A strategy for deploying Knowledge Management within UNDP

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Knowledge Management

• A strategy for deploying Knowledge Management
  within UNDP

EE Practice Workshop Mali June 21, 04 Iyad
Abumoghli
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Knowledge Management cycle
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Context

• Getting UNDPs collective development knowledge
  to the right people, at
  the right time!
• UNDP has a clear mandate to become a world-class
  Knowledge Management (KM) Organization in the
  field of Development.
• ATLAS has been adopted as a core system to
  support operational decentralization and boost
  staffs efficiency. The KM project is now
  expected to become UNDPs primary focus.

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KM Vision
UNDPs fundamental goal is to become a
world-class knowledge management (KM)
organization creating the best Development
products for its governmental clients.

• We want UNDP to become a knowledge organisation,
  quickly

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• UNDPs KM Vision Cuts Through Binary Choices

• UNDP will also be product-driven. UNDPs
  mission is also Thought Leadership
• UNDPs KM Delivery will also be recognized for
  its quality.
• UNDP will also constantly mine the KOs generated
  by the field COs (best practices)
• UNDP will monitor the value assigned by its
  customers to its delivered KOs.

• UNDP will be client-centric.
• UNDPs KM Delivery will focus on speed.
• UNDPs Knowledge Objects (KOs) will be generated
  by HQ (position papers, expert advice, etc.)
• UNDPs KM Delivery will continue to be
  non-chargeable

AND
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The Knowledge-enabled Country OfficeUNDP as the
e-Development Advisor of Choice
The KM vision is about big changes and instilling
a constant focus on delivering valuable research
into UNDPs everyday practices
The Internet and specific KM technologies provide
the UNDP with the opportunity to create virtual
communities of practice between governments,
donors, the research community, and international
development organizations resulting in a
environment where each Country Office is the
center and repository of our collective
Development knowledge
Web Content Mgmt. Search Engine Portals
Personalization, multi-channel access and
on-demand access to specialists are key aspects
of that vision
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KMs Current State

• UNDP has already gathered components of a KM
  Organization
• 1. Content Management
• Practice Areas established
• SURFs established
• Base taxonomy introduced
• Knowledge Objects introduced in PeopleSoft
  (e.g., project templates)
• Communication/Branding effort initiated
• 2. Tools Technology
• Search Engine and Content Management System
  selected
• e-Documentation project launched
• Knowledge Management Portal launched
  (PeopleSoft)
• 3. Staff/Process Alignment
• Practice Mapping established
• Talent Management process established
• Virtual Development Academy launched
• Practice Area established and SURF staffing
  completed

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Plotted along these five axes, UNDPs KM current
state shows both progress to-date and the
remaining gaps
1. Content
Management
Content Mgmt. Processes and
Specific Functions (e.g., Editorial) not in place
5. Overall UNDP
Base Taxonomy
Infrastructure
2. Tools
SURFs
and Technology
Connectivity
To all COs
E

-
KM Tools not operational
Practice Areas
Learning
Center
Search
Documentation
Engine
System
Knowledge
Content Mgmt.
Networks
Practice
Communities
Specialists Staffing
Practice Mapping
Portals,
Communities
still in infancy
Incentives are not aligned
HR processes not all operational
3. Staff/Policy
4.
Alignment
Communities
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Phase 0 Deliverable- March 31, 2004
Knowledge Management Phase 0 Table of Contents

• Overall KM architecture design
• Detailed design documents
• - per initiative
• High-level KM policies and procedures
• Overall timeline and phases. Detailed workplans
• Staffing/resource plan (onetime and ongoing)
• Regionalization Plan
• Budget projections (onetime and ongoing)
• Communication Plan
• Proposed Project Structure (going forward)
• Funding Plan
• Donor presentation business case

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• 3 options a) Incremental b) Phased approach
  c) Big Bang approach

• Some said Lets go for the Big Bang
• Other said The organisation is tired after ERP

KM scope
Big bang
Phased
Incremental
Time
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Our consultations showed that UNDP staff are both
cautious and excited by Knowledge Management

• Examples of staff quotes from workshops and
  presentations

Lets build on existing tools that work - like
the knowledge networks
It will be difficult for me to produce knowledge,
but I would like to use it
We are already over-worked
I am all for KM, but I am not sure my RR is
Can we apply the principle about no addition
without subtraction?
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Guiding principles

• Build on our successful experiences
• Take advantage of lessons learned from other
  organizations
• Knowledge services should be demand-driven and
  geared to improve business process
• KM must promote team work and cross-functional
  collaboration
• Test through regional pilots learn roll-out
• Focus first on UNDP staff later on external
  clients and partners
• Follow the a professional services model (e.g.
  McKinsey)
• Measure, measure, measure focus on performance
  indicators