Committing to KM

"What resources do you need to commit prior to embarking on a KM program? What do managers need to commit to, or as a KM professional what do I need to make them aware of." Not addressing this question up front has plagued many KM efforts. The solution in a box concept, buy the technology and you've got the solution, doesn't really work. You need resources to implement and maintain the solutions.

We've been fortunate to have management and a Board committee that recognizes this fact and has encouraged not only to add technology (like the CMS) but to included the support necessary to keep it going. We've been encouraged to develop long-term plans that describes the necessary resources.

A few examples of commitment here at AwwaRF

1) My position was created to make sure KM moves forward.
2) We have organizational strategic goals related to KM
3) Not only are we purchasing a CMS, we are hiring a full time system administer. Also, staff served on organizational teams to design the system.
4) I routinely meet with senior managers and report directly to our deputy director.
5) Our board is intimately aware of our activities.
6) We have an agreed upon strategy that is tied to our business plan.

Did we realize this commitment up front? The answer is easy, no! This has evolved over time following some small wins and lots of culture change. I knew we were in a good place when one of our board members said in regards to our KM strategy, "KM is just a cost of doing business."