The Building Block Model for Knowledge Management

The advantages of the Building Block Model for knowledge management are clear: on the one hand, it structures the management process into logical phases and simultaneously offers approaches for intervention. On the other hand, it provides a search framework for identifying the causes of knowledge problems. The primary aim of knowledge management here is the organisation of knowledge to foster organisational success. The individual and their role as a knowledge holder take centre stage.

The model divides into two parts: an outer and an inner cycle. The outer cycle covers strategic steering tasks, while the inner cycle focuses on implementation. The elements of goal-setting (knowledge goals) and measurement (knowledge evaluation) form the outer cycle around the inner one. The inner cycle consists of the six core activities of knowledge identification, knowledge acquisition, knowledge development, knowledge distribution, knowledge utilisation and knowledge preservation. The Building Block Model for Knowledge Management depicts the planning, implementation and control phases.

Below you will find an overview of the individual building blocks of both the inner and outer cycles. We also show how you can integrate the Building Block Model for Knowledge Management into your organisation using a Social Intranet.

1. Knowledge Goals

Knowledge goals form part of the “planning” phase and give direction to knowledge management activities. They are divided into normative, strategic and operational knowledge goals, each addressing different activities. Normative goals set the guidelines for knowledge management and influence organisational policy as well as structural and procedural organisation. They therefore establish the framework for the organisation’s existence.

Strategic goals are derived from the normative goals of knowledge management and align themselves with long-term organisational objectives. Here, key knowledge domains are defined and priorities set. The aim is to actively use knowledge as a resource and integrate it into existing processes.

Operational knowledge goals support the implementation of normative and strategic goals in everyday organisational practice. They result in concrete measures, such as who completes what, by when and how. In this way, achievable goals are made concrete and a time frame is defined.

2. Knowledge Identification

For many organisations, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain an overview of their internal and external data, information and capabilities. The reason is a lack of transparency. To counter this, it must be clear where particular experts with particular expertise are located and on which projects they are currently working.

The first step towards greater transparency can be achieved with a Social Intranet. It supports systematic access to the organisational knowledge base and offers completely new possibilities. You can access your organisation’s internal electronic knowledge base much more easily and link different data types.

This makes it possible to quickly determine and illustrate which knowledge already exists. Staff can exchange information with one another quickly, ask questions, form topic groups and thereby find out where to locate what they need. Ultimately, however, the key role lies with the individual staff members. They must be willing to make their expertise available to others. To keep processes running smoothly, the structure of the Social Intranet must also be tailored to the needs of potential knowledge users.

3. Knowledge Acquisition

Organisations today face both a global explosion of knowledge and, simultaneously, increasing knowledge fragmentation. As a result, they are less and less able to develop all the expertise required for success solely from within. Fundamentally, organisations have various ways to acquire knowledge externally. They may, for example, draw on the knowledge of other organisations, stakeholder knowledge or the knowledge of external experts.

With a Social Intranet, integrating external knowledge into your organisation becomes straightforward. Thanks to the platform’s customised structure, there are numerous ways to involve external contributors. For instance, external staff can be granted access to specific areas such as expert groups. Their knowledge is thus incorporated into the organisation and provides an excellent foundation for effective collaboration between internal and external contributors.

4. Knowledge Development

The focus of the knowledge development building block is the creation of new capabilities, products and/or services, better ideas and more efficient processes. Organisations’ main priority here is the production and creation of new capabilities that do not yet exist, either internally or externally.

A Social Intranet is well suited for implementing this building block. Staff from different departments/areas can form groups and work together to generate knowledge. They can collaborate on projects from different perspectives and with different professional backgrounds. It is crucial that they have opportunities for intensive and fast-paced communication.

It is advisable to evaluate and review the collaborative process after some time. On the one hand, this is helpful for future projects, allowing misunderstandings and problems to be anticipated and avoided. On the other, the results can be made available to other staff. This allows them to see how the collaboration took place, which outcomes were achieved and what ought to be considered in subsequent teamwork.

5. Knowledge Distribution

Many organisations face the challenge of making isolated information or experience accessible to the entire organisation. Two central questions play a key role: firstly, who should know what, and to what extent; and secondly, how the processes of knowledge distribution can be made easier.

Knowledge distribution may serve a range of purposes:

• the simple multiplication of knowledge
• access to experience and gained insights
• simultaneous access to existing knowledge stocks and their transformation.

A Social Intranet supports and promotes these processes effectively. Many experts who were previously disconnected are now linked within a digital network. As a result, different knowledge bases can be utilised simultaneously across numerous parts of the organisation. Moreover, all staff can share their knowledge and experience easily via the Social Intranet.

6. Knowledge Utilisation

The aim and purpose of knowledge management is the productive use of internal knowledge within the organisation. For a long time, people felt uncomfortable using the capabilities or knowledge of “other” knowledge holders. Today, however, many organisations actively encourage the regular use of carefully developed knowledge by all staff.

A Social Intranet offers a solution that can be successfully integrated and provides intuitive value. Staff should be aware that they can both contribute their own knowledge there and use the knowledge of others. In this way, everyone benefits equally. Once users become accustomed to the Social Intranet, they will find it easy to utilise the available knowledge. It can be stored there without the need for long or complicated processes. Likewise, users no longer face major obstacles in accessing it.

7. Knowledge Preservation

Many organisations complain that they have lost parts of their organisational “memory” during reorganisation processes. But selecting what is worth preserving, storing it appropriately and updating it regularly must be handled deliberately. Every day, a wealth of experiences arise that may be valuable in the future and therefore should be preserved. These originate in many different places and are stored in equally varied ways.

With a Social Intranet, you have the opportunity to store all files centrally in one place. This reduces the risk of knowledge suddenly being lost when staff leave the organisation. Many Social Intranet solutions make it easy to update older versions of files. As a result, files are versioned and arranged chronologically. It is straightforward to identify the most recent version. A Social Intranet also allows key processes to keep running without great effort.

8. Knowledge Evaluation

Knowledge evaluation forms part of the outer cycle of the Building Block Model and is used to measure the success of the defined normative, strategic and operational knowledge goals. It corresponds to the “control” phase and can likewise be supported through the Social Intranet. Evaluations may be conducted, for example, to determine to what extent the knowledge goals have been achieved from the perspective of the staff. It is also possible to assess whether, and how frequently, staff use the Social Intranet to contribute to achieving the knowledge goals.

Ideally, the building blocks are processed in a cycle in the order shown. The process starts with the knowledge goals, with insights from knowledge evaluation feeding back into this building block. In practice, however, the building blocks are not viewed in isolation; rather, they form a closely interlinked chain of core processes. All of them play a role in knowledge management within organisations, though they may vary in their influence on the implementation of knowledge goals. Knowledge management and, with it, the Building Block Model for Knowledge Management, can be integrated extremely effectively into an organisation using a Social Intranet.