How KM underpins innovation: Lessons from the field

It's increasingly apparent that one of the most important priorities right now for knowledge managers is helping their organizations to become more innovative. Knowledge creation has always had attention; but often, greater priority has been given to maintaining existing stocks of knowledge or enabling more effective flows of knowledge between diverse groups.

With that in mind, the Henley Knowledge Management Forum has recently completed an eighteen-month research project to understand how more effective KM can enable more effective innovation.

In the forthcoming July/August issue of KM Review, Dr Christine van Winkelen and Wendy Jordan of the British Council discuss their findings in an article packed with real-life examples.

They outline six factors that work synergistically to create "knowledge-enabled innovation". These factors, say the authors, "need to be treated as a holistic system". They are:

1. Internal collaboration
   One organization that contributed to the research – a medical charity – is using message board technology to connect disparate groups and allow them to ask each other for assistance. Another, a high-tech company, uses HR mechanisms such as the performance management system to demonstrate to employees that knowledge-sharing is highly valued by the organization.
   
   
2. External collaboration
   The knowledge management activities that are being used to help improve the capacity to collaborate externally include an R&D firm that gives external partners access to parts of its knowledge content management system and a construction design firm that includes customers and partners in after-action project reviews.
   
   
3. Creating a learning organization
   One example of a formal approach to creating a learning organization is a CEO's "prize system" in an R&D organization that tangibly rewards innovation. A design firm in the construction industry, meanwhile, prioritizes the open discussion of organizational values and culture-building efforts, making clear that the company’s relationship with customers benefits from a "continuous improvement" mindset.
   
   
4. Re-using existing knowledge
   A consultancy-based business involved in the research has demonstrated that it values knowledge re-use by setting up a KM charge code for time spent writing knowledge briefs. Another has created an infrastructure to increase the circulation of information on "what is and isn't working" and another captures stories of failure to help risk analysis in future.  
   
   
5. Learning from innovation activity
   A good example of an organization with a high level of competence in this area is a medical research charity that uses sophisticated approaches to measure the quality of the science innovation that it funds, as well as launching initiatives to learn about what fuels the creativity of individual researchers.
   
   
6. Recognizing opportunities to innovate
   A good example of an organization that has worked to develop this capacity is a dedicated research establishment that is seeking "impossible problems" in order to provide opportunities for radical innovation. A "technical director community", collaboration mechanisms and knowledge content management systems all ensure that the opportunities can be evaluated quickly and effectively.

Until next time,

Jessica

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