Managing Knowledge Assets for Continuous Learning in Major Projects

Major projects have very robust systems in place for managing physical assets yet management of intangible knowledge assets varies hugely with no common standard. Knowledge assets in the form of people, processes and IT can make or break a project and have a significant impact on productivity potential.  How do major projects ensure that their critical knowledge assets are being leveraged to best effect?

This post discusses how Knowledge Asset Management could benefit major projects, how it was informally used on learning legacies and how it could be used to ensure continuous improvement within major projects.

Knowledge Asset Management

Knowledge Asset Management as a methodology has been around since 2003 and was developed within two research projects – Know-Net and Lever, funded by the European Commission (1). It advocates treating knowledge as an asset and developing knowledge plans to manage these assets both at a strategic and a tactical level. I’ve only come across this methodology recently however I have used this general approach intuitively when planning and delivering the learning legacies for London 2012 and Crossrail (as described below). I am unaware of any major projects in the infrastructure or construction sectors that have yet taken this approach for knowledge management within the project but this structured approach could provide huge benefits.

Managing Knowledge Assets for Learning Legacies

Learning legacies were set up to ensure that the knowledge assets - lessons and good practice from London 2012 and Crossrail, were transferred into future major projects. For example, Crossrail identified TfL, Crossrail2, HS2 and Tideway as targeted projects but also more widely aimed at improving project initiation and delivery across the industry. I established a framework comprising:

At a strategic level, working with targeted projects and industry representatives to identify which of London 2012 and Crossrail knowledge assets would be of benefit, and then developing plans with knowledge champions across the projects to gather and disseminate this knowledge. At London 2012 this was at the end of construction however at Crossrail the first tranche of learning legacy was published nearly 3 years before construction completion.

At a tactical level, the tools, processes and training to capture, organise and publish knowledge through the learning legacy framework, public-facing website, speaker ambassador programme including webinars and other events, project to project peer assists and individual knowledge transfer processes.

Whilst learning legacies focused on transferring knowledge at an inter-organisation level, (ie, across industry) I can see the benefit of a wider application of knowledge asset management to drive continuous improvement within major projects incorporating both innovation and Lean/six-sigma disciplines.

Managing Knowledge Assets for Continuous Improvement

Knowledge Management (KM) should be an integral part of a major project’s systems as opposed to the add-on function it is often seen as. When used effectively it should be able to integrate people, processes and IT to deliver better project outcomes. Key to this is taking a strategic approach to KM identifying what knowledge is critical to the project and how it should be managed, working closely with the innovation and lean/six-sigma teams to address any gaps in knowledge or a focus for efficiency improvements.

Knowledge asset management systematically identifies across the major project what knowledge is required at a project level, a functional level (eg, safety, procurement, engineering, etc), a contract level (if the supply chain are engaged in KM) and even at an individual level if developed in partnership with HR (as has been used successfully within the Environment Agency). This is a process supported by the KM team but owned by the business/project teams and ensures alignment of knowledge management to business/project objectives . The resultant knowledge map enables management of these knowledge assets across the major project, whether they be human knowledge assets who have critical know-how or structural knowledge assets in the form of management system processes and best practice standards or market knowledge assets in the form of supply chain intelligence (1).   

Continuous Improvement – combining KM, Innovation and Six-Sigma

This systematic approach to identifying knowledge requirements enables gaps in knowledge to be clearly identified which can then be addressed possibly through recruitment, upskilling, through an innovation project, through process development/improvement using Lean and Six Sigma or perhaps through outsourcing. It also identifies risks to the organisation, eg, single points of failure in people knowledge - a good example is the number of people approaching retirement age in the nuclear industry.

I have received feedback on some of the innovation initiatives that are occurring on major projects that they are managing innovation from the bottom up – good ideas from the supply chain (which we know from PMI research on Crossrail adds value) but that there is no top down approach to identifying innovation requirements on major projects and that this is a missed opportunity. A strategic approach to KM supports a strategic approach to innovation.

Audit and Assurance

It is important that the performance of Knowledge Management as a function demonstrates added value to the business/project and hence regular evaluation is essential ensuring effectiveness and continuous improvement aligned to the evolving nature of the project. Knowledge plans created by dispersed leadership throughout the major project, ie, in the projects, functions and supply chain, can be reviewed and assured regularly as part of the standard quality management system review.  Use of the Knowledge Management Performance Indicator (discussed in a previous LinkedIn post) can be applied at a programme and functional level within the client team as well as at a contract level within the supply chain.

Benefits to Major Projects

I am convinced that this strategic and structured approach to management of a project’s critical knowledge and its incorporation into business and project systems will have significant benefits to major projects including:

• Effort focused on managing the right knowledge that support business and project objectives and enable better project delivery
• Strategic and coordinated approach to innovation and lean/six-sixma leading to increase in innovation and reduced waste and hence improved productivity
• Reduced risk of loss of knowledge through lack of understanding or planning
• Increased collaboration through proactive planning of knowledge capture and transfer as well as greater awareness of knowledge owners
• Knowledge planning dispersed throughout the programme into project and functional areas so KM becomes an integral part of the business/project rather than an add on function
• A central KM team focused on supporting project teams to deliver and providing tools to manage their knowledge to best effect.

References

1 Mentaz G, Apostolou D, Abecker A, Young R (2003) Knowledge Asset Management, beyond the process-centred and product-centred approaches. Springer