Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

64 | Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water Utilities
most complex problems there is rarely enough right information or time to provide a definitive,
clean solution, finding solutions to complex problems becomes a creative act.
Decision-making refers to the selection of one or more alternatives generated by the
problem-solving process. Some key points to note concerning decisions are:
1. No decision is a decision.
2. All complex decisions involve values and judgments.
3. No one can predict the future.
4. Every decision is a guess about the future.
5. The quality of a decision cannot be measured by its outcome.
There are many ways to make decisions and just as many processes. But no matter what process is
used, there are some questions that should be considered before starting to make a decision. First,
who should make the decision? Then, if it is determined that a team should make the decision, how
will the outcome be measured? What is the type and degree of team interaction needed during team
decision-making discussions? Will the decision require creative thinking or analysis and logic? Do
all team members need to be present? Should outside experts participate in the process? Is facilitation
needed? Finally, what is the sequence of thinking that the team will go through to arrive at a
decision? As the environment becomes more complex, decision-makers at the point of action
(residing at all levels throughout the organization) must increasingly rely on their intuition and
judgment.
Implementation is the act of taking good decisions and turning them into actions and
changes that solve problems, satisfy customers, take advantage of new opportunities, and enhance
the image and value of the utility. Implementation is the most situation-dependent of the major
processes. The details of the actions required to achieve the desired results cannot be generalized.
However, there are a few points to remember. When individuals who have responsibility for implementation
are aligned with the decision, implementation becomes much more effective. Ultimately,
implementation is built on relationships and an understanding of the objectives and the environment.
Efficiency and clarity of communication, coupled with openness and a sincere concern to
share understanding and get participation, will help ensure success. The paragraphs that are covered
in this section on execution are specifically concerned with the implementation of KM strategies
and initiatives.
Knowledge Capture
What we refer to as knowledge capture is actually the capturing of information that can
then be used by decision-makers to create knowledge. Information can be captured in many ways.
For example, every time utility workers develop white papers, research papers and reports, they
are capturing their knowledge in the form of information which others can read and hopefully
understand. A large part of how well this information is understood is based on context and a common
language. These documents are then stored in information systems (with contact information
for the originators), and connected to similar and complementary information that can help build
a deeper understanding of when and how to use this information in future situations.
An approach to capturing lessons learned is after action reviews, real-time communication
vehicles that share understanding across the implementation team while also serving as lessons
learned for those who later read them, and assessment instruments for those who later analyze
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