Knowledge Transfer Concepts Presented by the Human Resources Division Department of Administration & Information - Human Resources

A & I Human Resources Department Workforce Planning The process of ensuring that the right people are in the right place at the right time to accomplish the agency’s mission. Workforce planning is a systematic process for identifying the addressing the gaps between the workforce of today and the human capital needs of tomorrow. Management uses this framework to make staffing decisions and related investments based on organizational missions, strategic plans, budgetary resources, and desired workforce competencies. A & I Human Resources Department

Why Workforce Planning? Helps accomplish agency mission more effectively and efficiently Helps ensure replacements are available to fill important vacancies Provides realistic staffing projections for budget purposes Helps agency retain institutional knowledge Workforce planning is grounded in the benefits to managers. Workforce planning provides managers with a strategic basis for making human resource decisions. It allows managers to anticipate change rather than being surprised by events, as well as providing strategic methods for addressing present and anticipated workforce issues. A & I Human Resources Department

State of Wyoming Workforce Planning State agencies are encouraged to develop a strategic view of human resource needs, including the development of a workforce plan, with the assistance of the division of personnel, to address the future needs of the state agency. Knowledge management is critical to successful workforce planning. A & I Human Resources Department

State of Wyoming Workforce Planning …it is essential that managers in all state agencies anticipate and plan for the eventuality of retirement of the state’s seasoned workforce in a manner that does not undermine the state’s workforce or create morale problems among less experienced staff who are preparing for promotional opportunities created by retirement of their co-workers. Knowledge management and knowledge transfer are key components of workforce planning and are an integral parts of strategic planning. The knowledge transfer plan: Identifies the knowledge that must be transferred Describes the methods that will be used to transfer the knowledge Identifies to whom the knowledge will be transferred (person, group) Provides a clear time frame for the knowledge transfer process A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Knowledge Management A systematic approach to finding, understanding and using knowledge to achieve organizational objectives. Consists of deciding: What is to be shared With whom it is to be shared How it is to be shared Sharing and using it A & I Human Resources Department

Types of Knowledge: Tacit Knowledge that people carry in their heads. It is difficult to access and most people are not even aware of what they possess or how it is of value to others. It provides context for ideas, experiences, people, and places and is not easily captured. Examples: Who to go to with questions about a specific topic Where to find resources Memory of a similar incident in the past – what worked, lessons learned A & I Human Resources Department

Types of Knowledge: Explicit Structured – Data elements that are organized in a particular way for future retrieval, e.g. documents, databases, spreadsheets Unstructured – Information not referenced for retrieval, e.g. emails, images, audio or video selections A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Knowledge Transfer The process of sharing knowledge between one person and another If knowledge has not been absorbed, it has not been transferred Additional information available in the NASPE workforce planning site. The report provides information on which methods other states are using as well as the effectiveness of the methods. It also has resource information and contacts listed in the back of the report. A & I Human Resources Department

Knowledge Transfer Tip #1 Managers may have some knowledge transfer methods already in place Consider using those methods as the foundation for the knowledge transfer plan If there are any you are already doing in your agency or work unit. Jot these down; they may be the beginning of the knowledge transfer plan. A & I Human Resources Department

Knowledge Transfer / Management Strategies Job Aids Mentoring Programs Process Documentation Best Practice Meetings or Studies Communities of Practice Retirees on Retainer Job Shadowing Expert Systems Critical Incident Reviews Electronic Performance Support System Storyboards Storytelling Double fills Document Repositories Job Rotation Knowledge Fairs Knowledge Maps Structured On the Job Training Many methods for knowledge transfer – these are some of the most commonly used in government 18 total Next, we will go into the methods in more detail. Also provided are the knowledge transfer tables. A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Job Aids Anything that helps people perform in real time. Knowledge can be stored in the job aid and accessed through low-tech methods by performers when the need arises. What are some job aids that you are using? A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Mentoring Programs Mentors offer advice in a situation on what to do, how to do it and why it is worth doing. A mentor is an experienced performer and rarely the mentee’s supervisor, since effective mentors should have no performance management interest in the development of another person. This method was also reported as widely used and effective in the NASPE survey results. Strongly encourage: Formal mentoring program with contract (written agreement of duration, goal) Mentor is outside chain of command / supervisory chain A & I Human Resources Department

Process Documentation Process documentation involves flowcharting how work is performed. It may include special variations in what performers should do or how they should do it based on special circumstances such as deviation from norms. Example: Operating Procedures Manual A & I Human Resources Department

Best Practices Meetings or Studies Best practices meetings or studies look for different processes or systems to perform work that have had measurable success and effectiveness and are likely transferable. Best practices are found in a variety of ways; through meetings of similar functional groups, polling employees or surveying for best practices. Recommend: Identify the practice to be researched up front Keep the project achievable with clearly defined parameters and goals Focus on gathering and sharing information rather than making decisions or taking action A & I Human Resources Department

Communities of Practice A community of practice is a group that comes together to share information about a common problem, issue or topic. Such communities may meet in person or online; critical incidents or best practices are often discussed at these meetings. Communities of Practice may meet formally, informally or both. Can include membership in a professional organization. Communities of Practice typically focus on gathering and sharing knowledge. A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Retirees on Retainer Retirees on retainer is typically having experts available to train or share specialized knowledge. What are the State’s limitations when agencies want to re-hire retires? The NASPE survey results showed that states were not using this method. This is more often practiced in the private sector. It can be costly and must have clearly defined goals, time frames and parameters. A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Job Shadowing A less-experienced performer is paired up with a veteran performer to transfer knowledge. The veteran is asked to share knowledge (and perhaps hands-on practice) in dealing with everyday problems in addition to the most difficult situations he or she has faced on the job. This knowledge transfer method is commonly paired with clerical and technical level positions. It can be used quite effectively, however, at the professional and managerial level. Coaching is a key to successful knowledge transfer. The veteran performer must be competent in coaching and in knowledge transfer. Example: New supervisor attends veteran performer team meetings and critical incident reviews to observe technique and process. A & I Human Resources Department

Critical Incident Reviews A critical incident is a difficult situation. By documenting the critical incident experiences for the organization’s most experienced performers, the organization can capture lessons for knowledge transfer. Document difficult cases and how handled. Also lays the foundation for an expert system. Questions often asked: What happened as a result of your actions? If confronted again with this situation, what would you do? Focuses on finding root cause or causes which are often process issues that result in performance issues. A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department Story Telling A story is a description of what happened in a situation. If you hear “what really happened” you are hearing a story. Story telling can be a most effective way of transmitting wisdom from one person to another. Storytelling according to Rothwell, most wisdom passed on in an organization is through storytelling. Storytelling is typically unstructured and informal. A key component to story telling is the debrief process where the story is tied to the key learning point. A & I Human Resources Department

Document Repositories A collection of textual showrooms that can be viewed, retrieved and interpreted both by humans and by automates. A document repository adds navigation and categorization to the information stored. Examples: Reading Files Subject Files Employee Records Resource Libraries Online resource pages A & I Human Resources Department

Structured On the Job Training Instruction takes place on the actual job site, usually involving learning skills or procedures in a hands-on manner following a defined structured learning process. Commonly referred to as OJT. Important that a defined process is used with clearly established learning objectives and timeframes. A & I Human Resources Department

Knowledge Transfer Tip #2 Formalize existing processes. Keep the Knowledge Transfer Plan effective and appropriate to the work. Monitor and evaluate the plan to ensure the knowledge truly is transferred. As we discussed earlier, you may already have successful knowledge transfer methods in place. By identifying and documenting them, you can lay the foundation for your knowledge transfer plan. A & I Human Resources Department

Roles & Responsibilities Agency Managers Identify critical components and KSA’s Develop Knowledge Transfer Plan Assure Plan is accomplished HR & A & I Consultants Assist managers in identifying KSA’s Assist managers in developing Knowledge Transfer Plan Available for ongoing consultation Briefly go over roles and responsibilities here Then discuss knowledge management and knowledge transfer concepts Come back to roles and responsibilities with more detail via questions and answers segment. A & I Human Resources Department

A & I Human Resources Department “Knowledge is the most important raw material of government; working with knowledge is its most important process; and knowledge is what citizens expect government to provide.” Thomas A. Stewart Editorial Director Business 2.0 Magazine A & I Human Resources Department