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Activity-based Knowledge Mapping is a tool which enables knowledge
inputs and outputs to be linked in a systematic fashion to ongoing
organisational activities and processes - from office mail to strategic
reviews. Activity-based knowledge mapping enables tasks and activities
to be in terms of both the overall organisational process - to understand
how activities are ordered and why - as well the requirements and
dependencies for an activity - who performs the activity, what inputs
are required and how knowledge and information flows support the
tasks.
This results in a series of diagrams that visually display knowledge
within the context of a business process. In other words, the map
shows how knowledge is currently used within a given process and
sources of this knowledge, and points to how improvements can be
made. If undertaken and applied correctly, activity-based knowledge
mapping and workflow approaches can help to identify key activity-based
priorities for improving knowledge and information flows within
a group or department.
Detailed description of the process
Activity-based knowledge map is created in a facilitated
workshop, which will vary in length depending on the nature of process.
The key steps are as follows:
Determine the process to be analysed: The workshop should
start with open discussion of the process and a brainstorm of the
different activities making up that process. This process brainstorm
may be undertaken prior to the workshop to save time, with the details
of the process provided for comments to the workshop participants.
Prioritise key activities and focus the discussion around
key activities. Factors to consider in prioritisation are: the number
of people across the organisation involved in undertaking an activity;
the effectiveness or otherwise of the activity; the 'tacit' knowledge
needed to undertake the activity; etc.
 Map
key activities: Using the template provided, analyse each of
the priority activities and fill in the relevant boxes, using the
following guidelines.
- The name of a given task or process (e.g. dissemination) should
be entered into the central box. Distinct sub-activities should
be entered below.
- Then consider the main resources or inputs needed to carry
out this task. Enter these and any specific attributes (e.g. 'through
management guidance' etc.) in the boxes on the left. Include people
as well as departments, documents, knowledge etc.
- Now list the outputs generated through this activity in the
right-hand box, again with important attributes, in particular
trying to identify how the activity has 'added value' to the inputs.
- There are then four related boxes to fill out: first, the main
users and uses of the outputs; next, the systems and tools that
support the activity; then, any critical dependencies; and finally,
organisational and management issues.
- Pointers: within each box, order each item in terms of its
relative importance. If different outputs relate to different
people, systems etc., linking arrows may be useful.
Analyse findings: Invite participants to analyse the activity-based
knowledge map, using probing questions, such as: What knowledge
seems most critical to this process? What knowledge is missing?
Application of findings: Brainstorm how the knowledge maps
can be used to make improvements in activities across the organisation.
Identify applications as individual, group or team, and organisation
wide. Conclude with an action plan, documenting tasks, owners, and
timeframes.
Key points/practical tips
Facilitation: The facilitator should be expert in group
facilitation and knowledge mapping techniques, and have expertise
in the development of business processes.
Ownership: A senior staff member should be assigned as a
responsible owner for the end product. This person should be committed
to achieving the result, and be willing to allocate resources (people
and money) both to the workshop and the work afterwards. Champions
should be identified within the workshop. Assign responsibility
to a working group and provide them with the necessary authority
to make changes internally, and to represent the group or department
when dealing with organisation-wide constraints or bottlenecks.
The analysis phase of the workshop is crucial to the success
of the effort. The facilitator needs to formulate questions that
provoke answers enhancing the knowledge map and that also help to
define and develop the deliverable.
 Example:
Knowledge Audit at ODI
As part of a Knowledge Audit
at ODI, teams of administrators were brought together to reflect
on the knowledge they use that is most important to organisational
life. This was an important process because administrative knowledge
is frequently undervalued and, further, there are not very many
effective way of mapping it. The participants decided to focus on
two main areas of work: 'bid development' and 'dissemination', and
used activity-based knowledge mapping to identify the key inputs
and outputs for these processes, as well as ideas for how this should
be taken forward. The figure (right) shows the 'dissemination of
research knowledge' template, as filled out by participants. As
a result of this workshop, a working group was formed to take forward
the recommendations, and to help the administrators work together
better. There was also greater clarity on the 'must haves' for the
knowledge management strategy, and 'administrative knowledge' was
accorded a primary place in the strategy, alongside the more obvious
research-based knowledge.
Sources and further reading
- View this as pdf
(
65kb)
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