Milestones: 50th post, 10 years of SIKM, Setting up a KM Program

Originally published May 11, 2015

This is my 50th long-form post on LinkedIn. It is a good time to reflect on several other recent milestones.

I now have more than 5,000 followers here in LinkedIn. Thanks to all of you for your continuing interest in my posts.

Links to my KM site and Twitter feed:

SIKM Leaders Community 10th Anniversary

10 years ago at APQC (American Productivity and Quality Center)’s 10th Knowledge Management Conference, held May 5–6, 2005 in St. Louis, I started the SIKM Leaders Community. For more on its history, see A community of practice for knowledge management. Since then, it has grown to 561 members, held 119 monthly calls for knowledge sharing, and discussed many important topics in its discussion board. Here is a list of all calls featuring a presentation.

2005–07 Unisys Services KM Program: Paul Rehmet
2005–11 Knowledge Enablement in IBM Global Services: Mark May
2005–12 Thinking for a Living: Improving the Performance of Knowledge Workers: Tom Davenport
2006–01 KM at Cisco Advanced Services: Doug Madgic and Gary Borella
2006–02 Building a Knowledge Culture at MindTree Consulting: Raj Datta
2006–03 Caterpillar Knowledge Network: Reed Stuedemann
2006–04 What blogs and wikis bring to business and knowledge management: Bill Ives
2006–05 Making learning & performing routine: Kent Greenes
2006–06 Blogging and Knowledge communities — is there a connection?: Jack Vinson
2006–07 Eight Strategies for Maximizing the Value of Knowledge Sharing: Sanjay Swarup
2006–08 Virtual Collaboration in the Global Enterprise: Brian Gorman
2006–09 Discussion on KM: Steve Denning
2006–10 How to leverage public education by means of a collaboration strategy: Mike Koffman, Jillian Darwish, and Matt Saddler
2006–11 Nurturing Trust — Leveraging Knowledge: Peter West
2006–12 Networks and Sensemaking: Themes from Net Work: Patti Anklam
2007–01 Demand Driven KM and Ignorance Elimination: Bruce Karney
2007–02 Generational differences and their impact on collaboration: Lynn Busby of IBM
2007–03 Driving Outstanding Customer Experience to the Bottom Line: Marilyn Martiny
2007–04 Modeling Complexity with Value Network Analysis: Verna Allee
2007–05 GM Case Study Preview & The KM Domain: Steve Wieneke and Karla Phlypo
2007–06 KM for Call Centers: Greg Reid
2007–07 Learning and Performing: Rick Wallace of APC
2007–08 Business narrative experiences at Anecdote: Shawn Callahan
2007–09 The Kingdom of Taxonomy: Patrick Lambe
2007–10 Knowledge Harvest Facilitation: Kate Pugh and Nancy Dixon
2007–11 Knowledge & Innovation Management: Christian De Neef and Ives De Saeger
2007–12 Implementing KM in an ITIL Environment: Stephanie Barnes
2008–01 Facilitated Better Practice Transfer: Kent Greenes
2008–02 KM Adoption at EDS: Jason Ferguson
2008–03 Results from the Fluor Knowvember Campaign: John McQuary and Tara Keithley
2008–04 KM at Boeing: Jim Coogan
2008–05 Collaboration at Accenture: Stacie Jordan
2008–06 KM at 3M: Barry Dayton
2008–07 Replacing a Lessons Learned Database with a Visible Learning Process: Steve Wieneke of GM
2008–08 Content Supply? Meet Knowledge Demand! The Case for Knowledge Planners: Marc Solomon of PRTM
2008–09 Collaborative Networks and the New Enterprise: Hubert Saint-Onge
2008–10 Developing, Deepening and Retaining Expertise: Richard McDermott
2008–11 KM at ManTech International: John Hovell
2008–12 Knowledge Services: A Business Framework for Knowledge Management: Al Simard
2009–01 Creating Successful KM Business Plans and Goals: Bernadette Boas
2009–02 Impacts of behavior on knowledge transfer and project outcomes: Arthur Shelley
2009–03 Building a Knowledge Ecosystem: Raj Datta
2009–04 Interviewing Skills for Discovering Unconscious Knowledge: Carl Gaertner
2009–05 Adaptive Knowledge Architectures: Andrew Gent
2009–06 Managing Knowledge Loss Due to Workforce Attrition: Bill Kaplan
2009–07 Understanding our Hidden Diversity: Steve Wieneke
2009–08 Sustainable KM: Andrew Gent
2009–09 Planning & Running Successful Virtual Meetings: Nancy Settle-Murphy
2009–10 Community Metrics: The Novell Approach: Lee Romero
2009–11 Using Expertise: The Story So Far: Matt Moore
2009–12 Relationship of Learning, Knowledge and Sustaining Innovation: Rick Wallace
2010–01 Radical Management: Creating a Safe Space for KM: Steve Denning
2010–02 Rethinking Ourselves (KM People) as Technology Stewards: Etienne Wenger, Nancy White, and John Smith
2010–03 Making a Difference: Removing barriers to knowledge flows: Arthur Shelley
2010–04 Knowledge transfer toolkit program: Keith De La Rue
2010–05 Idea Management at State Farm: Carol Csanda
2010–06 Sharing lost know-how — solve thorny problems with the Knowledge Jam: Kate Pugh
2010–07 Knowledge Management and Application Domain: Steve Wieneke and Karla Phlypo
2010–08 Social Learning: Marcia Conner
2010–09 Using Chaos Theory to Enable Real Time Awareness: Thierry Hubert and Bill Ives
2010–10 What intranet innovations can do for KM: James Robertson
2010–11 Results through Collaboration and KM at Cisco: Doug Madgic
2010–12 A Knowledge Agenda: Managing More than Knowledge: Al Simard
2011–01 Net-Centric Approach to Tacit Knowledge Management: Michael Brown
2011–02 Student-centred KM strategies: Steve Cayzer
2011–03 Why do great KM programs fail?: Steve Denning
2011–04 Implementing content rating behind the firewall: Dave Thomas
2011–05 Knowledge is Fluid; Upcycling Knowledge: Steve Wieneke
2011–06 Integrated Knowledge & Learning Organization; Social Task Networks: Karla Phlypo and Stan Rosenschein
2011–07 Culture & Adoption and Content Harvesting: Steve Kaukonen and Stacie Brenkovich of Accenture
2011–08 Being the convener: facilitating tacit knowledge-sharing: Kate Pugh and Roberto Evaristo
2011–09 Knowledge Transfer in a Digital World — The shift is on!: Kent Greenes
2011–10 Social Media in the Enterprise: the future is here — how can we make it work?: Tom Short, Mary Abraham, Peter Hobby, and Kate Pugh
2011–11 Breaking free from the old structures holding back online KM: Ephraim Freed
2012–01 Social networking with text mining and analytics for KM: Ken Martin
2012–02 Aligning People, Process and Technology in KM: Stephanie Barnes
2012–03 Reflections on KM Practice — 15 months into a KM startup: Richard Vines
2012–04 Organizational RQ: Anne Marie Knott
2012–05 From Knowledge Stocks to Knowledge Flows — Opportunity & Challenges: John Hagel
2012–06 Knowledge Manageability: Al Simard
2012–07 Search Analytics: Understanding the Long Tail: Lee Romero
2012–08 Engaging for KM Success: Build, Maintain, Outperform: Jeff Hester
2012–09 Graphic Facilitation: Nancy White
2012–10 Community Leadership: Curtis Conley and Lori Brown
2012–11 Hosted Enterprise Metadata: Russell Manley
2012–12 Too Big to Know: David Weinberger
2013–01 Getting Beyond Simple Social: Thomas Vander Wal
2013–02 Trends in knowledge management: Carla O’Dell and Cindy Hubert of APQC
2013–03 Leading Effective Virtual Teams: Nancy Settle-Murphy
2013–04 Judgment and Practical Wisdom: Larry Prusak
2013–05 Taking Knowledge Flow Management to the Next Level with Social Media: Frank Leistner and Gordon Vala-Webb
2013–06 Knowledge Sharing at ConocoPhillips: Dan Ranta
2013–07 Learning at BAE Systems: John Hovell
2013–08 A win-win: Bridging Theory with Practice via Columbia Capstone project: Linda Hummel
2013–09 Organizational Conversation: David Gurteen
2013–10 KM and Happiness at Work: Alexis Adair
2013–11 Where to Look for Knowledge Management Success: Murray Jennex
2013–12 3 Eras of KM: Where Has it Been and Where is it Going?: Nancy Dixon
2014–01 Building Community: A Conversation on planning, stewardship, and keeping it human: Catherine Shinners
2014–02 When Tacit and Explicit Knowledge aren’t Enough: Steve Wieneke
2014–03 Get in the Game: Driving Exceptional Behaviours Through Gamification: Thomas Hsu and Steve Kaukonen
2014–04 Best Practices for Knowledge Transfer in Mergers & Acquisitions: Thomas Blumer
2014–05 Facilitating ideation with external open collaborative communities: Karla Phlypo
2014–06 Enhancing Knowledge Flows with ESN: Gordon Vala-Webb
2014–07 Losing Your Minds: Capturing, Leveraging & Retaining Organizational Knowledge: Bill Kaplan
2014–08 The Right KM Technologies for Your Enterprise: Tony Byrne
2014–09 Knowledge Management: A Benchmark Study of Contemporary Practices: Marcie Zaharee and Marilyn Kupetz of MITRE
2014–10 Yammer Groups & Business Value: Does size matter?: Lee Romero
2014–11 The Other KM Adoption Challenge: Mary Abraham
2014–12 The Yin and Yang of Knowledge Management: Al Simard
2015–01 Doing More with Less: The Impact of Strategic Capability Mapping on Enterprise Resource Allocation (Sales, R&D, Manufacturing): Roberto Evaristo
2015–02 How Great KMers are Innovation Conveners: Kate Pugh
2015–03 Key cultural practices & dimensions that drive services differentiation: Doug Madgic and Andre Karamanian
2015–04 BAE Systems KM: US & UK perspectives: John Hovell and Andrew Muras
2015–05 What can KM learn from Sports Science?: Cory Banks

Weekly KM Blog Archives Restoration

I recently began restoring the archives of my Weekly KM Blog, which ran from 2006–2008, first on Line56 and then on hp.com. The precursor to the blog was my article Setting up a KM Program: A wealth of resources and guidelines, which was published on February 8, 2006 on Line56. Here is a version with updated links.

Priorities for setting up a KM Program

Put a strong KM leader in place, and ensure that the KM team has only strong members.
Balance people, process, and technology, with a project leader for each category.
Establish a governance and collaboration process to engage all regions and functions, and to formally manage and communicate on all projects — appoint KM leaders in each major country, region, and function.
Hold annual worldwide face-to-face meetings to get all KM leaders informed, energized, and collaborating.
Communicate regularly through newsletters, training, web sites, and local events.
Get the senior executive to communicate regularly about the importance of the program and to inspect progress against goals.
Engage with other KM programs, both internal and external, to share ideas and practice what you preach.
Focus on delivering tangible business benefits.
Deliver regular improvements to make the KM environment effective and easy to use.
Focus on three basic goals, and stick to the basics — participate in a community, collaborate using team spaces, and search for and submit reusable content.

KM Strategy (Tips for starting a KM or ESN program)

Get all employees to actively participate in knowledge sharing and reuse.
Capture key information on all work performed so that everyone will know what others have done and whom to contact for further details.
Reuse intellectual capital on each new project.
Make it easy for employees to find the information they need to do their jobs.
Measure and reward knowledge sharing and reuse.