When an organization’s most critical knowledge is moving through the organization efficiently and reaching the right people at the right time, you have knowledge flow! It starts when new knowledge is created and includes all the people and systems the knowledge must pass through before it is accessed and used for creating value at an organization. 

Why is it important to manage the flow of knowledge? 

Most of us are dealing with a plethora of complex, redundant or non-existent knowledge flow processes, which are likely not documented appropriately, if at all. So, it is important for organizations to be intentional about identifying, understanding, and capturing the processes that deliver relevant knowledge to those who need it. Intentionality is critical when designing and implementing KM approaches such as lessons learned, communities of practice, or search capabilities. Knowledge does not provide value until it is accessed and used. A KM tool or approach that doesn’t enable effective knowledge flow is less likely to support the achievement of KM goals and ultimately the organization’s goals.

How can I begin to think about knowledge flow?

Purposefully thinking about knowledge flow begins with leveraging APQC’s Knowledge Flow Process, a seven-step cycle detailing how knowledge moves through organizations. This cycle includes creating, identifying, collecting, reviewing, sharing, accessing, and using knowledge; and is a holistic approach that includes people, process, content and technology in every step. 

Explore the seven steps below.

Step 1: Create Also innovate and invent. Knowledge creation happens every day in many different ways such as new experiments, implementation plans for new customers, and collaboration product enhancements.

Step 2: Identify Also define and prioritize. Identify what knowledge is critical to strategy and operations in order to focus on that knowledge. In addition, individual employees should identify knowledge to share in the course of their work.

Step 3: Collect Also capture and organize. Document and store knowledge in a medium such as a portal, database, or blog. Collection can happen through a facilitated activity, during an event such as a team meeting, or in the course of daily work.

Step 4: Review Also evaluate, validate and analyze. Review and assess knowledge for relevance, accuracy, and use. Some knowledge requires formal review by experts, whereas other knowledge can be effectively reviewed and managed by a broader user community.

Step 5: Share Also collaborate, transfer and publish. Share or impart knowledge or information to others, contribute to a group activity or discussion, and/or respond to questions.

Step 6: Access Also find, discover and encounter. Pass knowledge and/or expertise from one-to-one or one-to-many. It includes both “push” mechanisms (knowledge is delivered at set times or in response to triggers) and “pull” mechanisms (knowledge is accessed on demand).

Step 7: Use Also learn, reuse and adapt/adopt. Knowledge is taken in its current form and applied to another situation to solve a problem, improve a process, or make a decision.

What does knowledge flow look like in action?

Organizations use the seven-step process framework to better understand and optimize their own KM processes and capabilities, but also must consider the behaviors necessary for employees to engage. When developing specific knowledge flow processes, consider the mindsets necessary throughout the steps in the cycle to effectively enable your knowledge to flow:

• Sharing and giving back: When knowledge is new, it’s important for employees to understand the value of sharing and giving back to others in the organization.
• Asking and searching: When knowledge is needed, it’s important for employees to have the capability and know how to freely ask and search for expertise and critical knowledge.
• Learning and improving: Once knowledge has been through the lifecycle and found by others, it’s important employees know it can be used in new ways and improved to add value to the organization.

Most mature KM programs use defined knowledge flow processes to ensure that critical and relevant knowledge is moving throughout the enterprise as it should. A defined knowledge flow process helps KM teams identify gaps and pinpoint opportunities for improvement and think more deeply about the end user experience. It should be no surprise that KM programs with defined knowledge flow processes have an edge in KM participation and are more likely to be seen as effective by leaders than organizations who don’t.

At best practice organizations like Shopify, the KM team focuses on improving findability by developing and leveraging a knowledge flow framework. According to Tessa Lionheart, “teams didn’t actually need a knowledge management expert to hold their hand through the process or wait until things got to an unbearable state before taking control. In essence, we enabled teams to scale faster and bake knowledge management into their practices”. 

For more about knowledge flow processes, see Why KM Should Define Its Knowledge Flow Processes.