DTI Projects: Knowledge
Management in Construction
Project Overview
To achieve sustained competitive advantage,
all organisations need the ability to manage
knowledge effectively. To manage knowledge
effectively, organisations need to develop
mechanisms for knowledge transfer, and a
culture of learning, knowledge sharing, and
trust.
Objectives
The overall objective of this project is
to help construction firms make better use
of knowledge and become better at learning.
It will have an economic impact by eliminating
wasteful reinvention of wheels. It will also
have a social impact, as KM will act as a
catalyst for improving organisational culture
and promoting sharing and teamwork.
Specific objectives are to:
- Raise awareness and understanding of
knowledge management in construction so
that by the
end of the project at least 50% of CBPP
and Rethinking Construction contacts have
heard
the term and have a basic understanding
of the subject. There are currently over
20,000
contacts on the CBPP database and 1,700
contacts through Rethinking Construction’s
demonstration projects and regional networks.
- Provide practical help for firms taking
the first steps into knowledge management.
This will be achieved by producing
the
outputs described below, making them
available through CBPP, and promoting
them through
CBPP and Rethinking Construction. Beyond
the life of the project, the uptake
of the outputs will be monitored by
CBPP who
routinely monitor the resources accessed
and downloaded through their website.
- Create a knowledge management community
in the industry. At the start of the
project
we aim to create a group of 25 companies
drawn from across the construction
supply chain. We will make plans with
the group
so it can continue when the project
has ended.
The project partners have each recognised
the importance of KM to industry and are
already involved in activities to develop
tools and techniques that will help firms
realise the benefits. The most significant
of these are listed below:
Henley Management College runs The Knowledge
Management Forum – an internationally
recognised centre of excellence in KM. The
Forum is a membership organisation with over
40 leading private and public sector members,
together with academics and other subject
experts. Members include leading organisations
from the IT, pharmaceutical, finance, and
retail sectors. Forum activities include
research, workshops and seminars, an annual
conference, a website and a KM database.
The Forum has developed KOPE – a self-assessment
framework for measuring KM capabilities.
In developing KOPE, the Forum has gained
considerable insight into all aspects of
KM. KOPE is described further in Annex A.
Other current and proposed KM research projects
include work to develop KOPE into a user-friendly,
interactive practitioners’ guide.
Ove Arup is developing KM internally and
has contributed to the recent BSI guide to
good practice in KM.
Taylor Woodrow is developing KM internally
and runs KM seminars in conjunction with
ENCORD and ENBRI.
Rethinking Construction held a KM conference
in March 2002. Through their demonstration
projects and regional networks they will
be working with the project manager to build
practical experience in the use of KM tools,
and promote continuous improvement in their
application.
CBPP is currently developing KM resources
for construction including an introduction
to KM, case studies, and a list of existing
KM resources. They have also identified the
need for a diagnostic tool to help organisations
understand and improve their KM capabilities
and further case studies showing how KM can
be used in organisations and supply chains.
Hemdean Consulting brings collaborative
project management and facilitation skills
to the project, backed up with experience
in best practice and business and research
consultancy.
 Application
Form for Membership of Knowledge Management
Construction
Knowledge
Management Construction Community
Contact
Dr. Judy Payne
Hemdean Consulting
308 Kidmore Road
Caversham
Reading
RG4 7NG
Phone 0118 947 4652
Fax 0118 947 4664
Mobile 07702 733946
Return to DTI Project summary>
|
