"Standardizing content
is almost as important as collecting it.
If it can't be searched intelligently it
can't be found efficiently." |
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KMCS Knowledge
Management Consulting Services |
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Inquire's consulting services fall
into three areas of practice: Pre-Implementation,
Implementation, and Post-Implementation.
Each of these phases have their own
unique challenges and by engaging Inquire
in one or more of these phases you will
ensure that your KM project gets the
expert, objective oversight it deserves.
Furthermore, Inquire is deeply concerned
with the organizational impact of knowledge
management implementations and advocates
the development and execution of a Change
Management plan to facilitate the transition
into a knowledge sharing organization.
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Pre-Implementation
Consulting
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Product/Vendor Selection
Ultimately the selection a knowledge
management package it should be based
on Fit, Function, & Technology. All
of these aspects will determine whether
the solution is adopted in the enterprise.
Inquire can provide unbiased feedback
on the products that are being considered
for deployment.
KM Readiness
Has your company tried to adopt KM in
the past and failed or maybe this is
a first attempt. In either situation,
the use of Organizational Change Management
techniques and tools can preemptively
identify those areas of the organization
most/least prepared to undertake knowledge
management roles and responsibilities.
It is essential to understand KM is
a discipline that requires a succession
of repeatable victories and demonstrable
progress in order to become ingrained
in the enterprise. Inquire is ready
to identify and survey stakeholders,
facilitate and engage at every level
of the organization, and prepare impacted
resources for change as it relates to
knowledge management.
Knowledge Discovery
Knowing what will go into a knowledgebase
should be known well in advance of selecting
a product. Remember you know your business
better than any consultant does and
that is the source of your company's
competitive advantage. Also, understand
that knowledge management principles
and technologies are being adopted to
strengthen that position. As a rule,
it is best to work from areas that not
only have high traffic but are a core
competency as well. Inquire can help
with the identification of these assets
and the people that create them.
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Implementation
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Project Planning
Realistic timelines are the hallmark
of a well run project and they are especially
important in the delivery of knowledge
management services. The installation
of a solution does not make for a knowledge
sharing organization. Inquire can help
you develop an appropriate scope, solidify
vendor deliverables, and create a repeatable,
systematic approach for deploying KM
in other parts of the enterprise.
Process & Procedures
During the implementation phase, it
is critical to establish the policies
and procedures that will dictate who
will manage the content, how knowledge
will be entered into the system, what
type of workflow it will pass through,
and the system rights of the individuals
accessing the content. In many cases,
this work is an extension of the Readiness
and Discovery work conducted in the
Pre-Implementation phase. Furthermore,
this is possibly THE most significant
element of a knowledge management project.
Taxonomy Development
The organization of a knowledgebase
will largely determine how easy content
is to find. Even if the taxonomy will
not be visible to the end-user (for
those organizations using an unstructured
search solution), it will still make
the content management/backend tasks
easier to perform. The creation of a
corporate taxonomy does not have to
be difficult but it does have its challenges.
In fact, many areas of practice can
buy or copy an established taxonomy,
while some companies can use an application
to generate a perfectly suitable taxonomy
for enterprise use. However, it will
still need to undergo some modification
to meet the needs of your organization.
Inquire can help guide you through this
collaborative process to produce optimal
results.
Metrics
To effectively mange knowledge, its
use must be measured. The application
of metrics will not only provide the
basis for continued use a knowledge
management system, but also trending
information on the users, what is being
used, and when. This type of inference
provides valuable insight for domains
to be included, retired, or updated.
A formal set of reporting mechanisms
is a requirement, not an option. Inquire
can help you frame important knowledge
usage data within the framework of your
existing metrics.
Standards
A common voice, proper grammar, and
an identical look and feel across all
of your channels are vital to a successful
knowledge management implementation.
The creation of a standards guide and
constant reinforcement go a long way
in ensuring that your knowledge is fit
for use. This particular area is challenging
is due to the sheer number of differences
in the way people communicate. By trusting
our ability to effectively build consensus
and maintain scope the potential for
conflict is eliminated or significantly
reduced, resulting in a usable set of
standards for use in the enterprise.
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Post-Implementation
Consulting
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Audit Services
Are you experiencing bottlenecks or
delays in the knowledge creation process?
Perhaps there are numerous duplicate
entries in the knowledge repositories
or contribution has been declining altogether.
Symptoms like these indicate that your
KM practice needs a tune up. Inquire
can tailor our audit services to address
particular problems or review the practice
in total and provide you with a plan
to bring KM back up to speed.
SOP's/Enforcement
In order to get the most from knowledge
management there has to be an environment
that supports continuous growth of the
repository. By clearly defining roles,
responsibilities, and standard operating
procedures, you will have taken a crucial
step towards the acculturation of KM
in the enterprise. Inquire can help
you define and communicate these expectations
to your resources within a proven Change
Management framework.
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