TWI Frequently asked question
by Paul Jones
Knowledge capture is a variety of techniques used to elicit facets of an individual's technical knowledge such that insights, experiences, social networks and lessons learned can be shared to mitigate organisational knowledge loss.A variety of methods are used and they vary according to each organisation's requirements but range from interviews and mindmapping to blogs and wikis 1 .
Many organisations recognise that commercial advantage is gained primarily through the knowledge and expertise of their staff. Increasingly, there is an awareness that measures need to be taken to protect and share this valuableasset. This is particularly pertinent for technology-intensive, expert-based organisations that are at risk when key staff retire or leave the organisation.
TWI has experience of conducting knowledge capture interviews with highly experienced technical experts who are approaching retirement, the results of which are used to aid succession planning, transition of knowledge to new staffand recruitment and retention of personnel. Techniques such as mindmapping, Critical Incident Technique interviews 2 , and social network analysis 3 are used to build up a picture of the facets of an individual's expertise as well as their modus operandi in solving complex technical problems. The data gathered from interviews can be text, image, video and audio and isincorporated into a suitable format for sharing and further development.
For further assistance from TWI on knowledge capture, contact paul.jones@twi.co.uk
1 A wiki is a web page that allows visitors to edit the contents of the page. Wikis are increasingly used to foster online collaborative content.
2 The Critical Incident Technique is an interview method used for gathering observations of human behaviour in particular situations. For further information see the entry in Wikipedia
3 Social Network Analysis is a research field that analyses the role that social networks play in how individuals solve problems, operate organizations and perform effectively in work situations. For further information, see theentry in Wikipedia.
