technology and procedures. Knowledge is in the heads and the willingness to share is the gate keeper. Do your utmost to motivate all in team to freely exchange their knowledge. Support them with means they wish to use, do not impose your preferences and overburden with reports. Learn from drawbacks.

Goal

The goal of Knowledge Management is to encourage the knowledge exchange between the team members to the advantage of the project and future undertakings.

Process

Basic are clear strategy, procedures and the KM system. Project Management Office and Handbook shall be built up. Then the cycle of knowledge retrieval, proliferation and exchange shall take place. Verify if knowledge exchange works or other reasons to optimize KM occur – start CM request if justified. Routinely repeat the process.

Knowledge Management diagram

Lecture notes

Further Readings

Google (2012/2013) Playful and creative Google’s Zurich Headquarters. Posted 22 February 2012 by Slickzine, Los Angeles. http://slickzine.com/interiors/playful-and-creative-googles-zurich-headquarter/. Accessed 11 Feb 2013

ISO 21500:2012 (2012a) Guidance on project management, ICS 03.100.40. ISO, Geneva

Langham ME, Rosenthal AR (1966) Role of cervical sympathetic nerve in regulating intraocular pressure and circulation. Am J Physiol 210(4), APS, SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks

Lent B (2010) Andragogiczny koncept kształcenia prowadzenia projekto´w na Akademii Obrony Narodowej 2008–2010, (Andragogical concept of project management education at the Uni-versity of National Defense 2008–2010), Scientific Journal of the National Defense University NDU, 3/2010. DNU, Warsaw

Nonaka I, Takeuchi H (1995) The knowledge creating company. Oxford University Press, New York

Probst G (1999) Wissen managen; 3. Auflage. Gabler, Wiesbaden

Schindler M (2001) Wissensmanagement in der Projektabwicklung, 2. durchgesehene Auflage, Josef Eul Verlag GmbH, Ko¨ln

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Practice questions coming soon.