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Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS)

Knowledge Management and Transfer Project

7/30/12

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The What and Why ofKnowledge Management

Activities used to capture and document critical work functions that impact the continuity of program services or products.

Information or skills held solely by one person creates a risk to the agency.

Knowledge Management provides both methods and tools to capture processes or work functions and ensure organizational sustainability.

Provide management an opportunity to review existing functions and determine if they are current or should be updated.

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What is Knowledge Transfer?

Knowledge Transfer (or sharing) are the strategies or tools the knowledge holder (employee) uses to train or mentor other employees to be competent in the function or work process

Knowledge Transfer ensures organizational sustainability

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When to use Knowledge Transfer?

An employee is close to or anticipating retirement, and

knowledge needs to be preserved possesses knowledge or skills that are

critical to ongoing workAND/OR work processes that need to be documented provide learning opportunities for current

employees

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Goals of the DAAS project

Preserve critical organizational knowledge and skills

Facilitate continuity of services as staff transition

Retain and recognize valuable employees Assist in developing employees in current jobs

as well as for career development opportunities Assist other work units gain an understanding of

what types of knowledge exist within DAAS Serve as a model Knowledge Management

Program for DHHS and across state government

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Benefits for the Participating Employees

Recognition as a knowledge expert. Document knowledge Pride that their work is respected and

assurance that the work will be continued (quality assurance)

Opportunities to share knowledge and skills

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Benefits for the Agency

Pilot a knowledge management and transfer project for DHHS and other agencies

Preserve critical organizational knowledge and skills

Facilitate continuity of services (performance) as staff (talent) transition

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Benefits for Other Employees

Opportunities to gain new knowledge and/or skill sets

Apply new competencies to enhance a career path

Gain broader knowledge of the agency’s program services and business needs

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Steps in the DAAS Process

Identify the knowledge holders within the Division

Encourage and support the knowledge holders in sharing their knowledge

Capture and organize the knowledge Establish goals and opportunities to

share critical knowledge Evaluate the process and forms

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DAAS Pilot Overview

HR worked with the Division Director to develop questions for an assessment tool and a participant guide

Pilot parameters included flexibility for work schedules and a written self-assessment versus an interview

A flexible timeline was established

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Pilot Steps Continued

Nine employees were identified by the Division Director as single knowledge holders

Division Director met individually with each employee to explain the project

Division Director encouraged the employees to willingly participate, and all did

HR provided the participants with an orientation

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Assessment Tools Defined Critical work functions and Knowledge,

Skill, AbilitiesWork processes and deadlines

Work relationshipsCustomers

Special KnowledgeIdentification of back-up,

documentation General questions

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Collecting the Information

Participants could complete a self-assessment or be interviewed by Human Resources

7 employees chose the self-assessment,

2 chose the interview. Interviews took about two hours, self-assessment up to 8

Employees were given up to 2 months to complete the self-assessment

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Management Analysis

HR provided a spreadsheet documenting the critical work functions of each position

HR met with the Division Director to analyze the spreadsheet, and identify the most critical knowledge or skills

The Division Director and HR identified methods to validate, transfer and document critical information

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Most Critical Functions Ex: Documentation of the process for allocation of

federal funds to area programsa generic tool has been developed for

grant/contract fund allocation for other divisions Identification of common section head leadership

competenciesSection heads worked together to develop a

template for leadership competenciesDivision Director also identified executive

leadership competencies

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Other Pilot Results All participants documented their critical

knowledge Unique knowledge and history of the

Ombudsman to be documented in the DHHS Newsletter

One DAAS section chief has mentored program details (i.e., transfer) to a staff member (individual transfer plan

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Other Transfer Methods

One employee organized the collected documentation, forms and process on the division’s shared drive

Another employee transferred unique program/system knowledge to another division

Two DAAS Division employees were cross-trained on unique work functions

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Lessons Learned

Employees completing a self-assessment may take significantly longer to complete the documentation. Interviews were much shorter

Participants take pride and security in the work they have developed and may be fearful of being pushed out

Keep focused on the most critical knowledge or process that impacts the business

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Best Practices

Interviews are more efficient Keep questions to the most critical Provide ongoing communication to keep

interest Keep a flexible but manageable timeline with

due dates Human Resources can facilitate the program. Encourage voluntary participation and

celebrate participation

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Reminders—from Perspective of DAAS Director

Knowledge Management is a “work in progress” It will be necessary to update documents annually for

relevancy Organization of files (print and electronic) is an

important component requires further study, time and tools

Taking time for ‘Knowledge Management” will only grow in importance as our workforce ages and we see a rise in retirements

 

Next Steps Show of hands - what departments would

like to set-up something similar? Any departments that have taken any

steps to start a program? What resources do you need to move

forward? What questions do you have at this point?

DHHS Excels Workforce Planning and Development Sub Committee

Lynn Freeman, HR Consultant OSP