Finding the right information

An appreciative inquirty is tool to help you see the world in a different way.

A different way to see and be in the world, to learn and build on what we do well rather than focusing opon problems. An appreciative inquiry can generate ideas, energise changes and stimulate innovation on a large scale.

More information

This postcard describes the appreciative inquiry tool in words and pictures.

View the NHS Knowledge Mobilisation Framework elearning module on appreciative inquiry.

An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry, produced by NHS England, provides an excellent introduction to this method.

Appreciative Inquiry: how it works and how we've used it is an example of how this method has been used in the Midlands Leadership Academy.

Enjoying work - Appeciative Inquiry is another example of how this method was used within the Quality Improvement team at NHS East London NHS Foundation Trust.

An elicitation interview is a 1 to 1 with line manager, or other appropriate colleague, on specific area of knowledge to draw out tacit knowledge which is your head.

Use the Knowledge Retention and Transfer Toolkit for an elicitation interview template to follow and key questions to ask in the elicitation interview.

This varies from an Exit Interview, defined as “a meeting with an employee who is leaving the organisation to find out more about their experiences, with a view to improving practice” (definition from the Knowledge Management Specialist Library) in that the focus is on drawing out key knowledge to ensure this is passed on to the incoming member of staff or rest of the team. 

This is knowledge relevant to an organisation’s strategy and operations.

Knowledge assets can be human (individuals, teams, communities), structural (strategies, policies, processes, procedures) or supporting technologies.

By understanding the knowledge assets an organisation possesses, the organisation can improve its ability to use them to best effect and also to spot any gaps that may exist.

For more infomation see Nilmini Wickramasinghe and Graydon Davison's, 2004 article, Making explicit the implicit knowledge assets in healthcare: the case of multidisciplinary teams in care and cure environments published in Health Care Management Science, Volume 7 Issue 3 on pages 185 to 195.

Mapping knowledge assets

Mapping knowledge assets determines where these assets are in an organisation, and how knowledge flows operate in the organisation.

Evaluating relationships between holders of knowledge will then illustrate the sources, flows, limitations, and losses of knowledge that can be expected to occur. Identifying knowledge and directing it to the relevant people who might need it.

What is mapped?

Mapping knowledge assets, otherwise known as a knowledge audit, typically involves the following.

• Creating an inventory of knowledge assets including owners and locations, for example, listing clinical guidelines, who has responsibility for them and agreed review dates
• Appreciating how knowledge supports key business activities, for example, by mapping knowledge to organisational strategic objectives, national and local performance indicators
• Maps of knowledge flows, for example, organisational and departmental charts
• Identification of knowledge gaps, for example, via training needs analyses and user surveys
• Diagnostics around knowledge risks, pain points and cultural issues, for example, via the corporate risk register, lessons learned exercises

More information

This postcard describes the knowledge assets tool in words and pictures.

View the NHS Knowledge Mobilisation Framework elearning module on knowledge assets.

Knowledge harvesting is a structured approach to help an organisation understand and record the knowledge and experience of people, often before they leave or move roles

A facilitator interviews the leaver and then organises and packages the resulting knowledge into a knowledge asset. This is to be then published for the use of others taking over the role.

Knowledge harvesting resources

• Knowledge harvesting postcard
• Maintaining and improving quality during the transition: safety, effectiveness, experience - Gov.uk
• Organisational Transition PowerPoint - retaining and sharing knowledge within organisational transition

Tools

Rachel Cooke at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has developed a Leavers toolkit which aims to “reduce the time and expense lost through the lack of continuity in critical, team, departmental, and corporate knowledge. For example, prevent the loss of knowledge that occurs when someone moves to a new role or leaves the organisation altogether”.

The Knowledge retention and transfer toolkit can help you to elicit information from a colleague on a specific area of knowledge which they have gained through their experiences.

Getting started

Start thinking about your knowledge transfer as early as possible and get dates for activities/events in diaries with colleagues early on.

1. Identify what you think are the key knowledge areas you are taking with you when you leave
2. Ask team/colleagues what they think they would like to know from you before you go – it may be different
3. Agree with line manager the priorities to focus on
4. Agree with line manager reasonable actions for each priority. These activities may include a combination from the toolbox below
5. Identify a key colleague to help and to facilitate your knowledge transfer activities
6. Create your ‘legacy’ and capture output from the activities and store in a central area accessible to all the team

A toolbox of knowledge transfer activities

Below are a selection of activities to help with the transfer of knowledge. They are not a checklist, but a toolbox from which to select the most appropriate.

What do others need to know about my job?

Create a table of the key priorities relating to your job and identify who needs to know this information and how you are going to give it to them.

Go to the knowledge prioritisation plan template.

Create a physical handover folder 

You can put a copy of all key documents (with file path added in the footer) and a printed copy of any of the documents you created from the list below.

Collate vital emails

75% of organisational knowledge is transferred via email and is lost when your email account is deleted when you leave. Go through your mailbox thoroughly and collate the ones you know will be useful to colleagues, save as actual document.

Key contact lists

Draft a key contacts list, who you use to get your job done, internally, externally. Annotate with useful background/context.

Go to the knowledge retention and transfer contacts list template.

Calendar of my job

Create table of activities/events that take place during a standard year and note what must happen when and who is involved and so forth.

A calendar of events template can be found in the Downloads.

Organise your files to be transfered into the shared drive

Prune and organise your electronic documents and files and transfer them into your team's shared drive.

You could also leave colleagues a guide to your unique file structure. The guide could be added to your prioritisation plan.

'Work in hand' statements 

Draft a brief position statement for each on going/ unfinished area of work. The position statement could be added to your prioritisation plan.

Useful resources

Draft a list (not too long) of the resources you use to get your job done (favourite databases, websites, books).

Go to a template for recording your useful resources.

Handover guides

Write up 'how to', 'best practice', and procedure guides. 

My frequently asked questions

Write up the top 5 questions you are repeatedly asked by collegues.

Elicitation interview

1 to 1 with line manager or other appropriate colleague on specific area of knowledge to draw out tacit knowledge (what’s in your head).

Go to the knowledge and retention transfer questions template.

'Audience with...'

This is a question and answer session with your immediate (and sometimes wider) team, and can be linked to a last team meeting. 

Colleagues get to ask you anything they want to know. Prepare the team in advance to think of questions. Works best if made an informal social event , for example over tea and cakes.

Knowledge exchange 

A quick transfer of essential knowledge. You and the team, in a room, for an hour. Team draft ‘Top 10 things we want to know about X’. 

You simultaneously draft ‘Top 10 things you need to know about X’. Bring lists together, work through and answer questions there and then. 

Ensures the crucial knowledge is exchanged in a short space of time, no lengthy documenting. Team members are responsible for capturing their own notes.

Masterclass

In-depth training for a group of people in a specific area of knowledge. Prepare an annotated PowerPoint presentation to leave for colleagues reference after the event.

Coaching or baton passing 

Arrange 1 to 1 sessions with key colleagues.

Self-assessment is a tool used to enable an organisation to identify its own strengths and weakness on aspects of their business.

The aim of this self-assessment tool, the River Diagram, is to enable an organisation to identify its own strengths and weakness and develop an integrated strategic approach. This could be on an aspect of their business or a pan organisation function.

The River Diagram is a method of converting graphic information into an accessible diagram illustrating:

• performance and benchmarking
• the capability for learning
• performance levels

It lays the foundation for creating a strategy for managing and sharing knowledge within an organisation.

The River Diagram can also be known as the River and Stairs diagram or maturity model.

Rachel Cooke, in consultation with others at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, developed a NHS knowledge mobilisation (KM) maturity model with more criteria than Chris Collison’s original 5 criteria tool.

• Original NHS knowledge maturity model
• NHS Knowledge self-assessment leader’s guide
• Stairs and river tool leader’s guide

This has further been developed into a digital Knowledge Mobilisation Self-assessment tool.

This tool helps health organisations consider how they are using external evidence and organisational knowledge and identifying priorities to develop.

The River Diagram templates on this page can be used to help you create your own river and stairs diagram using knowledge mobilisation criteria.

More information

This postcard described the Self-assessment tool in words and pictures.