1. The Development of the Siemens Knowledge Community Support By: Matt Greaves

2. Introduction The Siemens Knowledge Community (KCS) is a corporate project to initiate and support Knowledge Communities The Siemens Knowledge Community (KCS) is a corporate project to initiate and support Knowledge Communities A Knowledge Community is a group of people who, based on a common company interest, exchange and develop knowledge while providing support beyond the boundaries of their organizational unit A Knowledge Community is a group of people who, based on a common company interest, exchange and develop knowledge while providing support beyond the boundaries of their organizational unit

3. The Value of Knowledge Communities Knowledge is a key resource in products and solutions Knowledge is a key resource in products and solutions Knowledge Communities overcome: Knowledge Communities overcome: –Organizational/hierarchal boundaries –Business processes –Project specific boundaries –Geographic/cultural/language boundaries Use company wide knowledge to benefit the customers and generate new business Use company wide knowledge to benefit the customers and generate new business

4. Value Continued Provide benefits such as: Provide benefits such as: –Creation/deepening of new knowledge –Detect blind spots within the corporation –Identification/usage of synergies KC generate quicker access to relevant knowledge, and more efficient solutions to everyday work problems KC generate quicker access to relevant knowledge, and more efficient solutions to everyday work problems

5. Lifecycle of Knowledge Communities Divided into three important phases: 1.The Start-Up 2.Running and Improving 3.Winding-Down

6. The Start-Up Phase Initiating Process – awareness through individual motivation, situation analysis, and a knowledge strategy 1. Preconsideration 2. Identification and Integration 3. Develop a Community Concept 4. Setting Up a Framework

7. Run and Improve Phase Critical that continuous improvement takes place Critical that continuous improvement takes place Keep momentum to develop and sustain a vital and active Community Keep momentum to develop and sustain a vital and active Community Five enabling activities: Five enabling activities: 1. Organization and Moderation 2. Member Management / Motivation 3. Presentation and Promotion 4. Establish / Maintain IT infrastructure 5. Monitoring / Improvement

8. Winding-Down Phase KCs should only exist as long as the members / business benefit KCs should only exist as long as the members / business benefit Will discontinue a Knowledge Community if this is not the case or the goals are no longer applicable Will discontinue a Knowledge Community if this is not the case or the goals are no longer applicable Important aspects of the Community’s knowledge transferred or archived Important aspects of the Community’s knowledge transferred or archived

9. Role Players in a Knowledge Community Three groups of roles in the Community: Three groups of roles in the Community: 1.Community itself – composed of members, the organizer, and facilitator 2.Interface roles – link the community to the formal organization / other KCs 3.Community services – group offering fee- based services to the KC

10. Communication in Knowledge Communities Appropriate mix of face-to-face and virtual communication Appropriate mix of face-to-face and virtual communication Planned/regular communication and continual and spontaneous communication Planned/regular communication and continual and spontaneous communication

11. Components of Successful Knowledge Communities 1. People and Competencies 2. Culture and Collaboration 3. Strategy and Objectives 4. Knowledge Content and Structure 5. Processes, Roles, and Organization 6. Leadership/Management Support 7. Information/Communication Infrastructure

12. Introduction to Knowledge Community Support Before 1999, a diverse range of knowledge community projects existed within individual business units of Siemens Before 1999, a diverse range of knowledge community projects existed within individual business units of Siemens During 1999, the Corporate Knowledge Management office created a support base for these KC During 1999, the Corporate Knowledge Management office created a support base for these KC Eventually this effort evolved into the company-wide Knowledge Community Support Eventually this effort evolved into the company-wide Knowledge Community Support

13. The Development and Implementation of KCS Case Study

14. The Kickoff Mission for the KCS: Mission for the KCS: –Support KC throughout their lifecycle –Facilitate identification of KCs –Facilitate transformation of Siemens into a global network of knowledge and innovation –Promote cooperation Create top management awareness of KCs within Siemens, stressing their importance and needed support of management Create top management awareness of KCs within Siemens, stressing their importance and needed support of management

15. The Kickoff Continued Six action fields of the KCS team 1.Launch the KCS website 2.Promote KCS and Siemens support 3.Install a KCS Hotline 4.Provide KC coachings jointly 5.Implement a Communities@Siemens directory 6.Create activity and role descriptions for Communities

16. KCS Website Provides community activists and facilitators with detailed information on what is important throughout the KC life cycle Provides community activists and facilitators with detailed information on what is important throughout the KC life cycle Comprises a wide spectrum of useful knowledge Comprises a wide spectrum of useful knowledge Also includes fee-based solutions and services by the KCS team Also includes fee-based solutions and services by the KCS team

17. KCS Promotion Aimed at the community activists and facilitators, and more generally all Siemens employees Aimed at the community activists and facilitators, and more generally all Siemens employees Have all employees know what a KC entails and what benefits Communities offered the members and corporation Have all employees know what a KC entails and what benefits Communities offered the members and corporation Completed a KC brochure for community activists, facilitators and sponsors Completed a KC brochure for community activists, facilitators and sponsors

18. KCS Hotline & Community Coaching Activists / facilitators can send emails outlining their questions to the hotline Activists / facilitators can send emails outlining their questions to the hotline Offers a community coaching service to get things rolling within the KC Offers a community coaching service to get things rolling within the KC Developed a program specifically dedicated to train KC facilitators Developed a program specifically dedicated to train KC facilitators

19. Communities@Siemens Directory Provided details of existing communities Provided details of existing communities Offers Siemens employees a quick/user-friendly way of finding a community on a certain topic Offers Siemens employees a quick/user-friendly way of finding a community on a certain topic Index, full text search, and subdivided topic tree Index, full text search, and subdivided topic tree

20. KC Support Material Created detailed checklists, roles, and activity descriptions for everything related to Knowledge Communities Created detailed checklists, roles, and activity descriptions for everything related to Knowledge Communities Extremely helpful during the start up phase of a new Community Extremely helpful during the start up phase of a new Community

21. Thank You The Development of the Siemens Knowledge Community Support Pages: 147-158