Transcript Petrides keynote

Knowledge Management
in Higher Education:
Creating Accountability from Within
Lisa Petrides, Ph.D.
Institute for the Study of Knowledge
Management in Education
Knowledge Management:
A Working Definition
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A human-centered, organization-wide
approach to knowledge sharing and learning
The conscious integration of people,
processes and technology to collect, share,
and use information that builds organizational
capacity for continuous improvement
Ultimately,transforming what an organization
knows into how it acts
The “Roach Motel” Model
“Roaches (data) check in, but they can’t check out”
The “It’s Right Here in My
Files” Model
The “Hording” Model
The “Reinvent the Wheel” Model
A Few Knowledge Management
Building Blocks
What Is This?
Data
Information is Data
in Context
Knowledge Used to Inform
Decisions or Take Action
The D-I-K-A Model:
Provides Continuous Feedback
Data
Information
Action
Knowledge
Core Resources: People,
Processes, and Technology
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People’s attitudes, behaviors, and the
role of management
Organizational processes, policies,
and structures
Technology and information systems
People, Processes, and
Technology
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It is people who access data, place
information in context, and create and
share knowledge
Knowledge within an organization can be
tacit as well as explicit, often with tacit
information as “institutional memory”
“For those of you who don’t know Mr. Ingham—
he’s our institutional memory.”
People, Processes, and
Technology
Challenges
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Lack of leadership support for data
access and sharing
Data use perceived as threatening
Information overload
People, Processes, and
Technology
Knowledge Management Approach
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Provide incentives for people to share
and use what they know
Identify and improve management
styles and patterns of behavior
Provide means for transforming tacit
knowledge into explicit knowledge
People, Processes, and
Technology
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Organizational processes, policies, and
structures can either inhibit or enhance
the sharing of information and
knowledge
These processes influence individual
behavior, which lead to establishment
of organizational norms and behavior
People, Processes, and
Technology
Challenges
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Need for better analysis of existing
data and information
Insufficient internal research capacity
Fragmentation and lack of
coordination across functions and
departments
People, Processes, and
Technology
Knowledge Management Approach
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Identify patterns of information use
(and non-use)
Establish and promote processes
that encourage the use and sharing
of information
Develop processes and structures
that disable information silos
Disabling an Information Silo
People, Processes, and
Technology
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Technological advances—such as data
warehousing—can make data much more
accessible, particularly for non-experts
However, the implementation of technology
itself does not promote the use of data,
particularly among those less familiar with
information technology
People, Processes, and
Technology
Challenges
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Data perceived as unreliable
Inadequate, unreliable, or
disconnected information systems
Insufficient technology support
People, Processes, and
Technology
Knowledge Management Approach
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Involve end-users in system design
and implementation processes
Promote information systems that
span departments rather than serve
to reinforce divisions among them
The Result:
A Culture of Inquiry
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Access to reliable data to measure and
assess
Effective information use and sharing
Create and share knowledge crossfunctionally to ask questions and solve
problems proactively
Turn knowledge into action as a means to
improve outcomes, performance, or
effectiveness
Knowledge Management
Is Not…
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An isolated approach
A quick fix
Ready-made for your college campus
A new campus-wide information system
A way to control or define what knowledge “is”
Something you can buy from a vendor
Research Questions at the Intersection of
People, Processes and Technology
People
Research
Questions
Processes
Technology
Types of Questions Associated
With Research on KM
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How can a college improve the way
information systems are used in decisionmaking?
Are there incentives on campus for people to
share what they know across departments?
Are external demands for information aligned
with internal needs for information?
How do accountability mandates affect
institutional practice?
Why Should We Bother?
Internal Motivators
 Improved student learning outcomes
 More informed decision-making
 Financial goals (increased efficiency)
External Motivators
 Accountability mandates
 Accreditation processes
 Perceptions of public needs
How Would You Know
If You Saw It?
A conscious
integration of
people, processes
and technology to
collect, share, and
use information
that builds
organizational
capacity for
continuous
improvement
How Would You Know
If You Saw It?
People
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Management that encourages data and
information use
Resources available to bring faculty and
staff together to analyze and discuss data
Culture of inquiry that promotes asking
questions, finding answers, and taking
action
How Would You Know
If You Saw It?
Processes
 Practices in place that clearly relate how
data and information analysis advances
the overall mission
 Data collection priorities span across
departments
 Professional development that helps
people use and analyze data for
practical decision-making
How Would You Know
If You Saw It?
Technology
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New information technologies supported
through adequate resourcing
Faculty and staff included in information
technology design and implementation
Wide access to data and information in
easy to query formats for non-experts
Conclusion
Building Trust and Accountability
Using a knowledge management
approach allows colleges to develop:
 Opportunities
to define their own terms
of success
 People, processes, and technology to
measure and guide improvement
 Ability to present their successes to
external stakeholders
Discussion (Q & A)
Contact me: [email protected]
More information: www.iskme.org