> At the heart of our Learning Intranet is a set of software tools that
> capture observation, insights, and lessons learned to build a common
> knowledge respository. The central activity is the creation and
> maintainance of a living blueprint of the enterprise while fostering
> the creation of new knowedge.
And In Response to LO12412
> What are the change issues in using the intranet for OL?
In a global organization where the company intranet serves multiple
product/service organizations, cross-functional areas and geographically
dispersed work groups I assume the "observations, insights and lessons
learned" may be on a wide variety of uncommon areas (e.g., completing a
due diligence activity, establishing a business case for an ISP in Asia,
developing a business partnership in Argentina, creating an effective
billing system for a new service, gathering market intelligence to
identify customers for a particular product and develop a successful
marketing plan)
How does one build a "common knowledge respository" out of such diverse
experiences and situations? As individuals and groups contribute to the
global data base there is the potential for not only a wide variety of
learnings on a broad range of topics, but also a lot of redundancy. Is
there some central organizing function (e.g., software directory or web
master etc.) that manages the mountains of accumulated information to
create a meaningful data base that can be efficiently searched? Extremely
busy business people will not likely be able to sort through the many
streams of information (including the redundancy) that may exist.
This pertains to a broader issue and goes beyond simply a "knowledge
repository"function of the intranet. The issue of knowledge/information
management is key. The internet is experiencing this challenge today.
How do you organize and manage an overwhelming and ever-increasing amount
of information so that the repository efficiently meets the needs of a
variety of constiuents? Conducting a search on the internet is a good
example. Which search engine is best for my purpose? What search
words/parameter should I use? Is what I get back really the "best" data
out there?
It seems to me that global organizational intranets face the same
challenge: what is the most effective and efficient way to manage a
variety of information to stimulate and enable the most learning for the
greatest number of people?
On a related, but somewhat different note, I'd like to comment on some of
the potential "change issues" connected with implementing an intranet.
1) In today's fast-paced, "give-me-a-quick-answer" world, people don't
want to sort through a mountain of information, do their own comparative
analysis and draw final conclusions. They want some of that searching,
organizing, and analysis of information to be done already. If they have
to do that themselves, it becomes an obstacle. Thus, the importance of
information management on the intranet. As we design our intranet, we are
struggling with making it user-friendly so that we can maximize useage and
ultimately productivity.
2) If you want your intranet to serve the widest number of organizational
members, you have to address the technology literacy (technophobia) issue.
Reality suggests there are still a large number of people that are not PC,
internet, software (particularly with groupware or collaboration tools)
literate or comfortable as yet. Many people will not use the system
without special training. Yes, it can still be difficult to "teach old
dogs new tricks".
3) Unfortunately, even in the same organization, I think there is still a
reluctance to share information, ideas and to collaborate. Competitive
attitudes and struggles for limited resources remain primary reasons not
to share information and collaborate. Information is still a source of
power in organizations. Implementing an intranet without addressing the
organizational culture can at the least result in underutilization and at
the most stimulate greater competition or even dysfunction between groups.
4) I'd like to comment on one final change issue/potential obstacle. In
today's global business environment where more and more businesses have
needs to work with an expanding number of business partners, joint
ventures, other companies with similar vested interests, and consultants
etc. the intranet/extranet could serve as a powerful tool for
collaboration. However, how does one deal with the "firewall",
proprietary confidential issues that often become persistent roadblocks to
real collaboration in a forum like an intra/extranet?
I hope these thoughts generate other responses and keeps this thread
moving in a useful direction. I look forward to hearing other ideas!
Thanks!
Gary Hobson <a10454m@email.mot.com
--Gary Hobson <a10454m@email.mot.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>