Project Implementation Plan

WP 2008

Project Number: ILP-08-23

Project title: Knowledge management in policy strategy development.

Budget 2008: 60 000

Project leader: Efka Heder

All documents concerning this project are saved: k:\ 03.02 OPS WORK PROGRAMME 2008

1. Background

The ETF is at the crossroads towards becoming a Centre of Expertise and towards a change of emphasis on more policy and system-related support to its partner countries in the field of HRD, covering different levels in policy making process and (from national down to organisational levels) which including different elements. The ETF’s field of competence touches upon and interlinks with the spheres of business, the education system and the labour market. The ETF covers some of these themes at country/ system or policy level within transition or developing country contexts and within the EU assistance framework.

Staff working in the ETF is faced with the challenge to cope with complex, quickly changing environments and tasks and to almost constantly pioneer or adapt to new developments. From a knowledge point of view, that does not only mean that staff need to update their knowledge and learn almost constantly, but also that they need to be able to create new knowledge. Nowadays this is increasingly done through situated and shared (team) practices rather than in isolation. Team working and knowledge sharing become, hence, prerequisites for the creation of new knowledge and ultimately an organisation’s dynamism and ability to cope with change.

In this context ‘knowledge management’ (KM) has an important function, and a specific project was designed in the ETF in 2007 to conceptualise and support KM processes.

Activities that were undertaken in the frame of the ETF KM project in 2007 comprised and were clustered, as illustrated in the Annex.

A number of review meetings held with various colleagues during the period September to November 2007 revealed that, despite progress made in individual fields, the institutional or departmental culture in terms of knowledge sharing (KS) has not changed a lot. The following problems and recommendations were highlighted:

·  The knowledge management (KM) project started action on many fronts, perhaps too many fronts. In the future the team may concentrate on a few activities, mainly around the core function of KS/KM.

·  KS and learning events may be better organised and structured in a way that they are interactive and form a real platform for exchange, that they link theoretical (or other countries’) considerations with practical (or own countries’) considerations and that colleagues indeed share and enhance their knowledge. In addition, better incentives may be provided to attract colleagues to facilitate or attend such events. (See also section 4 for a summary of the KM team’s considerations on “Expertise development – Staff learning & development”.)

·  As knowledge sharing and learning are embedded in our daily work, ways may be sought to put KS on a more structured basis, perhaps linked to our care about quality. It was recommended that the KM team played a key role in arranging peer review/ quality enhancement processes in OPS.

·  During 2007 a range of new online tools for KS/ KM was created. Usage levels are generally low for various reasons. It was felt that instruments as such will not ‘do the trick’ or solve the problem of an improved KS culture. It was recommended that 1) personal meetings and exchanges between colleagues be given preference over electronic tools, and 2) the team reviewed critically both the tools designed and their (potential) usage before further investments are made into the promotion and development of them. (See also section 5 on “Online tools for knowledge sharing”.)

·  There is no integrated knowledge/ document management system in the ETF, which would allow for the central storage and search for (final) documents or papers. The maintenance of existing databases depends too much on the availability of additionally hired, frequently changing support staff. It was recommended that further work be undertaken to specify exactly our needs and design & create central databases for (i) administrative/ project-related docs and (ii) country and theme-related papers searchable by key words (= library database). (See also annex by MRO on the “Identification of OPS needs in terms of library services”.)

·  The use of the library as a modern learning resource centre continues to be suboptimal, which may be remedied by some special promotion initiatives.

In general, it was felt that KM is a permanent function rather than a project.

Professor Dr Arya K Sengupta in his book “Knowledge management – Is it a fad or necessity in the new economy” states that:

“Knowledge Management (KM) is essentially about creating an environment in which employees share what they know and innovation is encouraged. It is more of a corporate organizational and cultural challenge. It is concerned with providing a mechanism for creating, capturing, sharing and integrating the tacit (residing in the minds of people) and explicit (documents and records) knowledge within and outside the organization, and applying them as a strategic resource to gain competitive advantage in the “marketplace”. The primary organizational requirement for KM is to institutionalize open communication, limited top-down control and a flat and flexible structure that promotes readiness to continually change and adapt. Its main focus is to help the right people apply the right knowledge at the right time. It is as certain as the reality of the knowledge economy.”

The KM team would like to double-underline this statement and continue to contribute, also in 2008, to the establishment of an environment, as outlined above.

2. Objectives and results

The overall objective of the project is to improve the effectiveness of ETF services as an agency of the EC and the partner countries in line with our mission statement and on its way to become a recognised Centre of Expertise in human resource development in a lifelong learning perspective in transition country contexts.

Specific objectives are:

I. To increase the efficiency of the usage of existing supportive informatics tools and knowledge bases;

II. To develop further a “knowledge sharing culture” and positive attitude towards constructive feedback; to create opportunities for knowledge sharing & creation in a pleasant atmosphere -as a prerequisite for ensuring that both existing knowledge gets captured (creating an institutional memory) and new knowledge is created.

III. To develop ETF data library.

Expected results for 2008 include:

I.1 Databases (OPS part of contact data base) have been improved to run more efficiently, e.g. by linking useful information, diminishing the number of incorrect contacts details, avoiding loss of information or duplications, ensuring provision of target information, etc.; As a consequence quality of this part of OPS part of contact data base will be increased. OPS colleagues have been made aware of the benefits and practicalities of using existing databases, and actually use relevant databases more frequently.

I. 2. OPS staff expertise provision will be followed and supported in systematic way. A dedicated area will be created in the Intranet to advertise opportunities for expertise contributions and to record ETF replies.

I. 3. One – page “Golden rules of KM” developed

II. Knowledge sharing culture promoted at corporate level to increase efficiency of our work;

II. 1. People to people KM events coordinated, calendar developed and agenda created (cappuccino pillars, “day out, content training courses)

II. 2. KM intranet tools further developed and fully implemented.

II. 3. Efficiency of ETF VC’ will be increased through:

- ETF guidelines developed,

- Support to projects teams for running VC’s provided and internal VC of moderators facilitated,

- ETF methodology for evaluation of ETF VC’s developed

II. 4. The instrument of quality enhancement reviews introduced and recognised as one component of the OPS quality assurance system.

II. 5. Cooperation with UNDP in Bratislava continued in exchanging experience in KM development.

III. ETF Data library will be operational and OPS colleagues trained.

3. Scope

·  Project approach

ETF KM project 2008 will be focused on consolidation and continuation of actions started in ETF KM project 2007 and in line with the mid-term perspective for the period 2007-2010.

(See logframe of the ILP 07-06 Knowledge Management project).

The project will seek collaboration and endorsement from different ETF services: it will function as a bridge among different services with the overall aim of the ETF developing further as a Centre of Expertise.

·  For Communications specialists KM will be an instrument to support information flows, improving communications and improving the way people work together;

·  For HRM specialists, KM will be instrumental to reduce the risk of critical knowledge loss, improving knowledge through organisational learning

·  For IT specialists KM will be a form of information management and technology supported communication

·  For operational specialists the emphasis will be placed on the development and management of new knowledge, ensuring institutional memory and efficient sharing of tacit knowledge.

The project will be focused on three main areas:

I. Increasing efficiency of usage and communication of existing system supportive informatics tools and knowledge bases (contact data base and expertise provision following).

II.  Further development of “knowledge sharing culture” and positive attitude towards constructive feedback as a prerequisite for insuring of existing knowledge (institutional memory) and for the creation of new knowledge as ability to cope with constant change

III.  Development of data library.

·  Activities and expected outcomes (activities should have a title and detailed description)

All the activities listed below will be implemented through very close collaboration with ECU, PME and ITM:

I. Increasing efficiency of usage of existing system supportive informatics tools and knowledge bases

I. 1. Contacts data base:

- in cooperation with IT and ECU working on development a technical solution for increasing efficiency of regular updating of contacts owned by OPS in corporate data base

- Mapping of ETF key contacts/actors

- Audit of current ETF contacts management and review of structure and use of contacts database

- Technical work on the contacts database in order to allow “customer’s management”: regular update of key country contacts and intelligence, developing publications dissemination lists, supporting the delivery of targeted expertise products, recording events participants (in cooperation also with the Editorial Board)

- OPS contacts “baby sitting” established and functional

- External person contracted (interimaire) for helping in transition phase for contact corrections (according to OPS staff inputs) and insertion of new contacts (as well to support KM team support on maintaining and further improvement of KM tools on intranet).

I. 2. ETF Experts corner

- Development of Section for Delivery of Expertise Contribution as a part of KM intranet tools. The section will include criteria of what is considered to be expertise contributions, records of contributions, opportunities for expertise contributions- conferences and scientific journals-, possibilities of support from ETF services in order to deliver expertise contributions- support from ECU in drafting articles and preparing presentations.

I.3. Development of one – page “Golden rules of KM” paper for all staff;

(till June)

II. Further development of “knowledge sharing culture” and positive attitude towards constructive feedback as a prerequisite for insuring of existing knowledge (institutional memory) and for the creation of new knowledge as ability to cope with constant change

II.1. Coordination of In house KM events:

II.1.1.Cappuccino’s, study visits,…”Knowledge Wednesday”

- methodology for Cappuccino developed;

- Cappuccino clusters/pillars calendar developed and events coordinated,

- Cappuccino clusters/pillars:

i.  Lessons learned in 2007

ii. Policy learning and policy advice/Copenhagen cluster

iii.  ETF window of opportunities under new regulations

iv.  ETF functions

v. WP 2009

vi.  New knowledge

II.1.2. OPS day out and 3 regional team day outs organised

- “OPS in Alps” – 25. June

- “Instruments in a field” - 1. October

II.1.3 Coordination with HRD unit about content related training courses – OPS experts as a co-trainers and advisers for training courses

II.2. Development of corporate habit to use KM tools (in line with Stan Garfild[1] postulate about knowledge sharing)

II.2. 1 Training to all OPS staff on Intranet KM tools

II.2.2. Monitoring Intranet tools usage and evaluation in 4/4 of 2008

II.2.3. Promotion among OPS staff of the ETF Wiki and Discussion Forum and the Discussion Forum questionnaire as an instrument to share their expertise in fields where they feel comfortable and as a supportive tool of Cappuccino pillars for continuing of discussion initiated during cappuccino.

II.2.4. Updating country pages and developing new country page for Libya (in cooperation with ECU and country manager)

II.2.5. EU E+T and employment policy cluster club news

Space on intranet – ETF knowledge community – News from DG EAC clusters and DG EMPL Mutual learning initiatives (sections under Wiki)

II. 3. ETF Virtual Communities

II.3.1. Guidelines for ETF Virtual Communities and Communities of Practice developed

II.3.2. Regular facilitation of internal discussion forum for ETF VC moderators provided

II.3.3. Methodology for evaluating ETF Virtual Communities developed

II.3.4. Provision of assistance to ETF project teams in establishing, maintaining and evaluating Virtual Communities

II.4. Arranging Quality Enhancement Reviews[2] as a Knowledge Management service offered to different kinds of projects. This service includes:

- preparing TOR for the QER, dossier for reviewers and contacting agreed reviewers;

- arranging QER panel meetings;

- administering the documentation, dissemination and closing of QER processes; and

- sharing the knowledge and experiences from QERs regularly with the staff. Establishment of an ETF Quality feedback help desk. The helpdesk will arrange peer reviews of draft plans, concept papers, reports, ToR, PIPs, CIPs etc. (excluding manuscripts for which the EB is responsible), following requests by colleagues and involving internal or external experts.

II.5. Constant information about KM developments provided and training sessions as well as coaching provided

II.6. Cooperation with UNDP Bratislava

II.9.1. mission to UNDP Bratislava

II.9.2. dissemination of lesson learned and application which are valuable for ETF.

III.  Development of data library and research studies

III.1. Data library