Corporate memory / knowledge management

[cornflakegirl]

I've been asked to construct some sort of corporate memory / knowledge management system for my department. No idea why they've asked me, except that most of our other tracking systems are in Excel, so they probably figured this would be too.

There's no clear brief for this. We sell annual insurance policies, and so the things that we / our competitors / the economy were doing a year ago can have a big impact on how our customers view the prices we offer at renewal. And at the moment we don't have a systematic method for keeping track of these things - it's all in people's memories.

Has anyone used / does anyone use a system of this sort? Do you have any advice for me? The only knowledge management system I've used before was big, specialist, expensive, and not really very much more use than a proper network folder labelling system...

 

[MorganO]

At my organization in the Air Force (about 500 people) we are currently using a system called 'Sharepoint' which is a corporate level knowledge managment system developed by Microsoft and managed by a local group of programmers and administrators.

We also have a shared network drive that acts as an electronic filing system for our electronic records.

In addition, we have a physical filing system for hard copies of information.

Which is better? They each have their merits, but from long experience I've learned that any type of corportate knowledge system is only as good as the policies that govern how to access and maintain the system, as well as how well the people using the system adhere to these policies.

Overall, I beleive the physical system has worked the best for us, but the network drive system is slowly gaining acceptance as well. The sharepoint solution is still very buggy and I don't think enough people trust it to store their important information.

Hope this helps.

Owen

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

Hi Emma

Yes Sharepoint

I introduced Sharepoint in our organisation (shared services). We still operate office 2003 but there will be real benefits when (if?) we move to office 2007. More specifically I am referring to Sharepoint Collaboration.

I favour it hugely over the traditional "shared drives" because it offers a whole heap of other features / modules and it really gives control to YOU rather than a dedicated IT department. Obviously IT supply a level of support but it's down to you to customise, to keep it current etc... And it's sooooo easy to learn!

See here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/sharepointserver/HA101656531033.aspx

I am happy to elaborate on how we have put this to use and the benefits that it yields if you are interested. It may take me a couple of hours to jot it all down though

 

[Greg Truby]

I am happy to elaborate on how we have put this to use and the benefits that it yields if you are interested. It may take me a couple of hours to jot it all down though

Feel free to elaborate away, Jon. We are just now starting to use Sharepoint and what I know about it wouldn't fill a thimble.

 

[SydneyGeek]

I'd be interested to know too. I have recently seen some fairly powerful demos of what you can do wtih Sharepoint but have no hands-on experience.

Denis

 

[riaz]

I'd like to add my "me too" please. Could this become a sticky?

 

[cornflakegirl]

Yes please, Jon. Our MI department have mentioned Sharepoint before, so I think we have it, but I didn't know it was a KM tool.

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

You asked for it! Firstly I apologise that this isn't structured particularly well. Also I have so much more to add but I'm struggling a little to put pen to paper today.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o> </o>
For reference, this refers to Sharepoint Internal Content and Collaboration. This is particular to the set-up of Sharepoint in my organisation. It is the first time I have used Sharepoint and I'm still also quite new to this. I have alot more to learn on the topic! There are stacks of good websites and Sharepoint web forums so you can get alot more of an idea about what Sharepoint is all about.
<o> </o>
What it is:<o></o>

• Microsoft Product designed to integrate with office applications<o></o>
• Web-browser based interface<o></o>
• Content management platform<o></o>
• Cross-company collaboration tool<o></o>

<o> </o>
Benefits:<o></o>

• Enhanced control over files & folders – version control, check in/out etc.<o></o>
• Easy to configure read-write control<o></o>
• Reduced storage capacity – reduced duplication of content<o></o>
• Flow of information – control of publications and alerts<o></o>
• Organisation of users / groups based on process<o></o>
• Web-based – familiar interface<o></o>

<o> </o>
Cons:<o></o>

• Web-based – speed dependent on connection<o></o>
• Excel – some features are not available (shared workbooks for instance)<o></o>

<o> </o>
<o> </o>
Some of the features:<o></o>
<o> </o>
Document Libraries:<o></o>

• • Replaces conventional shared drives<o></o>
  • Supports complex user / group permission (at DL level or folder level)<o></o>
  • Supports meta data columns so that you can store more information against files (e.g. description, work stream etc) – also makes indexing / finding so much easier.<o></o>
  • Can house complex folder depth structures<o></o>
  • Allows check-in / check-out facility. User may be forced to check-out a document before editing. This let’s other users know that the file is being edited, and who is editing it.<o></o>
  • Version control (and comments). No need to house several versions of the same file. Changes are stored in a version history table. This yields capacity savings benefits as only changes are stored in the memory. Add comments to each version to keep up-to-date with developments.<o></o>
  • Document / folders alerts – users can subscribe to alerts (instant alert to changes, or daily / weekly summary of changes). Can be applied to individual files or entire directories.<o></o>
  • Various customisable views / use of filters, grouping and sorting facilities.<o></o>
  • Workflows – assigned to either file or entire directories.<o></o>
  • Synchronises with Windows Explorer (My Network Places) so again you can work with a familiar interface – although I don’t recommend this because you lose visibility of various components (meta data / check in and check out etc.)<o></o>

<o> </o>
Lists:<o></o>

• • Restrictions through user / group permissions<o></o>
  • Like web forms, but can be displayed in data sheet view.<o></o>
  • Validation control over different field types (date / lookup / user group / list / text [rtf])<o></o>
  • Facility to attach documents to list records<o></o>
  • Users can subscribe to alerts (changes to records, summaries of changes)<o></o>
  • Workflows<o></o>
  • Various different list types (issue tracking, surveys, calendar, attendance)<o></o>
  • Synchronises with Excel workbooks (like web query) – this means you could capture user inputs for models through the web)<o></o>
  • Various customisable views / use of filters, grouping and sorting facilities.<o></o>

<o> </o>
Calendar:<o></o>
o Restrictions through user / group permissions<o></o>
o Synchronises with MS Outlook and MS Excel<o></o>
o Add events / meetings (can link to meeting workspaces)<o></o>
o Various customisable views / use of filters, grouping and sorting facilities.<o></o>
o Users can subscribe to alerts (changes to records, summaries of changes)<o></o>
o Workflows<o></o>
o Facility to attach documents to calendar events<o></o>
<o> </o>
Surveys:<o></o>
o Various different question types (scaling / yes/no etc)<o></o>
o Sexy outputs (graphs)<o></o>
o Synchronises with MS Excel for even sexier survey reports<o></o>
o Facility for anonymous survey tacking<o></o>
<o> </o>
Etc…<o></o>
<o> </o>
Meeting Workspaces:<o></o>
o To manage meetings and events<o></o>
o Synchronises with MS Outlook<o></o>
o Tracks attendance<o></o>
o Facility to capture and track minutes / actions / agenda (for instance PA can attend and capture actions during the meeting for further distribution afterwards)<o></o>
o Facility to add complex document libraries for document storage<o></o>
o Supports re-occurring events<o></o>
<o> </o>
Various other modules such as Wiki’s Process Libraries, Forums (discussion board), Blogs etc….<o></o>
<o> </o>
<o> </o>
How we have applied it:<o></o>
<o> </o>
Gone back to basics! Set-up sites for each service line (I work in shared services so Accounting & Finance, Human Resources, Procurement, Mobility and Logistics, Risk Services etc…) Then set-up portals for each process group within each service line (for A&F AP, AR, GL etc..)<o></o>
<o> </o>
We completely disregarded existing shared drive folder depth structures. We looked at each process and identified where folders would be required to house content / files RELEVANT TO THE PROCESS ONLY. Our depth structures are a lot less complex because of good use of meta-data. I work within central finance and we have governance over all financial planning and reporting (and other stuff). Naturally all services lines have involvement in the financial planning & reporting (budgeting for instance). They are no longer given storage locations within their portals to save and manage budgetary content. For this they have to visit the Central Finance – Planning or Reporting portal. This ensures that content cannot be duplicated across the different service lines / departments. Another example; lets say I need to fill out a health and safety form. Historically I would have visited a folder on one of our (finance) own shared drives, now I would have to visit the Risk Services site, go to the Health and Safety portal and access the document from their Templates Document Library.<o></o>
<o> </o>
We have installed Meeting Workspaces for all of our reoccurring meetings (for instance review of monthly financial results). This is fully synchronised with my outlook calendar. As we review the results we capture minutes and actions, although not before checking that all of the previous meetings actions have been completed. The meeting workspaces house a document library and all store relevant files pertaining to the review. We do not capture a new file for each month’s results; simply we renew the file version so it is tracked as a single file with all the history available through the version control tables. We can open previous versions of the file as though they were completely independent files.<o></o>
<o> </o>
We use several different lists too. For instance all new IT calls are logged through a list (looks like a funky web form). This means that we no longer haphazardly send emails to our help desk. The list ensures that all relevant components (such as user ID, System etc) are captured when the call is raised. It also allows us to better monitor the call and make sure that it doesn’t get lost in the woodwork. Cost wise we are charged on call fulfilment basis, and we have noted in the past how calls are often closed without resolution (so some cost benefit their). It also allows us performance monitoring against <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on">SLA</st1lace>’s, so we can beat IT with a big stick when we have customer satisfaction reviews.<o></o>
<o> </o>
Another list used is attendance tracking (again it’s a funky web form but we can also display in datasheet view) so we always know who is where and more importantly – WHY!!! This helps us curb our travel expenses somewhat.<o></o>
<o> </o>
Further lists include travel bookings, stationary ordering, and various custom lists very specific to our process requirements. They all allow better co-ordination of the activities, better performance monitoring and tracking and avoid a large flow of emails cluttering the servers. I am really enjoying capturing data for my financial models through Sharepoint lists. I refer of course to data that isn’t captured within our financial systems. It means I don’t have to chase people to fill out spreadsheets. Business partners fill out web-forms (and they are prompted to through the alerts facility) and I simply right-click the table in my Excel model and hit refresh! Wicked!<o></o>
<o> </o>
We have used surveys, I would like to say that we have used them for customer and employee opinion surveys but that piece is outsourced. So you can see we have the tools to bring it back in-house and there is yet another opportunity to reduce some of our overhead by doing so.<o></o>
<o> </o>
All of our process documentation is now centralised in document libraries – I am even considering building a wiki to encourage best practise sharing. So much to do, so little time. <o></o>
<o> </o>
SHORT STORY:<o></o>
Sharepoint is very adaptable and easy to learn. The tool allows divisions/departments to take control of their own content where much of this has previously been managed by IT departments. More control for the user and easily monitored. It allows you to set-up a structure to support your core processes and introduce more systematic process management. Functions are no longer managed by individuals, it encourages TEAM WORK! It improves the transparency – because in an organisation like mine no one individual is ever particular to one process, we now have better clarity of the processes having set-up dedicated process areas/portals. We have several locations around the country (and world) and I must say that our relationships with our distant colleagues is much improved since we are all working on the same portals.<o> </o>
<o> </o>
<o> </o>
We have used so many other features but I meant it when I said I could spend hours jotting it down, so for now I hope this will do. We have one of the largest shared service centre's in the world so there has been alot of Sharepoint application here. Sorry again that this is so messy, I’m just soooo busy and this stuff goes through my mind faster than I can type. <o></o>

 

[Domski]

Sounds interesting, we're waiting for a full on Microsoft implementation starting next year at Leeds City Council. At the moment we use a combination of Novell, Lotus Notes and MS Office implementation. I've never really go on with Notes but that is mainly because we've never used it how it should be used and training is non-existent. I mentioned Sharepoint to the powers that be and it seems likely that we'll get an implementation of it at some point and from what you've described I think it would be very useful.

Dom

 

[cornflakegirl]

Thanks Jon, that's really interesting.

It all sounds very useful. I think the full implementation is quite a lot beyond my current brief, although I'm sure others on here will want to know more. However, when I followed your earlier link, I found the bit on Wikis, and I'm wondering if that would be the way forward for us. So thank you for the pointer!