Evaluating Knowledge Management Cumbria & Lancashire Strategic Health Authority June 2006 Frank Andrews

Rule 1 Don’t make a cross for your own back. Keep your evaluations simple, straight forward and easy to assess

"Effective Knowledge Management will ensure all employees have the right knowledge in the right place at the right time to perform their work effectively. It requires knowledge assets to be shared throughout an organisation in order to devise best practice and make it available to all. Knowledge Management is not technology but an essential business concept". What KM Is

Effective Knowledge Management will ensure all employees have access to the right knowledge in the right place at the right time to perform their work effectively. This requires knowledge of your shared drive and other information sources. Measurable Record Management or Content Management Library sources Web sources

It requires knowledge assets to be shared throughout an organisation in order to devise best practice and make it available to all. We can’t be efficient and not use experience already gained. We need to use this experience and build on it refining and adapting as we go. CLHA website data base of service innovations and improvements. Growing list of “Best Practice Guides” The SHA has for nearly 3 years run a programme of “Sharing” workshops (122 workshops, 115 subjects) Collaborators This is all measurable!

Knowledge Management is not technology but an essential business concept". If NHS business is to succeed we’ve got to change our culture and avoid duplication. Steal with Pride (and share with flare). In such a big organisation someone has probably already done a similar project before. Managers need a reference to sharing in their appraisals. Is their evidence of this? Can this be measured? This culture needs senior endorsement. - Check if project has been done before? Was it written up on completion? Payment by Results doesn’t conflict with sharing. (We either believe enlightenment is good or we choose darkness)

Evaluating Forms of Knowledge Explicit/hard knowledge - libraries, internet Statistics Tacit/experiential/soft knowledge – work experience, new projects, implementation of new policies, lessons learned Ensure these are written up, encourage Awards & NHS Live entry as these are both forms of KM

Data Information Knowledge Wisdom Service Innovations/ Improvements should capitalise on Knowledge or wisdom Not on information or data

Capturing Tacit Knowledge Organisation website, intranet, extranet. Local events, newsletters. Share Fairs etc. Face to face For SHA Specialist Project Managers NHS Live Awards

Sharing Tacit Knowledge Organisational focus point for best practice. Employees need to realise their experience is valuable. Exit interviews, project write-ups, team meetings etc. For SHA Workshops nww.clha.nhs.uk intranet. Liaise with appropriate PM NHS Live Collaborators Sharing is measurable !

Evaluating Tacit Sharing Workshops – evaluation forms & running summary nww.clha.nhs.uk intranet. - statistics Liaise with appropriate PM – file anecdotal evidence NHS Live – higher profile is form of KM Awards - ditto Collaborators – record successes

nww.clha.nhs.uk This is a working website: nww. clha.nhs.uk designed for C & L. From 1 st July & nww.northwest.nhs.uk

Key roles and responsibilities of a Knowledge Manager: Support the development of corporate (NHS) strategy/policy by providing good, modern knowledge. Ensure transfer of initiatives and expertise between organizations through training, education, and collaboration (capture, validate, share and update) Be prepared to act as a mentor Support initiatives with ‘fire fighting’ ranging from answering questions and locating information to hands on managerial support. i.e. NHS Live Meet regularly with your key players. Participate at SHA KM meetings. Win senior champions. Maintain / develop a personal knowledge of employees you work with and keep them informed of new developments. Foster best practice throughout own organisation Remember KM is more than a strategy it’s the active management of knowledge. Create a Bench Mark then measure your progress

Question Write a base line statement for KM as it currently exists in your organisation. i.e. How do you currently share Service Improvement/project work? Do you use, measure and assess statistics? Do you keep a record of successes? Do you record Collaborative successes? Do you retain anecdotal evidence?