ECM Report

Beginning in June of 2003, we began to reveal, one at a time, our top twelve ‘Keys to a successful ECM initiative’. Check back here each month to see the complete list to that point.

1. Assess the community or organization’s willingness to change.

I know it seems simple, but it is not at all trivial. Heavily resistant populations are doomed for failure. It’s not their fault. Typically this mentality has been engrained in the populace. So much so, it usually has become part of the corporate ‘culture’. I’ve seen far too many organizational cultures where the proverbial saying ‘knowledge is power’ is taken to the extreme of extremes. Cultures that embrace this as a mantra are predestined for ECM destruction. Why? Because ECM encourages and is most successful in environments that promote the sharing of information. If the hoarding of knowledge for job security or any other reason is at all accepted, the idea of sharing is completely contradictory. Hence, mass hysteria.

But do not fret! There are many things you can do to lobby your constituency. Not all resistance is indicative of a counterculture. Some people are perfectly happy sharing information when asked. They are not contrarians; they are just stubborn and need a little TLC to bring them your way. So how exactly do you bring them around and get them to be willing and able contributors? Read on…

2. Ascertain and rigidly define the scope of the initial deployment.

There are several common missteps in Knowledge Management initiatives. Some are minor hiccups that are easily remedied and simple to recover from. Others are potentially disastrous and can directly lead to the overall success or failure of the initiative. A very common mistake that many make is not developing or rigidly defining the scope of their initial deployment.

The first phase of the rollout is likely to be most important step you will take to ECM euphoria. It tends to have the highest visibility and will it will either generate excitement or lead to trepidation. If the first phase is a success, the skids are greased for further successes. If it is a failure, skeptical eyes will follow the initiative if allowed to continue at all. There are at least four points to look at when determining whose project goes first. You must be able to easily identify who your users are, it must provide a measurable ROI, it should have high visibility, and should be simple.

Communities of Practice

When analyzing the “who” of the scope of the initial deployment, be sure to focus on very specific communities of practice (CoP). A CoP is defined as any group that share a common purpose, has a common vocabulary, and use the same processes and procedures. Not all organizational departments or workgroups are considered Communities of Practice. It is often overlooked how broad the information and intellectual capital built within a workgroup reaches. Be certain that you consider all possible internal as well as external knowledge seekers. Thinking in terms of a CoP instead of a workgroup is a critical and fundamental shift that is required for a successful implementation.

ROI

If your scope is too narrow, the potential benefits may not be realized in a timely fashion. ROI is critical to the long term success of your initiative but it is possibly even more critical in the early stages. A solution that is not providing payback is likely to stall before it has a chance to gain steam. If your scope is too broad, remaining focused and diligent and maintaining the users interest becomes difficult.

Visibility

Many people believe high visibility is a double-edged sword. There tends to be a direct correlation between visibility and the pressure to succeed. I contend that if you are not successful, then what is the point? You need to assume you will be successful and make it happen. Ultimately, the higher the visibility, the greater the chance the solution will have in trickling it’s way through the organization. Don’t be afraid of visibility. Embrace it and seek it out.

Simplicity

After you have identified several possible first steps that are all highly visible and provide ROI, simply pick the one that is the easiest to pull off. For obvious reasons, the simpler the initial phase is, the greater your chance of success. Keeping it simple while you and your constituents are still learning will ultimately pay dividends in the solutions ability to permeate through the organization.

Obviously, you must weigh the value of these four keys and place on them an appropriate level of importance.