Knowledge Management Roles

Knowledge Management Support Team

You sometimes hear people suggest that the KM implementation team should look to "do themselves out of a job", and that the final aim of KM implementation should be that KM is fully embedded in the business. An end to implementation, with KM full embedded, are laudable aims - but this should not be taken as implying that there will be no requirement for a long-term KM support resource.

Every other form of asset management has dedicated support. Financial management is supported by the accounts department, people management by HR, brand management by Marketing, and so on. Even if your company is too small to have an entire department to cover these functions, there will be someone who's job it is to keep an eye on that area of business. The same is true for Knowledge Management. Even after implementation is over, and the KM system is designed and rolled out, you need a person, or a small group, to keep up the momentum.

Their main tasks will be keeping the system maintained (updating technology, training people in the processes, coaching individuals with KM roles), running the monitoring and measurement activities, crafting the longer term KM strategy, and making any interventions needed to sustain KM. Part of the successful longevity of KM within BP drilling is due to the presence of a KM support team for the past 10 years.