presentation to ncma tysons corner 4.23.2012

© Working KnowledgeCSP All Rights Reserved©Working KnowledgeCSP LLC All Rights Reserved

Losing Your Minds:Capturing, Retaining, and Leveraging the Critical

Knowledge of the Acquisition Workforce© Working KnowledgeCSP All Rights Reserved

What is Knowledge?

© Working KnowledgeCSP All Rights Reserved4/23/2013 2

Some Perspective onWorkforce Turnover

• ~2,700,000 workers = US Federal Government

• ~100,000+ = Hires each year to replace turnover

• ~4.1 years = Median number of years that wage and salaryworkers, including federal service, were with their currentemployer

• 11 jobs = Career jobs for average worker starting a career

• ~60 million = American workers changing roles within theircurrent organizations

© Working KnowledgeCSP All Rights Reserved

• ~2,700,000 workers = US Federal Government

• ~100,000+ = Hires each year to replace turnover

• ~4.1 years = Median number of years that wage and salaryworkers, including federal service, were with their currentemployer

• 11 jobs = Career jobs for average worker starting a career

• ~60 million = American workers changing roles within theircurrent organizations

4/23/2013 3

Workforce Turnover and Knowledge Loss• People loss = knowledge loss

• Who: leadership and workforce

• Causes: retirement, promotion, careerchange, job change, downsizing,dismissal

• Impactso losses in productivityo reduced cycle timeo reduced qualityo reduced consistency in practiceo reduced ability to successfully adapt to change


• People loss = knowledge loss

• Who: leadership and workforce

• Causes: retirement, promotion, careerchange, job change, downsizing,dismissal

• Impactso losses in productivityo reduced cycle timeo reduced qualityo reduced consistency in practiceo reduced ability to successfully adapt to change

Risk to Mission Delivery !4/23/2013 4


So, who wants to share?

What are your organizations doing to address theseworkforce turnover challenges?

4/23/2013 5

PerformanceLevel

Time

Change Occurs Here(Critical Event)

Ch ang e Events1. C hange s in lea der ship2. R eloc ation of Oper ations3. N ew mis sions introduce d4. N ew proc es se s intr oduce d/5. R ea lloc a tion of duties6. R educ tion in Forc e/R es ourc es7. Le gal/re gula tory cha nges8. Wor kforc e Turnov er – Knowledge Loss

Duration

Severity

No rm al Performance Level

KM Mitigates Impact

Improvements

Change Drives Knowledge Needs

© 2010 Working Know ledgeCSP



PerformanceLevel

Time

Change Occurs Here(Critical Event)

Ch ang e Events1. C hange s in lea der ship2. R eloc ation of Oper ations3. N ew mis sions introduce d4. N ew proc es se s intr oduce d/5. R ea lloc a tion of duties6. R educ tion in Forc e/R es ourc es7. Le gal/re gula tory cha nges8. Wor kforc e Turnov er – Knowledge Loss

Duration

Severity

No rm al Performance Level

KM Mitigates Impact

Improvements


© 2010 Working Know ledgeCSP

4/23/2013 6

Change Drives Knowledge Needs• Determines kind of knowledge needed to mitigate the impact of

change on the normal operating performance of the organization

• Organizations that can effectively leverage their knowledge willshorten not only the severity of the impact, but also the duration ofthe impact


• Determines kind of knowledge needed to mitigate the impact ofchange on the normal operating performance of the organization

• Organizations that can effectively leverage their knowledge willshorten not only the severity of the impact, but also the duration ofthe impact

4/23/2013 7

Operating Faster than “the Speed of Change”Organizations that adapt to change well:

• routinely capture and retain critical and relevant knowledge

• can access “the know how and know why” ofthe decisions they have made and how theyaddressed challenges in the past

• have enabled an ability for their workforce andleadership to “connect, collect , and collaborate”in addressing both challenges and opportunities

• possess the ability to respond quickly to “right the ship” or takeadvantage of an opportunity to drive a better outcome


Organizations that adapt to change well:

• routinely capture and retain critical and relevant knowledge

• can access “the know how and know why” ofthe decisions they have made and how theyaddressed challenges in the past

• have enabled an ability for their workforce andleadership to “connect, collect , and collaborate”in addressing both challenges and opportunities

• possess the ability to respond quickly to “right the ship” or takeadvantage of an opportunity to drive a better outcome

4/23/2013 8

Obvious – Intuitive… but still a big challenge!

• Lack of formal, consistent knowledge capture and reuseframeworks that are an integral part of governmentoperating or business processes - part of the waygovernment works

• Lack of broad senior leadership commitment to provide thenecessary resources and take the necessary action toaddress knowledge capture and retention challenges

• It is difficult and labor intensive (costly) to capture what isin people’s heads”

• Requires a unique skill set that is both “art and craft” --technology is not the answer


• Lack of formal, consistent knowledge capture and reuseframeworks that are an integral part of governmentoperating or business processes - part of the waygovernment works

• Lack of broad senior leadership commitment to provide thenecessary resources and take the necessary action toaddress knowledge capture and retention challenges

• It is difficult and labor intensive (costly) to capture what isin people’s heads”

• Requires a unique skill set that is both “art and craft” --technology is not the answer

4/23/2013 9

• Knowledge and skills transfer is seen as “extra work” to betackled “when we have time”

• Agency planning is FY focused– KM requires an investment over time but is viewed on a year

by year basis and budgeted the same way– Political process demands instant success impacting agency

budget decisions– Not surprising that the patience for longer term investments

in knowledge management doesn’t make the investment cut• Requires enlightened leadership that can focus on value

and longer term outcomes• Compliance vs. Performance Environment

Obvious – Intuitive… but still a big challenge!


• Knowledge and skills transfer is seen as “extra work” to betackled “when we have time”

• Agency planning is FY focused– KM requires an investment over time but is viewed on a year

by year basis and budgeted the same way– Political process demands instant success impacting agency

budget decisions– Not surprising that the patience for longer term investments

in knowledge management doesn’t make the investment cut• Requires enlightened leadership that can focus on value

and longer term outcomes• Compliance vs. Performance Environment

4/23/2013 10

Understanding Some Basics for Success

• There is long term value in capturing and reusing knowledge andhow and where it can be applied – it’s about performance!

• Recognize that it is a long term commitment tobuild and sustain a knowledge enabledorganization

• Knowledge capture and reuse must be a routinepart of the way you work

• Look for a place to start where it will have a significant impact onperformance

• Focus on the people and the processes necessary to moveknowledge across your workforce -- not the technology -- it’s aboutchanging behavior!

• Understand the multi-generational nature of the workforce


• There is long term value in capturing and reusing knowledge andhow and where it can be applied – it’s about performance!

• Recognize that it is a long term commitment tobuild and sustain a knowledge enabledorganization

• Knowledge capture and reuse must be a routinepart of the way you work

• Look for a place to start where it will have a significant impact onperformance

• Focus on the people and the processes necessary to moveknowledge across your workforce -- not the technology -- it’s aboutchanging behavior!

• Understand the multi-generational nature of the workforce

4/23/2013 11

You Can Start Right Now!

• Mentoring and internships

• “Communities of Practice” can create anability for the workforce to share what theyknow across boundaries enabled by existingtechnology – or just get together

• Learning Before, Learning During, Learning After

• Knowledge Repositories (Knowledge Base) to store the“know how and know why” of processes or methods

• Leadership and workforce expert knowledge transfer


• Mentoring and internships

• “Communities of Practice” can create anability for the workforce to share what theyknow across boundaries enabled by existingtechnology – or just get together

• Learning Before, Learning During, Learning After

• Knowledge Repositories (Knowledge Base) to store the“know how and know why” of processes or methods

• Leadership and workforce expert knowledge transfer

4/23/2013 12

Expert Knowledge Retention &Transfer Process Overview

Step Objective

1. Identify Experts &Critical Knowledge ToRetain

• Identify experts and critical knowledge areasOR

• Identify and prioritize knowledge areas for achieving futurestrategies and mission-critical operations, then identifycorresponding experts

THEN• Assess risks and other vulnerabilities• Prioritize knowledge retention opportunities

2. Identify Successor(s)or other Learner(s)

• Determine who will receive what knowledge• Understand learner(s)’ current capabilities


3. Determine KnowledgeRetention & TransferObjectives

• Define learner(s) expected capabilities and level ofperformance post-transfer (e.g., competent versus SME).

4. Determine KnowledgeTransfer Method(s)

• Select methods for each knowledge item.

5. Develop/ExecuteKnowledge TransferPlan

• Identify specific knowledge items to transfer with timeframeand measures of success or capability.

• Implement knowledge retention plan.

6. Monitor Expert AndLearner Results

• Manager tracks expert and learner progress againstknowledge transfer objectives and plans.

• Modify plans if needed.• Provide resources & reinforcement.

Source: NCMA World Congress 2009; Jeff Stemke4/23/2013 13

• What are some of the tools and techniquesyour organizations are using for capturing andreusing knowledge?

• How well are they working?


• What are some of the tools and techniquesyour organizations are using for capturing andreusing knowledge?

• How well are they working?

4/23/2013 14

Bill Kaplan, CPCM, FellowFounder and Principal Consultant

www.workingknowledge-csp.com

[email protected]


Bill Kaplan, CPCM, FellowFounder and Principal Consultant

www.workingknowledge-csp.com

[email protected]

4/23/2013 15

presentation to ncma tysons corner 4.23.2012

Business

kind of knowledge

relevant knowledge

knowledge willshorten

consistent knowledge

knowledge loss people

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