5. THE KM EVOLUTION
The improvement in
a process that had
collaboration added
was on average
23% with a
maximum of 82%
The improvement
in a process that
had collaboration
added was on
average 23%
with a maximum
of 82%
-McKenzie
5
PROPRIETARY &
CONFIDENTIAL
Source: McKenzie
6. WE BUILD BARRIERS TO GOOD KM
6
PROPRIETARY &
CONFIDENTIAL
Esteban Kolsky, Think Jar
Slide #2 - What’s TrendingTrends that are bringing KM back into focus include: The resurgence of knowledge in general.The continued growth in the number of multi-channel consumers.And the overall demand and availability of dynamic sales and services experiences
Slide #3 - Market Trend #1 - Knowledge ResurgenceIt's getting easier everyday to share what you know, which also means that it’s easier than ever to find answers. No matter what the question, there are multiple sources. Whether inside or outside of the enterprise, the emergence of communities and collaboration in general has moved us toward focusing on usable knowledge and even how we define knowledge. As our acceptance grows of the fact that most Subject Matter Experts exist outside the enterprise, we’re also embracing the fact that knowledge only reaches it’s full potential when it is shared freely. And as a result, we’re rethinking technology’s role.
Slide #4 - Market Trend #2 - Multi-Channel74% of consumers today use more than two channels. The ideas of delivering the right answer at the right time were much simpler when consumers stuck to 1 or two channels such as phone and email or chat. We integrated knowledge bases into those agent desktops and thus was born the ideas of central repository and single source of truth. It wasn’t always easy, but we used KM processes to make sure knowledge was properly vetted and maintained so we delivered the same answer regardless of Channel. But there’s a growing number of Channels that fall outside the control of our KM processes. And so there it is again, the explosion outside the enterprise in the creation of usable knowledge by a different type of subject matter expert. And there is the added wrinkle of how to incorporate the knowledge across all these touchpoints.
Slide #6 - KM EvolutionKM has been changing, and will continue to change. The 1:1 model was never sustainable. We just couldn't keep up. Not only were there more consumers than bodies in the enterprise, there was the multi-channel multiplier to contend with. That same was over before it started. Now we’re in a transitional era of Social Knowledge, where we’re doing everything we can to connect the enterprise’s front line to its SMEs so better answers can be delivered more quickly. We’re moving toward collective knowledge. The state where questions and answers move freely in the ecosystem and focus is more on locating the right expert, sharing knowledge, taking action on insight gained from these interactions, and then applying processes when appropriate instead of by default.
Slide #7 - We Build Barriers to Good KMTo get there however, we have break down the barriers that prevent sharing, that block access to Subject Matter Experts, and that mandate formal processes before knowledge is deemed usable. We need better access to ideas, and we need the benefits of everyone’s expertise in order to solve problems that everyone agrees need fixing. We have to resolve the disconnection between internal and external tools, we need tools that are highly usable, social in nature, built to scale. And we hear all the time that technology is not the answer. And even as a technologist, I agree with that statement. However, when we consider the scale and speed at which we have to operate, use of technology is unavoidable. So it’s up to us in technology to make sure our products can be part of the solution without getting in the way.
Slide #8 - An Answer EngineTechnology will have gotten it right when it’s equally accessible to everyone, both inside and outside the enterprise, whether you're sitting at your desk, in a coffee shop, or behind the wheel of a car. …when it enables communities without building walls. We’ll have gotten technology out of the way when a question can be asked without having to use a specific device, or worry about who to send it to, or where to send or post it. Technology will have done its part when in the blink of an eye someone with the right answer is aware of the question, and can share the answer from their current context.
Slide #9 - Technology On The HorizonPresence. We’ve been talking about presence for a long time, but it’s so important here because most people expect an answer within an hour, and that’s when they're being patient. So technology should tell us if an expert is even in a listening mode.Dynamic interests and expertise. This goes beyond what a user declares of themselves, and beyond endorsements from others. It’s based on the content and nature of a user’s actions. It understands that not all actions are equal, and that there’s more to content than being liked, followed, advanced, or even selected as a solution.Expertise recommendation engine so users aren’t limited to using a reputation model based on a handful of factors that are little more than # of answers, statuses, endorsements, and a cool selfie.Keep users in their current or preferred context. This means among other things, speech recognition but it also means allowing subject matter experts to respond effortlessly without having to switch apps.Allow structure when needed. We need to close the chasm and find a way for all the wonders of social to effortlessly coexist with things like templates, workflow, and security.