1. 10th Configuration Management Benchmarking Conference June 15-18, 2003 Hershey, PA 2003 CONFERENCE " A Decade of Sharing" Capturing and Using Valuable Undocumented Knowledge Presented By: Lewis F. Hanes EPRI

2. 2 Is Loss of Valuable Knowledge at Your Facility Viewed as a Problem? Is expert knowledge expected to be lost really valuable?Is expert knowledge expected to be lost really valuable? How do you capture valuable knowledge?How do you capture valuable knowledge? How do you organize captured knowledge, make it readily available to others, and enable others to make it their own?How do you organize captured knowledge, make it readily available to others, and enable others to make it their own?

3. 3 Easier to replicateEasier to replicate Leads to competency and expertiseLeads to competency and expertise ExplicitExplicit TacitTacit Difficult to articulateDifficult to articulate May be  20% due to use of procedures & training Also called hidden, tribal, intuitiveAlso called hidden, tribal, intuitive In the “head” May be documentedMay be documented Easier toEasier to locate & share 20% 80% The Nature of Knowledge, and Why Unavailability of Experts is a Problem

4. 4 EPRI Efforts: Loss of Expertise Evaluated status and current practices, and found expertise loss problem widespread ä Performed electric utility survey  92% of respondents see loss as problem  30% have plan in place to address loss problem ä DOE - 44% of workers expected to leave in 5 years Concluded valuable tacit knowledge loss problem is serious, more needs to be done, and methods are available to do more

5. 5 Research Approach Developed guidance on process and methods to ä Determine if valuable tacit knowledge likely to be lost with unavailability of expert ä Assess if knowledge worth capturing, and if expert willing to share expertise ä Elicit/capture, store, retrieve, and make available for use Knowledge Modules containing expertise Refined guidance by testing at six sites Published two reports and provided workshops

6. 6 Expertise Capture and Use Follow process flow chart, and guidance on selection and use of methods Develop Plan to capture expertise and make it available when needed Implement Plan and develop Knowledge Modules (KMs) Identify Experts from whom knowledge will be captured

7. 7 Switchmen KM Demonstration Created by following process and eliciting expert knowledge from ä Two switchmen in the field ä Instructor at training center ä Power systems coordinator at control center Methods used for elicitation and capture ä Concept mapping and walk-through talk-through ä Interview, critical incident, and critical decision

8. 8 Some Lessons Learned (1) ä “Gold knowledge nuggets” worth capturing and reusing exist in most organizations, but number and value of these often overstated ä Many organizations now recognize loss of expertise could be a major problem soon  Moving aggressively into “catch-up mode”  Also should be moving into “standard operating mode”

9. 9 Some Lessons Learned (2) ä Developing KMs for reuse is one approach, but other approaches should be considered  Redesign process or replace “old” equipment  Automate out the need for expertise  Use consultants—maybe retired expert ä “Gold knowledge nuggets” may be anywhere  Managers, technical experts and specialists, operators, maintainers, etc.  Administrators, support, facility, etc., personnel

10. 10 Some Lessons Learned (3) ä Should use existing facility infrastructure, but necessary to identify “champions”  Management level to give legitimacy and resources  Motivated leader with time, resources, capabilities ä Elicitation is challenge—time for capture from busy expert, create/edit record, verify accuracy ä Elicitor needs training, e.g., skill to know when to “drill down” to capture “gold knowledge nuggets”

11. 11 Reports Available All EPRI member utilities ä Guidelines for capturing valuable undocumented knowledge from energy industry personnel, March 2002, 1004663 EPRI Nuclear Sector member utilities ä Capturing and using high-value undocumented knowledge in the nuclear industry—guidelines and methods, December 2002, 1002896 Reports available to anyone—IEEE, INPO, trade journals--contact Lew Hanes for information