Knowledge Audits and Mapping

Knowing the what, where, who, how and why…

What Is Knowledge?
Knowledge is defined (Oxford English Dictionary) variously as
1. Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience
or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject;
2. What is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information; or

3. Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

WISD
OM OM
W ISD

Know led ge
ledge Know

Infor tion
matio rm a
n Info

DAT A
A DAT
Is Knowledge Manageable?
Knowledge itself is not manageable. What is manageable are the processes
necessary to encourage the sharing of knowledge and the development of
intellectual capital assets.

The implementation & management of processes requires a route map that

may be used by all members of the organisation to understand their roles
and responsibilities, their relevance within the organisation, and to access
the knowledge available to carry out those roles.

Where Does Corporate Knowledge Reside?

26% 42% 20% 12%

Paper Employee’s Electronic Electronic

Documents Brains Documents Knowledge Base

Salamander Organization Workforce Survey*

Knowledge By Contemplation…
Don’t forget, knowledge can also be gained or enhanced by contemplation or
introspection and by sharing content with others
What Is Knowledge Management?
Knowledge management (KM) is defined as:
“A multi-disciplined approach to achieving organisational
objectives by making the best use of knowledge“
Standards Australia HB275-2001.

KM is “the systematic processes by which knowledge needed for an

organisation to succeed is created, captured, shared, and leveraged.”
Melissie Clemmons Rumizen
KNOWLEDGE AUDITS
Presenter - Colette Raison
What Is A Knowledge Audit?

“Systematic investigation, examination, verification, measurement and

evaluation of explicit and tacit knowledge resources and assets, in order
to determine how efficiently and effectively they are used and leveraged
by the organisation”
Ann Hylton

“The systematic analysis of an organization's

information and knowledge entities and their
key attributes, such as ownership, usage and
flows, mapped against user and organizational
knowledge needs”
David Skyrme
Why Would You Conduct A Knowledge Audit?
Helps identify knowledge needs to support organisational goals:

• Provides tangible evidence of the extent knowledge is effectively managed

(shared, leveraged etc)
• Helps show what knowledge exists, where it is, and whether there are any
duplication or gaps
• Reveals pockets of knowledge – e.g. untapped potential
• Shows knowledge sources and any sinks or blocks
• Provides information in order to tailor knowledge management initiatives

What we wanted… what we made…

How Do You Undertake A Knowledge Audit?
1. Identify what knowledge exists
• Identify explicit knowledge (e.g. snapshots corporate information)
• Identify tacit knowledge pools (e.g. knowledge networks)

2. Identify where that knowledge resides

• Shared drives, paper records, local gurus
• Determine sinks, sources, flows, blockages
• Map knowledge processes (way it is captured, shared, used & saved)

3. Identify what knowledge is missing

• Assess corporate objectives, skills, competencies against best practices
• Perform a gap analysis - who needs the knowledge & why

4. Report and recommend suggestions for improvement

What Is The Context For A Knowledge Audit?

PROJECT Fortnightly Status Reports SUCCESS

REPORTING COMMUNICATION
METRICS
MANAGEMENT Executive Briefing

Newsletter Content
Contract
Statement of Work (SOW)
Knowledge Transfer
Timesheets
Knowledge Audit Champions
Consulting Guidelines
Knowledge Audit Checklist
Finance & Invoicing
Stakeholder Management
People, Equipment & Tools

KNOWLEDGE
AUDIT

Audit Concept Map

AUDIT Draft Audit Report
DOCUMENTS Final Audit Report
Interview questions
Workshop outline
AUDIT Audit questionnaire
TEMPLATES Observer hints & tips
Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Meetings
Executive endorsement
Project Team Meetings
Issues Register Pilot concluded
Risk Mitigation
Project Schedule Interviews All documents to Agency
Observations Invoice Payment
Intent Statement
Surveys
INITIATE ABCD Document PLAN EXECUTE Workshops CLOSE
Content analysis
Analysis of results
How Long Does It Take To Conduct An Audit?
Unsurprisingly the time it takes for a Knowledge Audit depends on:
The size of the target population, their geographical location, and participation
The resources available (and their capability) to undertake the Audit
The budget allocated and the time allotted by Senior Management
The level of detail required
The focus required (e.g. current knowledge stocks and/or knowledge flows)

Answers to questions such as these also dictate the method/s to be used

As a guide – experienced and qualified knowledge auditors with an approved
budget, a participatory target audience, and using a variety of methods, may take
approximately 3 months to audit a branch < 50 people.
Case Study A – Large Organisation
Case Study A – Large Organisation
Large Government Department Branch About 100 people (mainly QLD and
ACT) who fulfil various administrative design roles (internal consultancy).
The challenge was to:

Complete a KM audit to identify the essential knowledge elements to

support a knowledge strategy; and
Highlight existing knowledge assets and thereby make them accountable
and relevant to organisational performance

The methods used were:

Initial research – Intranet & shared drive
Leveraged work by RMIT on a Government Senior Executive Survey and
used results from Senior Executives
‘Tick & flick’ electronic survey

Semi-structured individual interviews and observations

Case Study A – Large Organisation (FINDINGS)
The findings were:
Support for existing knowledge sharing & support initiatives
Need for additional ‘cross-team’ sharing
Need for improved tacit knowledge capture from leavers
Need for improved targeted training
Need for improved access to ‘experts’ and artefacts
Need for clarity of roles & responsibilities
Need for improved systems for collaboration, version control, archival procedures.
Case Study B – Small Department
Case Study B – Small Department
Small specialised team in a Government Department seen as a pilot site for
Knowledge Management
The challenge was to:
Complete a Knowledge Audit to identify gaps that could be addressed by
a knowledge strategy and some politically driven initiatives (e.g. CoPs)
Undertake the audit without using ‘Knowledge Management jargon’

The methods used:

Established Project Management procedures - scope, reporting, concepts
Undertook preliminary research & later Industry research
Developed and tested survey instruments
Conducted ‘As is - To Be’ workshops
Administered electronic questionnaire
Conducted individual semi-structured interviews
Analysed results (including performing a gap analysis)
Mapped processes & knowledge sources, sinks, flows
Case Study B – Small Department (FINDINGS)
The findings were:
Demonstrated support for a culture of knowledge sharing
Good personal knowledge networks – but not team ones
Some documentation of knowledge processes
Some problems associated with explicit knowledge (information)
management - version control, access, archival, search, publication,
catalogues
KNOWLEDGE MAPS
Presenter – Grant Brodie
What Are Knowledge Maps (K-Maps)?
Sometimes undertaking a Knowledge Audit is simply not enough. You also
need to VISUALISE the content in a meaningful (useful and useable) way for
both senior management and staff who are tasked with undertaking the work.

People often need to delve deeper and understand the importance and impact
of knowledge flows on business outputs and outcomes, they need to look at the
organisation’s processes and visualise the relationship with the final business
goals.

K-Maps help people understand and analyse the current state and ask
the important questions before moving forward. Questions like:
Does the current structure support active knowledge sharing?
- Are there information silos within the business?
- Is there evidence of duplication of effort within the business?
- Who are the subject matter experts and how can I find them?
- What should we be doing that we currently are not doing?
Why Would You Build A Knowledge Map?
The goals of knowledge maps are to:
Set out how outcomes are achieved (how things get done!)

Provide a simple common user experience of how business is organised

- how things operate at the all important task, activity, function levels
- how they provide the building blocks for delivering outputs and outcomes

Help people understand their roles and responsibilities

- help to make business lines ‘join up”

Make workflows visible to both managers and staff;

Deliver self service functionality to clients over the Intranet; and where
appropriate

Deploy a quality system for quality standards accreditation to satisfy -

audit requirements as established by Government and / or legislation.
 Business
Outcomes

How Do I…?
Understand What Is Best Practice Understand How The Branch Outputs
For Achieving The Branch Outputs Feed Into The Corporate Picture

Access Right Application When I Need To Access To Associated Resources

K-Mapping

Understand How & Where Understand How & Where

This Application Helps Me The Correct Resource
To Achieve The Outcomes Helps Me To Achieve The
Branch Outputs

Corp. Systems

Sources Of Knowledge
In its simplest form K-Mapping is the process of analysing tasks, activities, functions, outputs
and outcomes of an organisation or of a particular area of an organisation and understanding
the dependencies that exist.

TASK
ACTIVITY
TASK

TASK
ACTIVITY

What are the benefits?

TASK
ACTIVITY
FUNCTION  Enables a common
TASK language across agencies
TASK  Assists you to decompose
outcomes
OUTPUT OUTCOME
 Draws an explicit link
between activities you
TASK
undertake with the
ACTIVITY outcome being delivered
TASK
FUNCTION
 Identifies efficiencies,
TASK
deficiencies and
ACTIVITY implications
TASK

TASK ACTIVITY

TASK

Tasks are the lowest Activities are Functions are the An output is the An outcome is
level of effort they the major tasks largest unit of deliverable from the end result
breakdown the which support business activity. the function/s. derived from
activities. and assist in the output.
They represent major
achieving the
A cluster of tasks may responsibilities that
work function.
often seem unrelated. are managed by an
organisation/area.
Tasks can exist in
several clusters at the
same time.
The following example highlights how K-Mapping (analysing tasks, activities, functions and
outputs) helps us to understand the dependencies that exist at each level which support the
achievement of a particular outcome (eg: maximising the re-sale value of a car).

TASKS ACTIVITIES FUNCTIONS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

Change spark plugs

Change oil and water

> Service the car

Check air in tyres

>
Maintenance

Replace worn tyres > A car that is:

>
 Well maintained; Car re-sale value
Replace headlight bulb
> Replace faulty
or worn parts  well presented; and
 mechanically sound
is maximised

Speedometer Cable

Presentation
>
Polish paintwork
>
Clean windows

Vacuum interior
> Clean the car

Wash wheels
 Equities
Research

Stockbroking
MACQUARIE BANK
Foreign Sponsored
Manufact. & Distribut. Trust Listings HIGH LEVEL K-MAP
Of Wholesale & Retail Financial
Products Management
Institution Funds
Asset
Financing
Advisory &
Research
Specialized
Leasing Media Relations
Foreign Exchange Developments &
Equity Trading & Struct. Asset Management
Specialist Funds Government
Management Finance
Interest Rate & Relations
Credit Derivatives Project Financing
Specialized Securities Struct. & Trading Performance & Securitisation Deployment
Lending Incentive Funds Community Relations
Infrastructure Security Of Of New Services
Structuring Debt / Transaction Private Portfolio Retail Financial
& Placement Structuring Management Services
Capital External New Sector Deployment
Brand & Marketing
Management Manag. Funds Innovation New Technologies
Debt Wheelchair Access
Wholesale Private
Arrangements Taxi Service
Equity Internal Internat. Funds Mgt Equity Raising Banking Deployment Internal Comms
Capital Markets Manag. Funds Joint Ventures New Systems Marketing
Futures, Execution Wholesale Executive Wealth Credit Cards
And Clearing Property Invest Management
Corporate Hedge Corp, Super & Indiv Delivery
E Commerce
Restructures Funds Treasury Funds Management Develop. Of Personal New Systems
Strat. Financial
Operations Joint Ventures Planning Loans
Securities Global Funds Develop. Existing Reputation & Brand
Takeovers Provision Invest &
Trading Commodity & Management Online Relationship Business Systems Protection
Energy Finance Develop. Finance Stockbroking Banking
Mergers & Risk Infrastruct. & Private Listed & Investment Infrastructure Macquarie Bank
Physical & Derivatives Investment
Aquisitions Management Equity Funds Unlisted Funds Lending Support Foundation
Struct & Trading Planning
Mortgage
Project Commodity, Energy Cash, Fixed Income, Currency & Management & Full Service Technology Macquarie Bank
Trading Origination
Financing & Finance. Prod Prop. Funds Develop Assets Stockbroking Infrastructure Sports
& Funding

Invest Equity Treasury & Funds Real Financial Banking & Corp Corp
Banking Markets Commod Mgt Estate Services Security Comms Comms

Financing Advisory Risk Banking

Investment
& Leasing Services Management Solutions

MACQUARIE BANK
BUSINESS OUTCOMES 1: PROFIT - Increase profit growth (increase after tax profit)
(1,2 & 3) 2: EPS GROWTH - Increase earnings per share (Increase share price)
3: DIVIDEND GROWTH - Increase ordinary dividends (returns to shareholder)
 Invest.
Banking
K-Maps And Future State Scenarios…
UNCLASSIFIED

FUTURE STATE SCENARIO

IDENTIFICATION RISK ASSESSMENT TREATMENT

Simon Matheson is an Brian Timmons is an Brian Timmons is an

Analyst within the xxx Analyst within the xxx Analyst within the xxx
Taskforce. Taskforce. Taskforce.

Simon the
Brian the Analyst Brian the Analyst
Identification Analyst

WEEK 1 WEEK 1 – WEEK 4 WEEK 7 – WEEK 11

Event 1 Event 5 Event 7 Event 11 Event 15 – Two Weeks Later Event 19
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

Event 2 Event 8 – One Week Later Event 12 – Two Weeks Later Event 16 Event 20 – One Week Later
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

Event 3 Event 9 Event 13 Event 17 Event 21

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

Event 4 Event 10 Event 14 Event 18 – One Week Later

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

ESCALATION
REFERRAL

INTELLIGENCE MANAGEMENT
EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT EVENT

1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 J15 J16 J17 J18 J19 J20 J21

CORE BUSINESS – systems and tools using the Intelligence Management framework to support our decision making

INFORMATION / CONTENT / DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT – architecture and repositories comprising the Intelligence Management framework

VERSION 0.9
QUESTIONS?