In the information age, financial capital or physical assets are no longer the sole determinant of an organization’s strength. Today, knowledge is the most valuable and vital asset. But how does your organization ensure that tacit expertise is not lost in employee turnover, and how do you turn accumulated information into added value?
This is where ISO 30401comes in, an international standard that provides a systematic and comprehensive framework for creating, implementing and maintaining an effective knowledge management system (KMS). The goal is to enable organizations to transform knowledge into a sustainable competitive advantage by standardizing concepts and practices.
Knowledge: From individual to organizational
The standard focuses on managing the two basic types of knowledge:
- Explicit Knowledge: This is documented and structured knowledge, such as procedures, databases, and reports.
- Tacit Knowledge: The experiences, skills, and ideas that exist in the minds of individuals and teams. ISO 30401 is specifically designed to help extract, document and transfer this critical expertise.
Key pillars of ISO 30401:
To maximize the value of knowledge, the standard emphasizes incorporating the following elements into your strategy:
- Knowledge culture: Create an environment that encourages employees to share, collaborate, and learn from mistakes and successes.
- Knowledge Structuring: Identify critical knowledge related to the organization’s goals, and organize it into easily accessible channels (such as expert databases or communities of practice).
- Leadership and commitment: Senior management must adopt clear governance of knowledge management and provide adequate resources to support the system.
Development Experts’ methodology for building a learning organization
We provide the expertise to design a knowledge management system that is not limited to technology, but focuses on the people and processes that create value.
1. Analyze the context and identify knowledge gaps
We start by assessing existingknowledge assets and identifying vulnerabilities prone toknowledge loss (e.g. areas with high employee turnover or unique tasks). We help you identify stakeholder needs and expectations from a knowledge management system.
2. Developing the knowledge framework and processes
We formulate a clear KM policy and set measurable goals (e.g. reducing the time it takes to find information). We create systematic processes to effectively create, capture, store, distribute, and apply knowledge in day-to-day operations.
3. Enabling tools and building a culture of engagement
We help select and implement the right technical tools and platforms to support knowledge sharing, but more importantly, we develop training and awareness programs to foster collaboration and encourage employees to proactively share their tacit knowledge.
Strategic benefits of ISO 30401certification
ISO 30401 certification is international proof that your organization is being run rationally and intelligently. The benefits are immediate and long-term:
- Accelerates innovation: Facilitating the exchange of ideas and expertise reduces duplication of effort and accelerates the development cycle of new products and services.
- Retention of expertise: Ensure that critical knowledge is not lost when employees retire or move on, preserving organizational memory.
- Faster and better decisions: Provide timely, accurate and comprehensive information to support strategic and tactical decision-making.
- Competitive advantage: Become a “learning organization” able to adapt to market changes faster and more flexibly than competitors.
