KM governance in 5 letters

When your KM framework is complete and in place, you need to operate a level of governance to ensure the framework becomes fully embedded.

So what does governance entail?

Let's think about it in terms of 5 letters

• E is for Expectations. Everyone should know the corporate expectations for Knowledge Management; whatever they may be. They might be "Ask, Learn, Share", they might be "Learn Before, During and After", they might be "Every project should have a KM plan, and hold a post-project Retrospect". Whatever they are, everyone should know them.
• A is for Accountability. Everyone should know their personal accountability within the KM framework. Whether they are accountable for making sure a project fulfils its KM expectations, or accountable for maintaining an area of corporate knowledge, or accountable for building and facilitating a community of practice, they should be clear on what this accountability is.
• M is for Metrics. People should, to some extent, be measured against their accountabilities. Did the project follow the KM expectations? Is their area of corporate knowledge being maintained (complete, up to date, accessible, user-friendly)? Is the community of practice healthy and delivering value?
• I is for Incentives. If people meet their accountabilities, this needs to be reflected in their remuneration and recognition. Like any other component of work, "good performance in KM" should get reflected in pay and promotion? ALso "poor performance in KM" should impact pay and promotion.
• S is for Support. People need to be supported in KM. They need to get the training, they need to have the tools, and they need to have the reference material to be able to deliver against their accountabilities and expectations.

If you get E, A, M, I and S correct, knowledge management will become as embedded as any other component of your management system. You get one of these wrong, and KM may become unsustainable.