In Conversation with... Saju Sadasivan

Ever wonder how other knowledge and information (K&IM) professionals work? How did they get into K&IM and to their current position? You will get a glimpse in this interview series with K&IM professionals “In Conversation with...”, and perhaps even discover potential candidates for your career mentor.

To top it all, you can have a guess at the “two truths and a lie” question (answers will be shared in the following issue) and get to know the interviewee better.

June Huang, K&IM professional, CILIP K&IM group committee member, London, UK

In Conversation with Saju Sadasivan

Saju Sadasivan is a Knowledge Management Leader at Roche, one of the world's largest biotech companies. His current job title is People & Product Leader – Digital Strategy & Enablement. Saju and his team were the winners of the 2024 KM Knowledge Initiative of the Year Award.

Saju's journey in KM showcases his adaptability and diverse skill set. Despite starting from a mechanical engineering background, he transitioned to a Software Engineer role with the Indian IT Services and consulting company?Infosys. Later, he joined Infosys's client team in Switzerland. In 2011, he became a business analyst at Roche IT. In 2018, he joined Roche's Digital Transformation Office and has led KM initiatives since then. This journey also involved a significant relocation from India to Switzerland, where he is currently based in Basel.

Hearing about Saju's professional journey got me thinking about the evolution of information technology post-Y2K, the 2500-year-old quote by the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus, "there?is nothing permanent except change," and the development and growth of knowledge management in recent times.

What do you think? Let me know via [email protected]. You can contact Saju at [email protected].

Tell us two truths and one lie about yourself.

• ? ? ?I am allergic to chocolate.
• ? ? ?I have 30 first cousins.
• ? ? ?I co-founded two cricket clubs in Switzerland.

What is your current role?

I am a People and Product Leader in the Digital Strategy & Enablement team at Roche's Product Development organisation. As the Knowledge Management Leader, I lead a team of KM experts and spearhead the development and execution of a comprehensive long-term Knowledge Management strategy. This includes the implementation of the KM Ecosystem, which entails the products, services, and support organisations. I also serve as the Chair of the KM Council, a body that works towards enhancing knowledge management capabilities at Roche.

From where and how did you get here?

I started my career in 2003 at Infosys, where I honed my skills in information technology. During my tenure, I led global teams to meet the strategic technology requirements of our clients in Switzerland and made significant contributions to the success of their operations.

In 2011, I joined Roche's IT function. I collaborated closely with business partners and IT teams to lead projects in the Electronic Document Management Solutions portfolio, focusing on improving operational efficiency and user experience.

In 2018, I was promoted to Strategy Leader in the Digital Transformation Office at Roche. In this role, I developed cross-functional digital transformation strategies and business capability roadmaps for Enterprise Content Management and Knowledge Management.

Currently, I lead a dynamic team of knowledge management experts and am responsible for the strategic development and execution of knowledge management initiatives.

What is your current most significant challenge and project?

The most important project I am working on is implementing the Digital Workspace. The Digital Workspace is an innovative and personalised digital work environment that revolutionises how we work at Roche. Designed as a holistic and integrated employee engagement platform, it simplifies complex knowledge work, enhances scalability, and improves overall effectiveness. With its cutting-edge Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence capabilities, the Digital Workspace delivers a personalised user experience and accurately predicts our information needs. By providing a central hub for personalised information, it empowers Roche employees to save time, collaborate seamlessly, and tap into our collective knowledge.

The main challenge regarding knowledge management is culture and mindset. Employees feel insecure during business transformations and reorganisations and tend to hoard knowledge. We have a dedicated change management team looking into making the mindset shift needed to embed KM practices in our daily jobs. We are also working on other challenges related to the overwhelming increase in the volume of information, data quality, and externalisation of tacit knowledge.

What do you think the most significant element of your role will be in the next three years?

As the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to advance rapidly, it is evident that for any digital role, the most crucial aspect will be enhancing the collaboration and synergy between humans and AI systems. Specifically, we are working on improving the understanding and generation of natural language and providing more personalised responses based on individual user preferences and the context of the user 's work. Businesses will have to work with highly skilled people and state-of-the-art technologies to ensure success in this evolving landscape.

How do you think knowledge management and information management can work together?

The fields of knowledge management and information management are tightly interwoven. The effective integration of knowledge and information management can significantly enhance an organisation's ability to leverage its intellectual assets. They can work together in several constructive ways, such as:

• ? ? ?Mindset and culture: Cultivating a culture that appreciates the proper management of information and the active sharing of knowledge.
• ? ? ?Governance: Establishing principles and guidelines for capturing, storing, and managing information and knowledge.
• ? ? ??Life-cycle management: Adopting principles to ensure that information and knowledge are accurately captured, stored, and retired appropriately.
• ? ? ?Performance measurement: Establishing metrics and KPIs to measure the effectiveness of both information and knowledge management initiatives, such as data accuracy, retrieval times, and knowledge application rates.

What is the one piece of experience you would like to share with us?

It's essential to start by identifying and solving business problems rather than focusing on technology. Follow the principles of taking small steps, delivering value quickly, and scaling up. Getting the leadership's support is critical for the successful adoption of knowledge-sharing best practices. Also, try to avoid reinventing the wheel and instead focus on reusing existing solutions as much as possible. And lastly, involve the IT partners right from the beginning to ensure a successful implementation.