NHS maturity model

• Isolated people with a passion for knowledge management begin to talk and share how difficult it is to implement.

• Most people say sharing know-how is important.
• People are using some tools to help with capture and sharing.

• Some job descriptions include knowledge capture, sharing and effective usage, linked to knowledge and score framework (KSF) core dimensions 2 and 4.
• There are isolated knowledge projects.

• A strategy for knowledge sharing exists but is not linked to business results
•  A clear framework and set of tools for work related learning is widely communicated and understood.

• The knowledge sharing strategy is embedded in the Trust’s business strategy.
• A framework and tools enable learning before, during and after.

• Leaders are sceptical as to the benefits of knowledge sharing.
• Knowledge is “power”.

• Some leaders give people the time to share and learn, but there is little visible support.

• The organisation recognises that people should share and learn from each other, and that knowledge is everyone’s responsibility. However, in reality is it left to a small isolated few.

• There is a clear signal from the top and leaders across the organisation set an example in sharing and learning from each other.

• The right attitudes exist to share and use others’ know-how.
• All leaders reinforce the right behaviour and act as role models.

• People are conscious of the need to learn from what they do but rarely get the time.

• People capture what they learn on an ad hoc basis but the learning is rarely accessed by others.

• Common processes are in place for the sharing and reapplying of knowledge.

• People are learning before, during and after activities.
• Peer to peer learning is common.

• Communities review and validate learning to improve and revise existing processes.

• People work on individual objectives alone.

• People are networking and collaborating to complete specific tasks. But feel the need to defend the time.
• Ad hoc Networks/Communities of Practice (CoPs) are created. 

• CoPs are organised around practice areas. They have a clear document which defines purpose, ground rules and membership.

• Individuals regularly benefit by networking.
• Local available information technology (IT) tools are utilised to locate and share knowledge.
• Linkages between networks exist.

• Networks and CoPs help deliver organisational goals and have become part of the culture.

• People have faith that sharing knowledge is adding value but cannot demonstrate it.

• Anecdotal stories demonstrate benefits.
• There are some indicators.

• Qualitative and quantitative indicators are devised, but are only referred to when evaluations are required.

• People design, measure and apply improvements continuously to add value.

• The effective use of knowledge is acknowledged across the organisation as central to service improvement and improving safer care.

• People are moved on to next work before they have time to learn lessons.

• People capture lessons and store them locally.
• They respond to “customers’ “ requests for knowledge.

• People capture content designed around the organisation’s and “customers’ “ needs, but it is not always accessed.

• There is a process that “pushes” relevant knowledge and contacts to the right people.

• "Just in time" knowledge is current and easily accessible throughout the organisation.

Everyone is free to do things their own way. People sometimes innovate when a good solution already exists.

• Innovation priorities decided by established company strategy.
• Good ideas get implemented.

• Experimentation leads to pilot projects.
• Priorities clearly linked to responsiveness to customer needs.

• Successful experimentation leads to wide rollout.
• New horizons identified and value quickly created from them.

• The organisation reviews and improves innovation processes.
• Innovation a core competence of most staff.

• People use computers, store documents on their local drive and email documents for comment and to enable others to read them.

• Teams have a shared storage place for key team documents.

• There is a single integrated IT network, accessible by all offices and remotely.
• Teams work together virtually.

• People are using a variety of tools to help them locate expertise and proactively share knowledge widely.

• Knowledge management technology is a seamless part of everyday working - contacts, collaboration, storing, searching and sharing.

• We prefer to do things the way we have always done them.

• We recognise the need to change our working practices and are independently looking for efficiencies.

• We are learning from each other about how to be more efficient.

• We understand the health needs and concerns of the local population/patients and have processes in place to address them.

• Performance comes from continuous improvement of our working practices.