Here are some of the questions currently percolating:
1. How to ensure a KM impact for social business software
If a social business software is introduced within the organization with the specific purpose of improving internal communications, how can I make sure that the implementation also supports knowledge management?
a. I set up a KM community within the new platform and champion KM through that space, potentially replicating perceptions of KM as something the KM office does rather than something everybody should be doing (Big Foot approach).
b. I seed KM-related comments, suggestions, resources, etc.. throughout the various communities, turning myself into the annoying KM guru-wannabe who obviously has too much time on her hands.
c. I make sure not to refer to anything I do as KM and I actively participate in relevant communities, modeling the behavior I'd want to see from all employees with regards to KM (super-stealth approach).
2. Competition between Tools / Too Much of a Good Thing?
If a social business software is introduced within the organization when another tool (a wiki) is on the rise, will there be competition between the two sets of tools and how do you prevent confusion regarding the purpose of each tool?
a. Yes, there will be confusion unless the differences are clearly explained and the two tools are presented as complementary rather than competing.
b. People are going to be reluctant to learn two new tools. They'll insist on using one or the other because they already know how to use it, rather than pick the most appropriate tool for the task.
c. There's enough space for everyone to play in both playgrounds. I'm worrying too much and it's a non-issue.
d. It will take so much time to deploy this social business software that everyone will have already developed their space in the wiki and there will be little demand for the new tool.
3. We need PKM too, don't we?
I strongly believe that most people in organizations could use a little Personal Knowledge Management before jumping into Organizational Knowledge Management, yet talking about PKM is even less likely to be well received than KM. How do I push forward with what I strongly believe in?
a. Go to the KM boss (my boss) and suggest a PKM workshop or online course (yeah, right... I must have lost my mind for a second).
b. Build a PKM module on my personal page in the existing wiki and point people to it (add a link in my email signature as a starting point). Don't tell the boss, just do it.
c. Mention PKM in every single conversation until there's a buzz around the term and the top leadership decides we need one of those (just kidding!).
Related Resources
- Some lessons about capacity building in social media for development organizations in the South, January 24, Lasagna and Chips (blog)
There is a simple diagram in the post mentioned just above that struck me as on the spot and also reflects my perspective on KM. With KM and with social media tools, you can't build anything at the organizational level until you have a critical mass of individuals interested (practicing personal knowledge management and using social media for their own individual benefit).
