Welcome to the latest issue of The Source for KM Professionals.

In this issue, Nick Milton explains the benefits of focused versus unfocused KM strategies, suggesting you should move from reactive learning and problem solving, to proactive learning and problem avoidance.

Best regards,

Alex Manchester, Editor
alex.manchester@melcrum.com

Reactive strategies and procative learning
When initially developing a KM strategy, few organizations define exactly what is the most important knowledge that they should be managing.

Because of this lack of “high-grading” knowledge, KM strategies are often categorized as unfocused or semi-focused. These strategies will generally add value to an organization, but they’re reactive strategies, defined by the concept of learning after an issue has arisen, rather than seeking knowledge to prevent issues arising at all, which is defined as proactive learning.

What is focused KM?
Focused KM is where an organization defines in advance the knowledge of greatest value, and focuses on this knowledge, proactively setting up learning systems to acquire it.

Focused KM systems have added value over unfocused and semi-focused strategies. By focusing on the 20% of the knowledge that delivers the 80% of the value, they maximize the rate of return on your KM investment.

By identifying high-value knowledge in advance of operational activity, a team can then put in place interventions to acquire that knowledge. They can “learn before” an activity, and use the knowledge they gain to avoid problems in advance. In comparison with unfocused and semi-focused KM, focused KM is defined by:
• Proactive learning – not reactive learning.
• Active learning – not passive learning.
• Problem avoidance – not problem solving.

Reducing the learning curve
Proactive and focused learning, where a team or project actively seeks the key knowledge it needs before starting work, can result in a dramatic reduction or even elimination of the learning curve. The team no longer needs to start at the top of the curve – they can start lower down, or even at the bottom (if all the required knowledge is already available). Thus, you save valuable time and money in your project.

Excerpted from, Filtering an organization’s critical knowledge, by Nick Milton, in the March/April 2007 issue of KM Review.

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! If you have any comments or opinions on The Source for KM we'd like to hear from you! E-mail me at: alex.manchester@melcrum.com

LIKE THIS? WANT MORE? Get similar monthly e-newsletters on communication, technology and HR to complement your subscription to The Source for KM. For more information visit Melcrum.

Back to top