Bill Kaplan: Profiles in Knowledge

Originally published July 12, 2023

8 min readJul 13, 2023

This is the 93rd article in the Profiles in Knowledge series featuring thought leaders in knowledge management. Bill Kaplan is an independent knowledge management practitioner, consultant, coach, advisor, trainer, author, and speaker based in Camas, Washington. His approach to KM is business-focused, non-academic, and practice-based, evolved from 20 years of KM solution planning and delivery. He focuses on “Creating Value from Knowledge” throughout the workplace as part of the way the work gets done. This includes dealing with knowledge capture, sharing, and retention challenges by mitigating and preventing knowledge loss due to workforce turnover.

I have known Bill for many years and often see him at the KMWorld Conference. He has been an active member of the SIKM Leaders Community since 2009, frequently replying to queries. We recently worked together as part of the Midwest KM Symposium planning committee, both presenting at the 2023 event held at Kent State University.

Background

Bill is the Founder of Working KnowledgeCSP, an independent, internationally recognized knowledge management consulting company. CSP stands for Concept | Strategy | Practice. After a 25-year USAF career, Bill served as the Chief Knowledge Officer and Knowledge Management Practice Manager at Acquisition Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a public sector focused management consulting company. Under Bill’s knowledge leadership, ASI earned Top 20 North American Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise (MAKE) recognition from Teleos in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Global KM Practice Manager at SAIC. CIO Review recognized Working KnowledgeCSP as one of the “10 Most Promising KM Solution Providers of 2018 and 2020.”

Bill holds a BS in Business and Economics from Lehigh University, an MBA from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and a Professional Degree in Engineering Management with a concentration in Knowledge Management from The George Washington University. He previously taught KM as an adjunct professor in knowledge management at the University of Maryland, Global Campus.

Education

The George Washington University — Professional Degree, Engineering Management/Knowledge Management, 2006–2010
Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy — NSM, National Security Policy and Research Studies, 1992–1993
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville — MBA, Management, 1979–1980
Lehigh University — BS, Business and Economics, 1969–1973

Experience

Working KnowledgeCSP LLC — Founder and Principal Consultant, 2009 — present
University of Maryland Global Campus — Adjunct Professor (Knowledge Management), 2018–2021
ASI (Acquisition Solutions, Inc.) — Chief Knowledge Officer and KM Practice Manager, 2005–2009
SAIC (Science Application International Corporation) — Deputy KM Practice Manager, Senior Consultant-Knowledge Management and Senior Consultant-Government Acquisition Policy and Process, 1998–2005
United States Air Force, 1973–1998

Profiles

Content

Articles

Community of Practice (CoP) Maturity Model

Value Creation from Knowledge

LinkedIn Articles

Concept and Practice

The Knowledge Edge Series

Articles

Creating a Sustainable KM Framework: The Concept | Strategy | Practice | (CSP) Model

Articles by Others

Interview: Bill Kaplan on Knowledge Loss and Employee Turnover by Mimi Dionne
How Technology Will Affect the Future of Knowledge Management by Lauren Trees
Connecting the dot.govs by Steve Barth
Alternatives to definition by Dave Snowden
2016 election: an opportunity to reset knowledge management by Meredith Somers
CIO Profile

SIKM Leaders Community

Posts

Bill’s tribute to Melissie Rumizen

I worked closely with Melissie Rumizen while she was with the KM consulting team led by Kent Greenes at the original SAIC. One key learning for me from Melissie was her perspective that there is no “perfect KM Strategy” for an organization. The idea that the strategy should and will develop through practical application and “performing and learning” in the job and on the job is a fundamental that anchors much of my current approach to KM consulting. I still refer to my copy of the book with her inscription to me on a regular basis. I visited with her in her home in Fairfax, VA shortly before she passed away…she gave me some advice and it is in this inscription. Melissie told me KM was not an easy discipline with which to work, and if I was to stay with it, I needed to be always a “source of learning” for my colleagues and my clients. Melissie was and remains, through her thinking and writing, a real practitioner in the field.

Presentations