The Top Five KM Myths

Welcome to the Source for KM Professionals, 31 May 2007.

In the forthcoming issue of KM Review, the main theme is that of efficient, effective and integrated learning – in your processes, within teams and as individuals.

But what of learning the basics of KM itself? Too often with KM programs and initiatives, the same mistakes are made, the same misconceptions conveyed and, all too frequently, the same failed outcome is the result. What mistakes can you avoid? Ed Rogers, chief knowledge officer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, has created a list of his top myths of KM, highlighting the reality that underpins each myth, and offering a potential solution to each issue. Here are the top five.

5. KM can be independent of the business process
Myth: KM can be delegated to support people outside of the business process who will “do KM” for us.

Fact: KM only works when it is part of the business process, not an afterthought or “only of value to others or in the future.”

You can: Help KM catch on with your project managers by showing the value of KM to their project cost, schedule and performance. This can only be done by viewing KM as a learning practice – not just a capture practice.

4. Communities of practice can be established by the top
Myth: CoPs can be established and their benefits obtained by simply assigning people to CoPs and telling them to share and function as a community.

Fact: People join groups they establish an affinity with. CoP efforts recognize where the groups are forming and facilitate their formation, growth and sustainment.

You can: Stop trying to create the look of KM success on paper and facilitate people actually doing KM in groups, workshops and training.

3. KM is about centralizing knowledge content to use it more efficiently
Myth: Eliminating local databases, unifying datasets and centralizing knowledge will cause more efficient use of knowledge.

Fact: Centralized knowledge is no one’s knowledge. Locally owned knowledge is cared for, validated and used more effectively than centralized lessons learned systems.

You can: Set high level expectations but allow for local level solutions where the innovation and energy lie. Focus on sharing among people and systems and not on control of knowledge.

2. KM is really about databases
Myth: Getting information into databases means that knowledge will be used because the problem is a lack of knowledge capture.

Fact: A database supposes that someone has a question worth answering. Good KM results in more good questions not simple answers.

You can: Look at databases as reference tools for learners and focus on doing things that foster learning and drive the requirements for database sets. Then build to requirements.

1. KM is an IT function and should be given to the chief information officer
Myth: Building fancy web portals will attract people to use them and they will be tricked into doing KM without realizing it.

Fact: IT people provide IT solutions. KM is not an IT problem. Perhaps 90 percent of IT money spent on KM is wasted on things not needed.

You Can: Stop giving money to IT vendors with fancy charts, little KM understanding and no content. Spend more time defining the problem, designing an architecture and launching learning practices. Have a vision.

Best regards,

Alex Manchester, Editor
alex.manchester@melcrum.com

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