Describes the relationship between Human Performance Technology (HPT) and Knowledge Management (KM) and proposes a framework for successful KM/CoP implementation

1. The HPT/KM Connection
A Necessary Framework for Knowledge Management
Presented at:
The United States Coast Guard
Human Performance Technology Conference
September 16, 2010 - Williamsburg, Virginia
Ms. Janet Cichelli
Serco, Inc.
LinkedIn: janet-cichelli

2. KM & HPT – Shared Goals
• Exploit organizational knowledge
• Facilitate learning
Knowledge • Improve performance
Management
KM is the systematic process of acquiring,
creating, capturing, synthesizing, learning, and
using information, insights, and experiences
to enable performance.
(Harvard Business School 1988)
HPT is a systematic approach to
improving individual and
organizational performance.
(Pershing, 2006)
Human Performance Technology

3. The Knowledge Domain
Explicit Knowledge
Tacit Knowledge

4. Requires a Different Approach to KM
Old thinking:
Focus on Content & Collection
The acquisition, organization, storage
and dissemination of content just in
case it might be used in the future.
New thinking:
Focus on Context & Connections
Connecting the right people just-in-time,
canvassing their knowledge and advice
in the context of a particular operational
problem or need.

5. From Hierarchies to Communities
Shifting to
Connections & Conversation
“Hey, do you know where to find….?”
Work is already social:
“Hey, do you know how to….?”
When we have a need, we typically turn to our informal
network of people we trust.

6. Communities of Practice: Context & Connection
A community helps people get to Benefits:
“know each other” over a series of
interactions.
• It enables people to easily
probe and clarify information
they find and re-frame it into
their context.
Community
• Allows you to share your
experiences and learn from
others
• Validates and builds on
A CoP can help accelerate learning existing knowledge
and performance.

7. But, If You Build it….
Gartner Says Many Social Software Projects Fail
Many social software projects fail because …
organizations fall into the trap of following "worst
practice," installing social software in the expectation
that productive communities will emerge
spontaneously. Gartner's discussions with clients
suggest that the "install and they will come" practice
rarely succeeds; about 70 percent of the …they won’t
community typically fails to coalesce. necessarily come.
Many Communities Experience
a Mid-Life Crisis
The most vital of the communities we reviewed
shared six characteristics – clear purpose,
active leadership, critical mass of engaged
members, sense of accomplishment, high
management expectations, and real time.

8. Top 10 Contributing Factors
1. No clear operational rationale
2. Starting with the technology
3. Not knowing your audience
4. Wrong community type (engagement model)
5. Components don’t address performance needs
6. Not designed for the job environment
7. Resulting system is too complex/difficult to use
8. No plan for content management
9. Not resourced adequately (community facilitator)
10. Not planning for the cultural changes

9. Time for a Superhero
Human performance technology
(HPT) provides the systematic
HPT framework to help guide KM &
Community of Practice initiatives.
Guide what exactly?
• Identification of KM/CoP interventions
• Is a CoP the right fit?
• What specific kind of capability?
• How will we know it’s successful?

10. Traditional Human Performance Technology (HPT) Model
Mission and Business Goals
Desired Workforce Interventions Methodology
Performance
Causes
Coaching Instructional Systems Design
Lack of skills Documentation
Lack of knowledge Self-Study Guides
Lack of incentives Job Aids
Gap and rewards EPSS/PCD Methodology
Instructor-Led Training
Lack of motivation Electronic Performance Support
Lack of feedback Online learning (WBT/CBT)
Lack of information Knowledge Management System
KM Methodology
Actual Workforce
Performance

11. Knowledge Management as a Performance Support
Intervention
Where performance gaps are due to ineffective access to or exchange of
information between people or machines, KM can make information
available, and improve the exchange of information and ideas.
KM should be used when there is a need for readily accessible
information for the purposes of
• sharing solutions and innovations,
• determining best practices,
• meeting customer’s needs,
• increasing responsiveness and
• increasing collaboration
Source: Van Buren, 2001

12. A Broader Human Performance Framework
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
This Framework helps
Individual
drive requirements and
additional considerations
for KM/CoP efforts.
The KM intervention must be aligned with each of these areas to drive success
and optimal performance.
Adapted from ASTD “Leading Knowledge Management and Learning”

13. Human Performance Framework - Environment
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
Considerations:
Individual • What are the primary external
influences?
• How do they impact performance?
• Doctrine
• An increasingly mobile workforce
A Coast Guard/DHS
KM system must be • Budget realities
aligned with: • Increasing complexities (e.g., Cyber Security) & multi-mission arena
• Mandates for agility & change (e.g., Katrina, Deepwater Horizon)

14. Human Performance Framework - Strategy
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
Considerations:
Individual
• What is the organizations mission
and vision?
• Are work tasks aligned with them?
• Transform to an agile, responsive organization
A KM system must support
• Innovate
USCG strategy to:
• Leverage the skills, knowledge, experience of staff

15. Human Performance Framework - Operations
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
Considerations:
Individual
• What are people supposed to do?
• What tools and technologies are
available to help them do it?
A Coast Guard KM system • Know what we know so we don’t reinvent the wheel
must help: • Reduce the cycle time to exploit lessons learned

16. Human Performance Framework - Organization
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
Considerations:
Individual
• How are people organized to
support performance?
• How are they measured?
• Cross-functional teams
A Coast Guard KM • Specialized communities of interest
system must support: • The new “C” workforce (create content,
conversation, connected)
• Knowledge-sharing as a core competency

17. Human Performance Framework - Individual
Environment
Strategy
Operations (Mission Accomplishment)
Organization (Mission Readiness)
Considerations:
Individual
• Do people have the ability and
motivation needed to perform?
• Reward and incent knowledge sharing
A Coast Guard KM
• Provide a low threshold for new users
system must help:
• Provide a high ceiling for accomplished performers

18. Applying the Model for KM Results
• The right engagement model & characteristics
• The right functional components
• The right human performance interface design
• The right content management and evaluation
CONNECTIONS CONTENT

19. 5 Community Engagement Models
Service & Support Community
Developer/Partner Community
Affinity/Loyalty Community
Private Community
Professional-Peer Community

20. Professional-Peer Community Engagement Model

21. Professional-Peer Community Engagement Model

22. Professional-Peer Community Engagement Model

23. Community Models & Characteristics
Identity – uniquely identifying people in the system
Presence – knowing who is online, available or otherwise nearby
Relationships – describing how two users in the system are related
Conversations – talking to other people through the community
Groups – forming communities of interest
Reputation – knowing the status of other people in the system
Sharing – sharing things that are meaningful (videos, photos)
Awareness – know who has similar interests/tastes/content

24. Selecting the Right Functional Components
News Feeds
Profiles
Blog
Wiki
Document Library
Discussion Forums
Event Calendar
Ask an Expert
…and LOTS more

25. Using a Blog to Transfer Lessons Learned
Using a Blog to Transfer Insights into Lessons Learned
Content deleted
25

26. Real-Time Capture ofCapture of Value
Real-Time Value
Distributed for Information
Not Applicable
Previously Adopted
Reading for Interest Only
May Consider Adopting
Plan to Adopt

27. Detailed Impact Assessment
Detailed Feedback Analysis
Distributed for Information
Not Applicable
Previously Adopted
Reading for Interest Only
May Consider Adopting
Plan to Adopt
Airborne lead Ammunition Exploding Munitions Ammunition New Inappropriate Making
hazards from and explosives Incident Storage requirements HAZMAT storage Amnesty Turn In’s
burning of SAA stored too close Management for Damage in during severe almost painless
to living areas (AMMO-96) Transit weather
Course Pilot inspection
live

28. In Summary
• An HPT approach to KM ensures:
• The right engagement model & characteristics
• The right functional components
• The right human performance interface design
• The right content management and evaluation
• This, in turn, ensures
• Delivery of actionable information & know-how
• The right knowledge in the right format to the right person at the right
time
• KM can reduce the cycle time to exploit lessons learned and innovation
28

29. Questions? Conversation.
Janet Cichelli
Practice Manager, Advanced Learning & KM
Serco North America
240-778-1223
janet.cichelli@serco-na.com