Work Processes in Knowledge Management Service

Written in collaboration with a Knowledge Manager in the IDF

What is a Work Process?

A work process in an organization defines the various stages that make up an operational or business process, as well as the responsibilities accompanying the different areas in the process. The process definition will include the purpose of the process, a structured diagram showing the flow of handling between factors while indicating the actions each one performs, the duration of actions and outputs at each stage, the process dependency on other processes/procedures, process highlights, process control tools, and more. A structured and methodological process ensures that the interaction between the different factors will be as high-quality as possible. A quality work process allows the various stakeholders involved in the process to understand at any given stage what their role is in the process and what goals they need to meet to successfully drive the next stage in the process.

Types of Work Processes

There are many types of work processes. Management processes, operational processes, knowledge management processes, control processes, human resource planning processes, and more, are just some of the processes required for the proper management of an organization. Let's take a knowledge management process as an example. Imagine what happens in an organization that does not manage knowledge properly. The loss of knowledge, insights, and lessons learned accumulated during months and years of hard work go to waste without the possibility of reusing them. Without a proper mapping of the types of work processes required for the organization and their structuring, we may discover too late that informal procedures are running in the organization without our control, causing loss of information, money, and manpower.

Computing and Work Processes

Currently, many technological solutions are designed to provide a platform for computerizing work processes in an organization. It should be clarified that computerizing the process itself does not provide a complete solution if it does not come with additional tools for monitoring the process flow, changing and improving it dynamically and immediately, reflecting the process and progress of the various stages within it, and more. The current trend is to use comprehensive solutions such as SharePoint Server 2007, which allows, besides computerizing the work process, also building portals at different levels, search tools, task tracking, project tracking, sharing document folders, and establishing professional workstations that contain measurement elements enabling real-time monitoring of different stages in a project or even multiple projects simultaneously and Workflow sites.

Knowledge Management and Work Processes

Computerizing work processes and presenting them as part of a comprehensive solution for knowledge management constitute the infrastructure for knowledge management activity itself. In this case, the knowledge management tool serves as a tool for improving work processes, institutionalizing them, and implementing them, which in turn helps increase the use of the knowledge management system itself. For illustration, after a work process has been defined, written, and even implemented in the field, it can be computerized and presented in the knowledge management system.

In places where the cultural challenge is great, integrating work processes into knowledge management tools receives even greater importance and contributes to the overall knowledge management activity implementation process.

Computerizing a work process and presenting it in a knowledge management system enables several things:

1. Transparency - circulation of responses and recommendations from those involved in the process through knowledge management tools

2. Presentation of insights and lessons related to the process in relevant places

3. Monitoring and control - ability to track each stage in the process (status, who is handling it, etc.)

4. Preserving the knowledge accumulated within the process allows future use of the knowledge

5. Improving service provided to customers (internal and/or external) by referring them to a computerized process

6. Efficiency - improving the process itself according to needs

7. Time saving

Summary

Computerizing and presenting work processes through knowledge management tools can serve as infrastructure for expanding knowledge management activity and contribute to its implementation.

At the end of the day, such knowledge management activity contributes to the organization's success by enabling resource savings, service improvement, cost reduction, proper management of human resources, and correct decision-making at the senior management level.

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Want to learn more about KM strategy?

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• Knowledge Management Best Practices

• MORE FEARLESS CHANGE - Book Review

• Maximizing KM Impact: Linking Knowledge to Core Business Goals