The cycle of knowledge from creation and organization through sharing and reuse is well documented in the literature.
Figure 3.1 The Cycle of Knowledge from Creation and Organization through Sharing and Reuse
3-4-3
Knowledge management refers to activities related to:
- cultivating social and learning communities,
- providing knowledge codification and dissemination,
- creating a learning organization,
- developing less tenured employees, and
- building and growing the agency’s knowledge bases.
The table below includes examples of the subcategories within knowledge management, along with the associated activities and capabilities that are built through this strategy.
Table 3.3 Knowledge Management Strategies
| Strategy subcategory | Sample Activities | Capabilities Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Learning Communities | Facilitating Communities of Practice that meet periodically to share experiences and brainstorm about solutions to common problems | Aligning Skills to Needs Attracting and Retaining Workforce Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
| Knowledge Capture and Transfer | Creating a curated, validated lessons learned database | Aligning Skills to Needs Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
| Knowledge Audits | Conducting an employee survey to discover and catalog where certain types of expertise exist in the agency | Aligning Skills to Needs Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
| Learning Organization | Leadership training to model behaviors conducive to learning and innovation | Aligning Skills to Needs Attracting and Retaining Workforce Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
| Mentoring | Matching up less experienced employees with more senior employees to meet periodically and discuss challenges | Aligning Skills to Needs Attracting and Retaining Workforce Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
| Expertise Directories | Creating a directory of employees with expertise in certain specialized areas | Aligning Skills to Needs Agility & Resilience Technology Adoption Operations Focus |
The Evolution of Knowledge Management within Washington State DOT
Washington DOT (WSDOT) has established a knowledge management approach for addressing:
- Loss of institutional knowledge due to an aging workforce nearing retirement
- Pressure for increased efficiency in the face of inadequate resources
- Organizational strategic direction to support innovation and knowledge sharing
NCHRP Scan 12-04 Advances in Transportation Agency Knowledge Management: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/nchrp20-68a_12-04.pdf
They have implemented several KM initiatives, including:
- Communities of practice (CoPs)
- Knowledge Capture interviews of retiring staff
- Knowledge management and information systems to support practical solutions
- https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/896-1.pdf
- A Guide to Agency-Wide Knowledge Management for State Departments of Transportation: https://www.nap.edu/download/22098