Organizational Knowledge & ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
Organizational knowledge could be described as the sum of all knowledge contained within an organization that can provide values to business processes. This knowledge can be acquired from intellectual property, product knowledge, lessons of failure and success, conferences, or customer communications etc. The latest ISO 9001:2015 standard institutes the concept of “knowledge.” The concept of organizational knowledge was not required by the previous standard of ISO 9001. However it has now been newly introduced in the latest standard. ISO 9001:2015 states the obligations for managing organizational knowledge in the following four phases:
- Identify the knowledge which is mandatory for the implementation of processes and for acquiring conformity of products and services.
- Keep knowledge and make it accessible to the level needed.
- Be thoughtful of the present organizational knowledge and measure it against contemporary requirements and trends.
- Gain the required knowledge. Knowledge Triangle: How data, information and analysis contributes to knowledge. And finally knowledge converts to wisdom.
The Knowledge Triangle
- Data
Data can be understood as “unrefined facts and figures." Data are the basis of information in an enterprise. Organizations gather, assesses and analyses this data to recognize patterns and trends. Majority of the data gathered is linked with the main processes of the organization. Data are particulars and statistics which reinforce something particular about a process, but data is not structured in any terms and it gives no further vision concerning trend, forecast and context, etc.
- Information
Each data unit is a fragment of a process which does not give any information until they are defined and ordered in concurrence with other data units. The collection of data into a meaningful context gives information. Data needs to be connected with its background, grouped, formulated and compressed where necessary to produce required information. Information provides a larger picture; it is data with applicability and objective. It may transfer behavior in the environment, or can refer a trend of sales for a timeline. Basically, information is revealed in responses to questions that start with words like what, who, when, where and how much.
- Analysis
Analysis provides more value to collected information by disconnecting or reorganizing them. Simulations with systematic and logical processing give practitioners the capability to evaluate information and define process, trend, etc.
- Knowledge
Knowledge is not identical to data, information or analysis. It is because knowledge can be generated from any source, or it can be founded on previous knowledge utilizing logical inferences. Knowledge is related to performance and relates how to do and comprehension of a reality. The knowledge owned by each person is an output of one’s experience, and relies on the scale by which a person examines new inputs from his environment. Knowledge can be determined as “an abstract mix of perceived experience, principles, socio-economic and political context, professional awareness, and the emotional elements." All these elements give a surrounding and mechanism for assessing and adding new information and experiences. It initiates and is developed in the intellect of the one who knows. In companies, knowledge is frequently built within organizational culture, norms, and routine activities along with its documentation.
- Wisdom
Wisdom is the use of knowledge out of experience or learning to build an increased comprehension of the reality and to optimize business functions.
Types of Knowledge
There are different types of organizational knowledge and these can be explained as given below:
- Tacit knowledge – These are knowledge that cannot be expressed and communicated.
- Implicit knowledge - These are knowledge that can be expressed and communicated but it has never been.
- Explicit knowledge - These are knowledge that is expressed and communicated, mostly recorded in the structure of tables, text, relationship etc.
- Procedural knowledge - These are knowledge expresses itself in the form of doing some process.
- Declarative knowledge - These are knowledge that comprises of methods, descriptions and things, and written procedures (declared and followed).
- Strategic knowledge - Knowing the time of doing something with the reason of doing it.
- Personal - This is a type of knowledge found within an individual, it is mostly tacit knowledge. It can also be both implicit and explicit, but it must be personal in nature.
- Community - This knowledge is found within communities but is not conveyed to the remaining organization. Companies normally comprise of different groups (normally casually formed) which are associated with each other by usual practice. These groups may have some common values, semantics, ways of doing work etc. These communities are also a bank of learning and a source for implicit, tacit, explicit, procedural knowledge.
- Structural - This knowledge is present in practices and culture of an organization. This knowledge might be understood by most of the members of the company or only by some. For instance the knowledge of the army schedules may not be acknowledged by the soldiers who carry out these schedules. Sometimes, structural knowledge may be the remainder of organizational history, else dis-remembered lessons, where the value of this knowledge exists solely in the process itself.
Tracking & Recording Organizational Knowledge
Every organization has significant knowledge that makes them gain a lead in the competition, but how is this recorded within your organization? When knowledge resides with some employees in an organization and is not recorded, it is referred to as “tribal knowledge,” and if this can be strength, it can be at risk of being forgotten when these persons leave the company. The following are some ways to record the knowledge of an organization:
- Work Instructions
Obviously, the best way to record this knowledge is with the help of written or pictorial instructions. If you have a process that needs to be done in a particular way in order to avoid problems, do so, and then, draft them on paper or in any other medium for comprehension of new recruits.
- Checklists
Checklists are a list of items required, things to be done, or points to be considered, used as a reminder. Organizational knowledge can also be considered using this means.
- Training Packages
At times, key points of the process needs to be recorded, and having this in a type of training package can be an excellent idea for capturing the knowledge.
- On-the-Job Training
When the knowledge just can’t be explained in black and white, it can be helpful to employ on-the-job training where a professional who is experienced on the job will convey the undocumented knowledge in an organization to others.
- Knowledge Database
Some concepts or things are learned during a project. This experience can be captured by creating a report that discusses the successes and failures of a project, which can then be logged in a knowledge database. Such records will help in completing such projects effectively.
Utilizing Organizational Knowledge
When organizational knowledge is recorded, it is encouraged to take advantage of the recorded resource, particularly when bringing any changes. Implementing quality checklists and work instructions can be met with resistance, but if all concerned personnel know how important this documentation is, implementation will be easier. Also, the training requirements should be implemented as soon as they are produced.
Systems should be upgraded to incorporate the training for the implementation of work instructions and quality checklists. This incorporation will enable a new person recruited to the team to get the most up-to-date training to start the job. The knowledge database serves as an input mechanism into the design job, so one need to update the system of design process to make sure that design engineers are able to take advantage from the lessons which have been incorporated into knowledge database to ensure that no one bypasses learning or improvement that have been recognized and recorded.
Employees are expected to learn to utilize this system so that they may gradually progress in their jobs. Knowledge can be lost in information, especially when the given information is not analyzed and applied during work. Data are used by organizations by ordering and converting them into useful information. Information provides insight about a process and the relation of data structures. But when this information is only utilized for reports without taking appropriate actions on processes based on this information, then a potential knowledge resource is lost.
Therefore, knowledge is something beyond information that is applied to some processes, machinery, procedure, and gives a comprehensive understanding of a process subject. Considering organizational knowledge as a powerful resource can speed an organization into continual improvement, which can be crucial to the long-term success of an organization. Frequently, organizations don’t understand what crucial knowledge they had until one key employee moves out and systems do not work properly anymore.
This can be a costly method for learning the lesson that it is important to record and regulate organizational knowledge. To avoid this, organizations should take advantage of the ISO 9001:2015 requirements and opt for organizational knowledge recording by making it a strategic theme. The organization often benefits for doing so.
About the Author
Adebayo is a thought leader in continuous process improvement and manufacturing excellence. He is a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt (CSSMBB), Digital Manufacturing Professional and ISO Management Systems Lead Auditor (ISO 9001, 45001 & ISO 22000) with strong experience leading various continuous improvement initiative in top manufacturing organizations.
You can reach him here.
