Federal Knowledge Management InitiativeFederal Knowledge Management Initiative

Federal KM Working GroupFederal KM Working GroupNeil OlonoffNeil Olonoff

Is “American know-how” disappearing Is “American know-how” disappearing from the Federal Government?from the Federal Government?

We all know America is smart. Our We all know America is smart. Our government possesses a vast government possesses a vast reservoir of information.reservoir of information.

But recent catastrophic But recent catastrophic “knowledge failures” prove we “knowledge failures” prove we need to get better at sharing need to get better at sharing these huge knowledge assets. these huge knowledge assets.

Costs of Failure to Share KnowledgeCosts of Failure to Share Knowledge

Dangerous Knowledge GapsDangerous Knowledge Gaps Historically, failure to share Historically, failure to share knowledge has resulted in knowledge has resulted in disasters.  disasters. 

Which could have been averted Which could have been averted with a “word to the wise?”with a “word to the wise?” The sinking of the Titanic? The sinking of the Titanic?

9/11 attacks? 9/11 attacks?

Space Shuttle Challenger crash? Space Shuttle Challenger crash?

Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina

The Federal The Federal response to response to Hurricane Hurricane Katrina was Katrina was marked by marked by now infamous now infamous failures to failures to communicate communicate

The Space Shuttle ChallengerThe Space Shuttle Challenger

NASA engineers NASA engineers already knew the already knew the dangers of dangers of freezing the O-freezing the O-ring that ring that failed, leading failed, leading to the loss of to the loss of the Space the Space Shuttle Shuttle Challenger. Challenger.

This is nothing new This is nothing new or particularly American …or particularly American …

The location of The location of the iceberg that the iceberg that sank the Titanic sank the Titanic was spiked in was spiked in the ship’s the ship’s telegraph telegraph office. office.

Even the 9/11 attacks …Even the 9/11 attacks …

The FBI was The FBI was already already investigating investigating foreign students foreign students learning to fly, learning to fly, but not land, but not land, large jet planes large jet planes

An Epidemic of Avoidable ErrorAn Epidemic of Avoidable Error

All these All these notorious notorious disasters could disasters could have been averted have been averted with a “word to with a “word to the wise.”the wise.”

Of course, it also Of course, it also happens quietly happens quietly millions of times millions of times every day ..every day ..

We have the antidoteWe have the antidote

Knowledge management Knowledge management A ten year old discipline that A ten year old discipline that consists of ..consists of ..

a set of management practices, plus a set of management practices, plus ……

culture change to instill attitudes culture change to instill attitudes of cooperation and collaboration of cooperation and collaboration

Federal KM Initiative RoadmapFederal KM Initiative Roadmap

The Knowledge ImperativeThe Knowledge Imperative Why Knowledge Management is Why Knowledge Management is critically important for Federal critically important for Federal government, right nowgovernment, right now

The Way ForwardThe Way Forward The Federal KM Initiative Action The Federal KM Initiative Action Plan sets out actions to instill Plan sets out actions to instill knowledge sharing in government knowledge sharing in government

Why is Knowledge Important?Why is Knowledge Important?

Silly question!Silly question! It’s an enabler and multiplierIt’s an enabler and multiplier But it doesn’t “flow through the But it doesn’t “flow through the pipes” very well. It’s “sticky.” pipes” very well. It’s “sticky.”

Sticky? Why? Sticky? Why? Organizational “stovepipes” Organizational “stovepipes” Human nature. Human nature. 

Benefits of Sharing KnowledgeBenefits of Sharing Knowledge

Synergy and Synergy and efficiencyefficiency

Quality & Quality & Value Value EnhancementEnhancement

Innovation Innovation

MoraleMorale

Government’s Critical KM NeedsGovernment’s Critical KM Needs

A central resource center for A central resource center for Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management

Foster consistent knowledge Foster consistent knowledge sharing practices sharing practices

Build a knowledge sharing cultureBuild a knowledge sharing culture

Solutions to meet the challenge of Solutions to meet the challenge of the Age Wave Retirement Crisis the Age Wave Retirement Crisis

Federal KM Initiative Action Plan Federal KM Initiative Action Plan

Goals: Goals: Establish a Federal KM CenterEstablish a Federal KM Center Create a Federal CKO PositionCreate a Federal CKO Position Enact Policies, Standards & PracticesEnact Policies, Standards & Practices Web Presence & KM Awareness CampaignWeb Presence & KM Awareness Campaign Train Federal Workers in KM SkillsTrain Federal Workers in KM Skills Build a knowledge sharing culture Build a knowledge sharing culture Age Wave Retirement & Recruiting Age Wave Retirement & Recruiting ProgramsPrograms

Web 2.0 and social computingWeb 2.0 and social computing Recruit Generation Y employeesRecruit Generation Y employees

Establish a Federal Establish a Federal Knowledge Management Center Knowledge Management Center

Central resource for Federal KMCentral resource for Federal KM

Provide impetus and consultation Provide impetus and consultation for the tasks in the Action Plan for the tasks in the Action Plan

Establish a Establish a Federal CKO PositionFederal CKO Position

Within the proposed Federal CTO Within the proposed Federal CTO officeoffice Coordinate with colleagues at each Coordinate with colleagues at each federal agencyfederal agency

Demonstrate the benefits of sharing Demonstrate the benefits of sharing and collaborating across agenciesand collaborating across agencies

KM Governance: Policies, KM Governance: Policies, Standards and PracticesStandards and Practices

KM GovernanceKM Governance PoliciesPolicies StandardsStandards PracticesPractices

Specifying the decisions that need to be Specifying the decisions that need to be made, and those who should make them, to made, and those who should make them, to maximize the benefits and efficiency of maximize the benefits and efficiency of knowledge management activities.knowledge management activities.

Web Presence Web Presence and Content Distribution and Content Distribution

To support all the activities of To support all the activities of the Federal KM Centerthe Federal KM Center

Awareness mediumAwareness medium Content Distribution pointContent Distribution point Demonstration site for blogs, wikis, Demonstration site for blogs, wikis, and social network tools and social network tools

Build Awareness of KM Build Awareness of KM ResourcesResources

Differentiating KM from IM & ITDifferentiating KM from IM & IT

Awareness Communications CampaignAwareness Communications Campaign

Train Federal Workers Train Federal Workers in KM Skillsin KM Skills

Anyone can learn knowledge work Anyone can learn knowledge work competencies. competencies. Plus, there’s a valuable bonus: Plus, there’s a valuable bonus:

Knowledge work competencies bring Knowledge work competencies bring deeper understanding and appreciation deeper understanding and appreciation of the value of knowledge sharing. of the value of knowledge sharing.

This, in turn, supports culture This, in turn, supports culture change.  change. 

Work with OPM to recognize the Work with OPM to recognize the discipline, establish appropriate discipline, establish appropriate Position Descriptions, competency Position Descriptions, competency maps, and professional advancementmaps, and professional advancement

Build a Knowledge Sharing Culture Build a Knowledge Sharing Culture in the Federal Government in the Federal Government

Leadership Support  Leadership Support  Explicit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Sharing & Sharing & Collaboration Collaboration PoliciesPolicies

Proactive Support Proactive Support and Consultationand Consultation

KM Competency KM Competency TrainingTraining

Build Awareness of Build Awareness of KM ResourcesKM Resources

Meet the Challenge of the Meet the Challenge of the Retirement “Age Wave”Retirement “Age Wave”

Vast numbers of Federal workers Vast numbers of Federal workers from the “Baby Boom” generation from the “Baby Boom” generation will soon retire.will soon retire.

Knowledge Retention programs are Knowledge Retention programs are aimed at offsetting this “brain aimed at offsetting this “brain drain”drain” Web 2.0 programs support the Web 2.0 programs support the recruiting of Generation Y employeesrecruiting of Generation Y employees

Establish Web 2.0 and Establish Web 2.0 and Social Computing PoliciesSocial Computing Policies

Under the auspices of the Federal CKOUnder the auspices of the Federal CKO Coordinate with cyber security Coordinate with cyber security specialists to mitigate security specialists to mitigate security concernsconcerns

Demonstrate the need to establish Web Demonstrate the need to establish Web 2.0 and social computing technologies2.0 and social computing technologies

Establish “rules of behavior” for Establish “rules of behavior” for federal employees, including federal employees, including participating in virtual worldsparticipating in virtual worlds

Bring Facebook-like environments to the Bring Facebook-like environments to the federal intranetsfederal intranets

Attract and Recruit Attract and Recruit Generation YGeneration Y

In coordination with OPM, create In coordination with OPM, create campaigns to attract “Gen Y” campaigns to attract “Gen Y” Then, support the proliferation of Then, support the proliferation of social computing by providing them social computing by providing them Web 2.0 tools Web 2.0 tools

Allow them the freedom to operate Allow them the freedom to operate and thrive within federal and thrive within federal bureaucracybureaucracy

Summing UpSumming Up

We discussed reasons why KM is We discussed reasons why KM is critically important for the critically important for the Federal government.  Federal government. 

Bottom-Line ImperativeBottom-Line Imperative Quality & Value EnhancementQuality & Value Enhancement Innovation Innovation MoraleMorale

Action HighlightsAction Highlights

The action plan contains specific The action plan contains specific recommendations, including: recommendations, including: Create a Federal Knowledge Create a Federal Knowledge Management CenterManagement Center

Develop and implement Policy, Develop and implement Policy, Standards and Practices Standards and Practices

Build Awareness for KM Build Awareness for KM Support Knowledge Work Competencies Support Knowledge Work Competencies

Can We Afford This? Can We Afford This?

We began by discussing the “cost of We began by discussing the “cost of not sharing knowledge.” In an office not sharing knowledge.” In an office the cost can be computed in labor the cost can be computed in labor hours or dollars. In a war or hours or dollars. In a war or emergency, the cost may be paid in emergency, the cost may be paid in human lives.  human lives. 

There is a cost to this effort, as There is a cost to this effort, as well. But considering the stakes, our well. But considering the stakes, our question is not “Can we afford to do question is not “Can we afford to do this?”  It is, rather, “Can we afford this?”  It is, rather, “Can we afford not to?” not to?”

Get Involved! Get Involved!

1.1. Join the Join the Federal KM Working GroupFederal KM Working Group. No dues . No dues are involved. To join the are involved. To join the listservlistserv, send a , send a blank e-mail to blank e-mail to kmgov-subscribe@list.jpl.nasa.gov

1.1. Read the Read the Roadmap Roadmap on our Wiki pageon our Wiki pagehttp://wiki.nasa.gov/cm/wiki/Federal%20Knowledge%20Management%20Working%20Group%20(KMWG).wiki/home/home.html

2.2. Sign the Sign the Petition Petition by emailing the by emailing the presenter, Neil Olonoff presenter, Neil Olonoff olonoff@gmail.com