Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

change. In Project Study #9, an audit showed that most of a Utility’s critical knowledge had
been previously documented. Project Study #23 includes the questionnaire and process used
by the Utility to perform a knowledge audit.
But having needed information available is not enough. People have to know about it in order
to use it. The flow of data, information and knowledge across the Utility enables effective
decision-making and facilitates the connections and continuity that maintain Utility unity and
coherence. A method for assessing the effective flow of information through communication
and collaboration is social network analysis. Interviews and surveys are used to ask such
questions as: From whom do you seek work-related information? Is this person accessible to
you? Does this person respond in time to help resolve your problem? To whom do you give
work-related information? From the answers to these and similar questions a map is created
that connects people who receive information with people who provide the information. This
process allows the Utility to assess its ability to create and share knowledge through
connections, and identifies areas to improve these abilities. For example, the map resulting
from social network analysis identifies those who are central to the knowledge sharing process.
Then the following questions are asked: Should this individual be rewarded for the important
role they are playing OR is this individual hoarding information and bottlenecking knowledge
sharing and creation? What happens if this individual leaves?
As an example of the knowledge audit approach through one-on-one interviewing, the
Lehigh County Authority conducted an audit of staff-level managers. The audit allowed them to
determine critical knowledge areas and current knowledge and skill sets, and then identify
current and future gaps. They also identified the consequences of failure, that is, their inability to
complete any of the individual areas of responsibility identified due to lack of knowledge. See
the LCA Workforce Plan. An approach for personal knowledge mapping is provided in the
Learn@WELL Case Study.
Another process of connecting the dots is that of identifying strategies and initiatives
underway or recently completed that are similar to the KM strategies and initiatives proposed.
Because knowledge is at the core of what individuals and utilities do—and because there are
many committed people that are already moving in similar directions (no matter what they call
it)—the Utility can gain greater advantage by the linking and melding of similar strategies and
initiatives. Leveraging is a goal of knowledge management. The similarities and differences of
these strategies and initiatives—and how they complement each other—should be identified
and broadly shared to ensure full leveraging of all activities underway.
Building the Foundation
The document repository is the place where much of the information available to the Utility
decision-makers resides. Since the flow of information throughout the Utility is the life blood of
the organization, it is critical to ensure an integrated, connected, well-organized, and easily
searchable information system that supports access to information when it is needed. The
KnowledgeBase roadmap provides a framework for building the knowledge base in a specific
area of knowledge (for a specific community). The knowledge taxonomy, a structured set of
names and descriptions agreed-upon by the Utility, is necessary to organize information and
knowledge in a consistent way. The knowledge taxonomy is built on the knowledge ontology, a
conceptual framework that expresses a classification scheme. Together, development of a
taxonomy and ontology help ensure a common language and understanding across the Utility
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