Project Knowledge Capture

Knowledge Capture can be painful!

Organizations have a lot of knowledge. This knowledge is critical to the organization’s success and is housed in many places. Knowledge transfer among employees is always a challenge, and most organizations do not have processes in place to ensure that timely knowledge transfer takes place.

An organization’s culture can inhibit effective knowledge transfer. Ineffective knowledge transfer can cause knowledge to be lost or be unclear when and if it is transferred.

Some ways to overcome ineffective knowledge transfer are:

• Ensure meeting minutes are captured for important project meetings
• Create an environment that is conducive to collaboration
• Set performance objectives around formal and informal knowledge transfer mechanisms
• Establish regular knowledge transfer procedure reviews (meetings, documents, reports, etc)
• Hire people that are flexible and open to good knowledge transfer practices
• Conduct brainstorming sessions around effective knowledge capture and retention methods
• Reward collaborative efforts
• Use failures as a way to create new knowledge

A common language is important for effective knowledge transfer to take place. Glossaries, scope statements, project objectives and project assumptions will help you to begin the process of knowledge transfer in the early stages of your project.

Project Critics are Everywhere

Tom Peters a highly regarded speaker and writer said it best in his book The Project 50, “as project managers we should not try to convert our project enemies by overcoming their objections” and I would add through appeasement. Tom states “we should set out to surround and marginalize them; additionally, the most effective change agents ignore the barbs and darts, their time is spent on allies and likely allies”.

It seems to be in our nature to take on those that oppose us, particularly if they have been attacking us behind our backs. This taking on of the opposition is a waste of valuable project time and detracts the project manager from the task at hand. All projects will have detractors, whiners, and complainers. Don’t waste your time trying to convince them of the error of their ways. Let your project’s results answer your critics!

As project managers we need to spend our time working with our advocates and supporters, not answering our critics. If you say you don’t have critics on your project than I say you probably aren’t a very good project manager. The project manager that has friends everywhere on his projects is usually trying to satisfy everyone, and many times at the end of their project – if it ever ends – there will be low overall satisfaction due to all of the tradeoffs that were made between all of the competing interests.

When you push people, strive for excellence, set deadlines, push for quality, hold individuals accountable, and are firm on agreed upon commitments you are going to ruffle some feathers. Get over it, and realize no matter what you do on your project there will always be detractors.  Don’t let the detractors sway you from implementing your project on time, on budget, and within requirements.

Does Your Project Have Value?

Are you working on a project that has diminished in value? Does your project seem like it would have been a good idea if it was implemented two years ago, two years from now? If you are questioning the value of your project think about these things.

What would happen in your company if the project were cancelled?

Does the project link to your organizations strategic goals and/or objectives?

Does the project have visible support from senior management?

Does the project generate excitement?

Is your organization going to gain efficiencies or be more competitive as a result of successfully completing the project?

Is there lots of negative "buzz" about the project?

I'm sure there are lots of other questions that could be asked when it comes to questioning the value of projects. We need to keep in mind that all projects eventually end. Some end when they are completed successfully, and others are terminated early for a variety of reasons.

The important thing to keep in mind is that you must continually communicate across, up, and down the organization to find out what others are thinking about your project.

If the project manager is the only person in the organization that thinks his or her project has value, then the project manager isn't really thinking.

Does your project still have value? A tough question for certain projects, but one that must be answered on a regular basis.

Project Management - Communicating Change

Think about these questions prior to communicating change to your organization, project team, or stakeholders.


1. Why are we changing things?


Be prepared to address the value of the change to the people impacted by the change


2. What is required for those impacted by the change to do? What needs to be done first, second, etc.?


Outline the steps required to implement the change


3. How will we measure the results of the change? What are the potential impacts?


Prepare ahead of time to address how the team will know if they are successful.


4. Once change is implemented what tools or processes will need to be changed, added, deleted?


What will be impacted and how might these changes be received?


5. What is the benefit of the change (What's in it for me?)


What is the benefit, what is the downside (if any)?  Be honest and let the team know if behavior change is expected

Assumptions vs. Facts

Dr. Lewis Ireland wrote the excellent article below in 2003 talking about the differences between Assumptions and Facts.

Introduction

The difference between an assumption and a fact is often subtle and confusing. Some organizations, and individuals, view assumptions and facts in the same light. This approach causes confusion in managing both the assumptions and facts as well as communicating accurately the situation during planning and execution of projects.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines both words in the context of planning as:

• Assumption – a statement accepted or supposed as true without proof or demonstration.

• Fact – something presented as objectively real or something that has been objectively verified.

Planning a project using the wrong term can convey a different meaning to fact or assumption with catastrophic results. Facts do not change whereas assumptions are typically about a future state that may or may not come true. Listing both facts and assumptions as assumptions can also cause confusion because the project manager does not know which assumptions to track to ensure they are converted to facts.

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Quote for the Day

You've got to have an atmosphere where people can make mistakes.  If we're not making mistakes, we're not going anywhere.  - Gordon Forward

Where are your Process Maps?

Well crafted business process maps should be designed to make work flow visible, understandable, and measurable. An important consideration when mapping your business processes is to view them through the eyes of your customers.

Here are some areas to consider when you are mapping business processes:

Identify Your Organization's/Project's Business Processes

What are the processes in your organization that your project will impact?

What new processes will be created once your project is implemented?

What are your customers understanding of your processes?

What are the key trigger points of your processes?

Gather required information

Who are the process owners?

What are the processes you've identified trying to accomplish?

What is the level of quality required? Risk?

What are the control points?

Documenting the Processes

What are all the steps of the processes?

What are the objectives of the processes?

What are the inputs and outputs?

What tools or techniques are applied in each process step?

Where does the process begin and end?

Who owns the process?

Who monitors the process?

How we will know it is working?

Analysis (post mapping)

Is the process efficient?

Does it make sense?

What steps are unnecessary?

Is the process in line with departmental or enterprise objectives?

Are there too many approvals or too much rework?

Are there too many delays or bottlenecks?

Is the process efficient? How do you know?

What measures will be put in place to ensure the process is as efficient as possible?

There are many opportunities for problems to occur when mapping processes, but getting started will help your organization become more effective. Once you become good at mapping your business processes everyone in your organization will begin to understand their role in the organization, what the organization it trying to accomplish, and feel like they are part of the effort to help drive improvements and efficiencies.

There are plenty of books on the subject to help your get started. Click the link below for books that can help - Process Mapping Books