How to develop a successful

KM strategy

Johannes Schunter
Policy Specialist, Knowledge Services
United Nations Development Programme, New York
The UN Development Programme

• 7,500 staff members in 150 countries

• “UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in
Sustainable development, Democratic Governance and
Peacebuilding, and Climate and Disaster Resilience”
• KM programme since 1999
• First corporate KM Road Map in 2004 (20% funded)
• Second corporate KM Road Map in 2007 (20% funded)
• First official KM Strategy 2009-2011 (100% funded)
• New KM Strategy 2014-2017 (80% funded)

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 2

„Knowledge Management is like herding cats“

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 3

Learning Objectives

A. Why a KM strategy, and which road to choose

B. How to go about developing a KM strategy
C. How to determine success of your KM strategy

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 4

Learning Objectives

A. Why a KM strategy, and which road to choose

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 5

What is a strategy?

A strategy is an informed, measurable decision about the direction

you wish to take, and the measures you will pursue to get there.
You define a goal, a destination or end state, and the strategy
describes how you will achieve it.

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 6

A KM strategy

KM Strategy

• Formulated Strategy Document

• Defines destination for KM in
your organization
• Determines steps for getting Who of you are
there working in an
• Strong KM branding organization who has
• Promotion
such a KM strategy?
• Plan for and allocate budget
and capacity

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 7

5 reasons to develop a KM strategy

• Overall guidance, direction, and filter for decision making

• Legitimacy through management approval of strategy

• Legitimacy through staff involvement in strategy development

• Clarification of roles and responsibilities, strengthening position

of KM actors

• Easier to benchmark and measure KM efforts

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5 reasons NOT to develop a KM strategy

• Proposing a big KM strategy implies a big budget

• Some things are easier to achieve when you are working under the
radar (“Stealth KM”)

• Proposing a big KM strategy will create change resistance

• Having a KM Strategy creates expectations that you cannot

possibly fulfil

• Having a KM Strategy in place makes you less flexible to react to

emerging needs

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 9

KM strategy vs. Stealth KM
KM Strategy
• Formulated Strategy Document
• Defines destination for KM in
your organization
• Determines steps for getting
there
• Strong KM branding
• Promotion
• Plan for and allocate budget
and capacity
Stealth KM
• Do KM without calling it that
• No formal corporate strategy
document
• Use available budget and
capacity
• Identify opportunities for small,
low-budget catalytic initiatives
• Collect good examples and
stories to demonstrate the value
of KM and scale up
How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 10
When to go for a Stealth KM approach

• When the term knowledge management is ‘burnt’ in your

organization
• When there are no senior management sponsor/champions for a
KM strategy
• When you are not ready to raise too many expectations (because
you’re new to the job, because of lacking capacity, or internal
politics)
• When a strategy would be unlikely to be funded
• When there are existing strategies or initiatives that you can build
on and improve, rather than creating new initiatives
• When there is goodwill and energy among individual staff to
experiment and try out new things
• When there are no corporate performance measures that hold the
organization accountable for KM outcomes
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Learning Objectives

A. Why a KM strategy, and which road to choose

B. How to go about developing a KM strategy
(in 9 steps)

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STEP 1: Establish the KM Imperative

• What is the organization’s core mandate?

• What kind of organization does it want to be?
• Where does it want to be in 2, 5, 10 years?
• What kind of products, services and employees do we need
to fulfil our mission?
 What is KM’s role in that?
 Why do you need KM for that?
 How does our KM have to
look like to support that?

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 13

STEP 2: KM needs assessment

• Existing processes for

 Identifying knowledge content and people
 Discussing and exchanging knowledge
 Aggregating, consolidating, sharing and promoting knowledge content
 Learning and applying knowledge
• Knowledge mapping of
 Actors, networks, partners, focal points
 Past and planned knowledge
products and services

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STEP 2: KM needs assessment

• Focus Group Discussions and Interviews to identify

 Understand their knowledge-related challenges and needs around
specific key areas of work
• Online Survey to assess
 Satisfaction with existing services, products and tools
 Understand challenges and needs of staff
• Assessment of IT Infrastructure
 Needs/gaps analysis for online
content management,
document storage, internal
communication, collaboration
and knowledge networking

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 15

STEP 2: KM needs assessment

Start working on buy-in now!

•With managers: Make the issues visible
•With staff: Listen to concerns and understand obstacles
•With KM staff: Take into account their experience
•With partners: Show you are pursuing a KM agenda

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STEP 3: Identify the KM challenges
“Where does it hurt the most?”

The case of UNDP

a)“It is difficult to reliably find a universal compendium of UNDP’s activities and
projects”
b)“Open knowledge sharing is not institutionalized as a natural exercise”
c)“The current process of knowledge product development and dissemination
does not yield the quality, reach and impact that’s needed”
d)“Thematic silos prevent cross-practice sharing”
e)“There is lacking reward for the sharing of knowledge and for support to
colleagues in other units”
f)“Internal hierarchies and politics favor private knowledge sharing”
g)“UNDP needs to do more to tap the knowledge of its external audiences and
beneficiaries”
h)“The potential of KM for identification and management of talent and expertise
is underutilized”
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STEP 4: Define the ideal KM state

For your organization, what would the promised land

of KM look like?

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STEP 4: Define the ideal KM state

The case of UNDP

1.“UNDP’s k-products are relevant, of high quality, and widely accessed”
2.“UNDP’s knowledge services are easily accessible, of high quality, and in sustained
demand”
3.“Members have easy access to knowledge and information they need, and find what
they are looking for quickly”
4.“UNDP’s knowledge processes, services, products, and experts contribute to
informing and influencing our policy, partners’ policies and public knowledge”
5.“UNDP acts as convener and facilitator of policy dialogue and knowledge “
6.“Lessons from projects and programmes are captured and used to improve the
design and quality of new projects and programmes”
7.“Staff members are well connected across the organization, interact frequently and
work collaboratively”
8.“KM is integrated in UNDP HR procedures and performance systems”
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Your KM focus

Nick Milton and Stephanie Barnes:

• Operational excellence focus: Improve internal practices and
processes so that the org operates better/faster/cheaper/safer/etc.
• Customer knowledge focus: Improve delivery of knowledge to the
people who work with your customers on a day-to-day basis to
improve services
• Innovation focus: Generate new knowledge in order to create new
products and services
• Growth and change focus: Replicate existing success in new
markets or with new staff by learning from lessons learned and
scaling up good practices

[KM World Magazine, 2015, Issue 4]

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 20

STEP 4: Define the ideal KM state

The case of Hewlett-Packard Consulting

1.“Our staff feel and act as if they have the knowledge of the entire organization at their fingertips when they consult
with customers”
2.“Our staff know exactly where to go to find information”
3.“Our staff are eager to share knowledge as well as leverage other’s experience in order to deliver more value to
customers”
4.“We will recognize staff that share and those that leverage other’s knowledge and experience as the most valuable
members of the HP consulting team”

[KM Institute Washington D.C.]

 Customer knowledge focus

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STEP 5: Telling a story with your
KM strategy

• What will your KM enable the organization to do that it couldn’t before,

and why?
• What will it allow staff to do better than before, and why?

Theory of Change
Based on assumptions about our organization and the
environment it finds itself in, it explains how we expect that our
KM activities will affect change, and how that change will help
the organization fulfil its mission.

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 STEP 5: Telling a story with your
KM strategy

UNDP’s Theory of Change for KM

Activities/Outputs Immediate Outcomes Long-term Outcomes
K-products are relevant, of high quality, and widely accessed Public development discourse and
• KM Initiative 1 partners’ actions are informed and
K-services are easily accessible, of high quality, and in demand
• KM Initiative 2 influenced by UNDP’s knowledge
K-processes, services, products, and experts contribute to products, services, experts, and
• KM Initiative 3 informing and influencing policy, partners and public opinion leadership
• KM Initiative 4
UNDP acts as convener and facilitator of policy dialogue and UNDP is a more open organization,
• KM Initiative 5 knowledge exchanges which otherwise would not take place engaged in networking, knowledge
• KM Initiative 6 exchanges and collaboration with
External k-exchanges generate partnerships and opportunities
• KM Initiative 7 development partners

• KM Initiative 8
UNDP programmes and projects
• KM Initiative 9 Lessons from projects and programmes are captured and used to
improve design and quality of new projects and programmes create and leverage knowledge to
• KM Initiative 10 improve their performance
• KM Initiative 11 UNDP staff members are well connected across the organization,
• KM Initiative 12 interact frequently and work collaboratively

• KM Initiative 13 Staff members have easy access to knowledge and information

Knowledge management and
learning are made part of UNDP
• KM Initiative 14 they need, and find what they are looking for quickly
culture, behaviors & performance
KM is integrated in UNDP HR procedures and performance
systems
How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 23
STEP 6: Linking the story of your
KM strategy with corporate objectives

• Scan your multi-year strategy, your annual business plan, your key
units’ work plans, etc. and reference where and how your ideal KM
state will add value
• Quote from the board papers, corporate strategy paper, media
announcements and from speeches/statements of the CEO, board
members, senior managers and partners

 Use the links and references to demonstrate the

relevance of your KM strategy to get buy-in

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 24

STEP 7: Design your KM initiatives

Can you find the common pattern?

•APQC: “Critical success factors for continuing the KM journey include […]
developing an evolutionary process, not a ‘big bang’ approach”
•NHS UK: “Whether you choose to create a formal knowledge management
strategy or not, a large-scale, high-cost, ‘big bang’ roll-out is not recommended”
•Oracle: “Avoid ‘big bang’ implementation in favor of a phased approach”
•Kana: “An effective implementation strategy requires […] a realistic roll-out plan
that eliminates the risks of a ‘big bang’ implementation approach”
•Askmecorp.com: “'Grandiose' KM projects that
take more than nine months to implement and
deliver business value are considered to be
extremely risky and end up being the
excellent candidate for dissolution.
The Big Bang approach as a part
of a KM strategy spells trouble.”

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STEP 7: Design your KM initiatives

• Avoid a big bang approach, instead go for “squirrels”

(KM Institute Washington): Agile small initiatives that fill niches to
address a specific need
• Try out different approaches, create prototype initiatives, test and learn,
then repeat
• Scale up those initiatives that prove valuable

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STEP 7: Design your KM initiatives

• For pointers to different KM methodologies and tools check out the

Knowledge Sharing Toolkit at http://www.kstoolkit.org

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STEP 8: Broad Consultation

• Time to present your draft strategy document to a wider audience:

 Senior management
 Staff
 Beneficiaries/Clients/Partners
 Peer KM staff in other organizations

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What is missing?

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Learning Objectives

A. How to go about developing a KM strategy

B. How to determine success of your KM strategy
C. How to determine success of your KM strategy

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 30

STEP 9: Establish a Performance
Measurement Framework

Why are we measuring our strategy?

• At the output level, to understand which elements/activities of our
KM strategy are working, which aren’t, and how to improve them
• At the immediate outcome level, to monitor existing and ongoing
pain points regarding KM, understand how well the organization is
doing in KM, and where to focus further efforts
• At the long-term outcome level,
to be able to demonstrate to management
and donors KM value/impact
and return on investment

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 STEP 9: Establish a Performance
Measurement Framework

UNDP’s Theory of Change for KM

Activities/Outputs Immediate Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes
K-products are relevant, of high quality, and widely accessed Public development discourse and
• KM Initiative 1 partners’ actions are informed and
K-services are easily accessible, of high quality, and in demand
• KM Initiative 2 influenced by UNDP’s knowledge
K-processes, services, products, and experts contribute to products, services, experts, and
• KM Initiative 3 informing and influencing policy, partners and public opinion leadership
• KM Initiative 4
UNDP acts as convener and facilitator of policy dialogue and UNDP is a more open organization,
• KM Initiative 5 knowledge exchanges which otherwise would not take place engaged in networking, knowledge
• KM Initiative 6 exchanges and collaboration with
External k-exchanges generate partnerships and opportunities
• KM Initiative 7 development partners

• KM Initiative 8
UNDP programmes and projects
• KM Initiative 9 Lessons from projects and programmes are captured and used to
improve design and quality of new projects and programmes create and leverage knowledge to
• KM Initiative 10 improve their performance
• KM Initiative 11 UNDP staff members are well connected across the organization,
• KM Initiative 12 interact frequently and work collaboratively

• KM Initiative 13 Staff members have easy access to knowledge and information

Knowledge management and
learning are made part of UNDP
• KM Initiative 14 they need, and find what they are looking for quickly
culture, behaviors & performance
KM is integrated in UNDP HR procedures and performance
systems
How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 32
STEP 9: Establish a Performance
Measurement Framework

Output level:
•Collecting data on activities/outputs (e.g. #of k-products produced, #of trainings held,
# of workshop participants, # of staff exchanges, # of roster entries, web hits,
downloads, discussion comments, likes, shares)
Immediate Outcome level:
•Staff perception surveys (e.g. satisfaction with Communities of Practice or onboarding
procedures, percentage of staff who they think documents are easy to find, etc.)
•Client feedback surveys (e.g. satisfaction with quality and relevance of knowledge
products or advisory services, rating of products, etc.)

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 33

STEP 9: Establish a Performance
Measurement Framework

Long-term Outcome level:

•Collecting data on uptake/results (e.g. # of new partnerships following an event, # of
citations of UNDP products in government documents, # of backlinks to a UNDP project
website, percentage of staff retention, strength of social networking links between
business units)
•Impact stories (e.g. how client used a k-product to effect change, how a tool helped staff
achieve a goal, how an event helped advance agenda)
•Correlation analysis (e.g. correlation between use of corporate tool and achievement of
results, or number of knowledge products in a country and perception of UNDP as a good
partner in that country)

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STEP 9: Establish a Performance
Measurement Framework

Report on your results

•Annual KM report
•Communicate impact stories
•Talk about successes (webinars, e-discussions, posters)
•Be honest about failures (they are there to learn from them)
•Adjust your goals if they turn out to be too unrealistic

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Learning Objectives

A. Why a KM strategy, and which road to choose

B. How to go about developing a KM strategy
C. How to determine success of your KM strategy

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 36

A. Why a KM strategy and
which road to choose

• Guidance, direction, and filter for decision making

• Legitimacy
• Clarification of roles and responsibilities
• Benchmark and measuring

 Decide whether an official KM strategy is right for you

vs. a stealth KM approach

How to develop a successful KM strategy 37

B. How to go about developing a
KM strategy (in 9 steps)

• STEP 1: Establish the KM Imperative

• STEP 2: Do a KM needs assessment
• STEP 3: Identify the KM challenges
• STEP 4: Define the ideal KM state
• STEP 5: Tell a story with your KM strategy (Theory of Change)
• STEP 6: Linking the KM strategy with corporate objectives
• STEP 7: Design your KM initiatives
• STEP 8: Conduct a broad consultation
• STEP 9: Establish a Performance Measurement Framework

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 38

C. How to determine success of your
KM strategy
1. Collecting data on activities/outputs
2. Staff perception surveys
3. Client feedback surveys
4. Collecting data on uptake/results
5. Impact stories
6. Correlation analysis

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 39

Final Comments

1. Relentlessly communicate your KM strategy

2. Control the KM narrative in your organization
(by generating hard evidence and debunking rumors)
3. Avoid the myth of the one overarching KM system
(remember the “squirrels”)

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 40

Thank you!

How to develop an (un)successful KM strategy 41