A Knowledge Management Roadmap for the UNDP

1. A Knowledge Management Roadmap for the UNDP December 5, 2003 Senior Management Team Meeting

2. Agenda Context Positions the present Knowledge Management effort and presentation KM Vision Crafts UNDP’s future state as a world-class Knowledge Management Organization KM Present Assesses UNDP’s current state from the perspective of its Knowledge Management capability Summarizes the top KM initiatives identified and possible deployment scenarios KM Initiatives

3. Context Getting UNDP’s collective development knowledge to the right people, at the right time! • UNDP has a clear mandate to become a world-class Knowledge Management (KM) Organization in the field of Development. • Over the last 2 years, UNDP has been focusing attention and resources on the ERP project as a core system to support operational decentralization and boost staff’s efficiency. Building on the “ERP dividend”, the KM project is now expected to become UNDP’s primary focus over the next 18 months. • Experience from other KM organizations show that the KM project will be comparable to the ERP project in terms of scope and organizational change. • The purpose of to-day’s presentation is to ensure that the proposed framework of UNDP’s KM Deployment Plan is “directionally correct”. Based upon this discussion, a detailed design/plan (“Phase 0”) will then be developed over the next 90 days.

4. KM Vision UNDP is the trusted Development advisor of Governments. Its advices are both a body of “knowledge” that the UNDP generates, acquires, or re-uses and “products” that it provides these governments with for spurring development ideas and projects. At the end of the day, UNDP’s fundamental goal is to become a world-class knowledge management (KM) organization creating the best Development products for its governmental “clients”. This goal implies a profound reinvention of the “UNDP enterprise”. • The basic tenet is that, in a fundamental shift in mindset and behaviors, we want to use knowledge management as a transformational tool to advance our mission, create powerful tools for each Country Office, and help us stay ahead of the profound changes needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. • This implies that KM initiatives move to the forefront of UNDP’s attention and investment priorities.

5. AND… UNDP’s KM Vision Cuts Through Binary Choices… • UNDP will also be “product-driven”. UNDP’s mission is also Thought Leadership and its KM agenda will incorporate original/ thought-provoking research • UNDP’s KM Delivery will also be recognized for its quality. Branded UNDP “Knowledge Objects” (KO) will go through a formal editorial function. These KOs will be tagged according to where they fall in the validation cycle • UNDP will also constantly mine the KOs generated by the field COs (“best practices”) • UNDP will monitor the “value” assigned by its customers to its delivered KOs. It will organized its KM processes along market principles (feed-back surveys, self-assessment tools, etc.) • UNDP will be “client-centric”. Its KM agenda will incorporate a systematic analysis of questions asked and its clients’ demands • UNDP’s KM Delivery will focus on speed. The timely delivery of knowledge will be monitored on an ongoing basis and measured in hours and days, not weeks or months • UNDP’s Knowledge Objects (KOs) will be generated by HQ (position papers, expert advice, etc.) • UNDP’s KM Delivery will continue to be non-chargeable

6. KM Vision • Premier Source of Development Information - UNDP is acknowledged world-wide as the premier source of information for what works and what doesn’t in the Development area. The value of the knowledge we make available to respond to development challenges is perceived as equal or greater than the value of our financial contribution. • Personalized Search to a Rich Knowledge Repository- Our clients enjoy a user-friendly, highly personalized access to Development information (“knowledge objects”), ranging from up-to-date, first-hand reports and case studies from field experience, to position papers on key development policy issues, drawn from global knowledge, research, and leadership thinking from our world-class in-house specialists. The perceived value of our is systematically monitored. • Professional Effectiveness and Personal Empowerment -Each UNDP staff member has his/her own Portal with fully integrated and accessible tools to search information and/or relevant subject matter experts. He/she has the ability to join dynamic communities of interest/communities of practices to share knowledge and ideas. • A Forum for All- UNDP functions as a portal for Development Knowledge tapping all possible sources of knowledge, whether internal or external. UNDP is organized to ensure that whenever someone needs to find something out, the relevant knowledge can quickly and easily be made available from anywhere it exists. • Knowledge Culture- All UNDP staff understand that our collective knowledge is our most critical asset. Processes are in place to collect, organize, assess, share, and deliver knowledge in a timely and systematic manner. The efficiency of these processes is systematically monitored. The following statements summarize our next 18 month goals:

7. The Knowledge-enabled Country OfficeUNDP as the e-Development Advisor of Choice The Internet and specific KM technologies provide the UNDP with the opportunity to create virtual communities of practice between governments, donors, the research community, and international development organizations resulting in a environment where each Country Office is the center and repository of our collective Development knowledge The KM vision is about big changes and instilling a constant focus on delivering valuable research into UNDP’s everyday practices Web Content Mgmt. Search Engine Portals Personalization, multi-channel access and on-demand access to specialists are key aspects of that vision

8. KM’s Current State • UNDP has already gathered components of a KM Organization: 1. Content Management • Practice Areas established • Position Papers – the “lead-in” to the menu of offerings, each presented as a one-page paper containing the main idea, which is backed up by the full depth of experience and consultations. • “Best Practice” initiatives– A few of the Knowledge Communities (Governance; NHDR) have brought members together in “action learning” events to share their best efforts and gain insights into what works and what doesn’t. Other attempts to identify and disseminate Best Practices have been initiated by the Gender unit in BDP, TCDC, the Bratislava SURF, etc. • SURFs established • Base taxonomy introduced • “Knowledge Objects” introduced in PeopleSoft (e.g., project templates) • Communication/Branding effort initiated 2. Tools & Technology • Search Engine and Content Management System selected • e-Documentation project launched • Knowledge Management Portal launched (PeopleSoft) 3. Staff/Process Alignment • Practice Mapping established • Talent Management process established • Virtual Development Academy launched • Practice Area established and SURF staffing completed 4. Networks and Communities • Knowledge Networks established – Approximately 2/3 of all UNDP staff are subscribers • Practice Communities – In 1999, UNDP introduced communities of practice primarily for its own staff, in order to strengthen their substantive competencies in core thematic areas, build their collective identity as professional peer groups, and share their knowledge and best practices across regions. The concept was well received – there are now dozens of networks, with eleven major ones averaging 500 members each. 5. Overall Enabling UNDP Infrastructure • UNDP-wide connectivity achieved (PeopleSoft side benefit) • Learning Center established. Training policy established

9. Plotted along these five axes, UNDP’s KM current state shows both progress to-date and the remaining gaps 1. Content Management Content Mgmt. Processes and Specific Functions (e.g., Editorial) not in place Base Taxonomy 5. Overall UNDP 2. Tools and Technology Infrastructure SURFs KM Tools not operational E - Connectivity To all COs Practice Areas Learning Center Documentation Search Engine Content Mgmt. System Knowledge Networks Practice Communities Specialists Staffing Practice Mapping Incentives are not aligned Portals, HR processes not all operational Communities still in infancy 3. Staff/Policy 4. Alignment Communities Legend: External bleu line represents best KM organization Green line represents UNDP’s current state

10. KM Initiatives • 33 primary KM initiatives (see the opposite page) have been identified to allow the UNDP to migrate from its current state to a world-class KM organization. • These initiatives are at various degrees of planning and design.

12. KM Initiatives • Again, the experience from organizations that have embarked on similar endeavors suggests that KM will be a major transformation project for the UNDP, comparable in scope, complexity and change management impact to the ERP (1) . The KM project will follow the same rigorous implementation methodology. • To be completed in March 2004, “Phase 0” of this KM project is designed to detail each of the 33 initiatives listed earlier into a detailed blueprint for implementation, including specific workplans and alternative resource requirements. This blueprint will be presented to the SMT for validation. • Phase 0 will also include a budget projection and a financing plan (including a business case for potential donors). • As part of Phase 0, it is intended to: • Coordinate the planning and design of existing ongoing KM projects within the UNDP- Phase 0 KM Team and Steering Committee will already be multi-disciplinary and include representatives across multiple UNDP units • Conduct a 3-day Design Workshop with large UNDP participation • Assess opportunities to partner with external KM organizations/KM development projects, both within the UN and outside • (1) This does not mean that the KM project should be of the same magnitude as the ERP in terms of investment. First, it will leverage the UNDP-wide connectivity now in place, and the large, ongoing computer training effort. Second, the ERP itself will largely simplify UNDP’s work environment by harmonizing systems and practices. Part of UNDP’s knowledge will also directly consists of the data managed in the ERP itself. Third, part of the investments requested to become a knowledge organization have already been made (e.g., setting up UNDP’s practice areas). Moreover, part of Phase 0 scope is to analyze and emulate best practices from the syndicated KM organizations to save both time and money.

13. “Phase 0” Deliverable- March 31, 2004 Knowledge Management Phase 0 Table of Contents • Overall KM architecture design • Detailed design documents: - per initiative • High-level KM policies and procedures • Overall timeline and phases. Detailed workplans • Staffing/resource plan (onetime and ongoing) • Regionalization Plan • Budget projections (onetime and ongoing) • Communication Plan • Proposed Project Structure (going forward) • Funding Plan • Donor presentation business case

14. Deployment Options Three contrasted scenarios can be envisioned to deploy UNDP’s KM project: Scenario Descriptive Primary Pros & Cons • No major push. KM initiatives essentially follow current deployment rhythm • “Stealth” change management • No major investment needed Pros Scenario 1- Evolutionary Deployment • No major progress to be expected within the next 18-month horizon Cons • True transformation exercise taking advantage of the current change agenda • Early “KM benefits” realization • Simplified planning (no phasing-in) • Major push planned to transform the UNDP as a full-fledged KM organization over the next 18 months. All identified KM initiatives to be deployed in one Wave Pros Scenario 2- “Big Bang” • All KM initiatives need to be implemented simultaneously • Highest change management requirement • Highest relative investment Cons • Phased deployment. Initiatives can be selected to balance “quick hits”, investment requirements, financing opportunities, and change management • KM foundation will be in place within the required 18 month horizon • KM project could take better advantage of the expected ERP dividend from a staffing/change management perspective • Deployment will be phased. Phase 1 KM initiatives (to be defined) would be deployed and stabilized within 14 months (12 months after Phase 0). Phases 2 and 3 would follow. Phase 0 will still define the overall deployment blueprint Pros Scenario 3- Phased Deployment • Longer project • Delayed KM benefits realization Cons

15. Deployment Options The recommendation is to target Scenario 2 subject to donors funding availability. Should funding be insufficient, a tailored Scenario 3 will be defined within the then-projected budget

16. Appendix: Initiative Briefs C1. Standard Setting/Branding Function C2. Content Capture Function C3. Codification/Indexing Function C4. Editorial Function C5. Peer Review/QA Function C6. Satisfaction Survey/Feed-back Loop C7. Agenda Setting/Revised Practice Area Planning Function C8. Customer Support Function C9. Speech Writing Support Function/Knowledge Sourcing Center C10. Donor Intelligence Function T1. KM Portal - Branded Shell T2. Personalization Tools T3. Content Management System T4. Search and Taxonomy/Indexing T5. eDocumentation and ePublishing T6. KM Collaboration Tools T7 Request Tracking System T8. KM Databases and Directories T9. Value Analysis Tools T10. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) S1. “Practice Specialist” Career Track S2. Performance Indicator Strategy S3. Corporate Staff Leveraging S4. Communication Strategy S5. Competency Directory N1. In-Country Networks N2. Communities of Practice Re-organization N3. Cross-cutting Communities N4. UN Knowledge Network N5. Global Expert Networks I1. KM Learning Program I2. Operations/Maintenance Strategy I3. Infrastructure Upgrade

17. Content Management • Overall objective: To establish a professional organizational structure to support the systematic acquisition, codification, retrieval and value assessment of knowledge • C1. Standard Setting/Branding Function • This initiative covers the deployment of a function/group of individuals in charge of establishing, and updating as appropriate, the KM templates and standards that will be followed by the whole organization. • C2. Content Capture Function • This initiative covers the deployment of a variety of processes and functions designed to facilitate the identification, documentation, and cataloging of knowledge objects throughout the organization. This initiative includes several components: • Formalization of part-time knowledge worker position in every CO to be responsible for CO KM initiatives as well as assisting CO staff in populating the CKR (computerized knowledge repository) with knowledge objects. • Formalization of full-time knowledge coordinator position in every SURF to be responsible for overseeing customers’ satisfaction with our KM products, transmitting feed-back to the practice areas, coordinating knowledge capture within the region, overseeing knowledge delivery within the region. • Setting up SWAT teams to assist regions/COs in documenting knowledge into formalized knowledge objects. • C3. Codification/Indexing Function • This initiative covers the systematic cataloging and indexing of knowledge objects, both internal and external. It includes the ongoing update of UNDP’s taxonomy. • C4. Editorial Function • Content editing will be performed within each individual practice. The Editorial function covered by this initiative handles all copy editing, formatting and publishing of UNDP’s knowledge objects to ensure coherence, respect of the “brand”, same “look-and-feel”. The Editorial function includes copy editors, production editors, and editorial assistants to assist analysts with graphics, presentations, help analysts create or polish knowledge objects. This initiative includes defining UNDP’s Knowledge Object Life Cycle. • C5. Peer Review/QA Function • This initiative covers the processes and policies governing the ongoing review (and when appropriate, retirement) of knowledge objects. It includes defining UNDP’s “quality checklist”. • C6. Satisfaction Survey/Feed-back Loop • This initiative covers the processes, policies/procedures and tools needed to survey clients’ satisfaction with our knowledge delivery. It includes the processes feeding back results to management to ensure a continuing improvement process. • C7. Agenda Setting/Revised Practice Area Planning Function • This initiative covers the processes around the definition of the practice areas’ tactical planning to ensure that feed-back form UNDP’s clients constantly feed the practices’ agenda setting.

18. Content Management (Continued) C8. Customer Support Function The intent is to let clients direct inquiries to our analysts, either by e-mail, phone, virtual workshops, and even face-to-face interactions if needed. The intent is also to continuously monitor the efficiency of our knowledge delivery. This initiative covers the function needed to allow the logging, tracking, and triaging of information requests, as well as the facilitation of interactions (e.g., organization of a virtual workshop). Part of that function’s role is to shelter our analysts’ time while allowing a beneficial, two-way interaction when needed. C9. Speech Writing Support Function/Knowledge Sourcing Center UNDP produces an inordinate amount of speeches. There is a pending demand to search for prior speeches on similar topics/data to support a new speech. This initiative covers the creation of an executive support function to answer speech/data queries. C10. Donor Intelligence Function This initiative covers the development of a function designed to coordinate donor information (including up to date contacts) throughout UNDP. Primary Phase 0 “ Content Management” Deliverable Overall organization chart, with role definition, staffing and location recommendations. High policies and procedures for each initiative.

19. Tools & Technology Overall objective: To select, deploy, and operate the integrated set of tools needed to support knowledge management T1. KM Portal - Branded Shell The Knowledge Management Web-based portal is the organization branded launchpad providing access to all knowledge tools, directories, databases and communities. An staff member or affiliate's access to local, regional and global knowledge systems is controlled by the role-based login. T2. Personalization Tools The KM portal's personalization tools utilize role-based definitions, profile settings controlled by the user, and optionally, usage patterns of the user and others to customize the portal with user appropriate content and alerts. T3. Content Management System The Content Management System provides tools to manage the acquisition, preparation, categorization, presentation, and archival of multiple content types. T4. Search and Taxonomy/Indexing The search engine uses knowledge domain taxonomies, metathesauruses, content indexes, user profiles to yield highly targeted and prioitized search results. T5. eDocumentation and ePublishing Documentation Management indexes the organization's documents and parts of documents of multiple types (on-line formatted, scanned, photos, sound, video) for access on-line (if available) or in printed form. Demand Publishing produces "just in time" printed documents (including compendiums of selected sections) on request to multiple locations. T6. KM Collaboration Tools KM Collaboration Tools include project management teamrooms, live videoconferencing, whiteboard on-line collaboration, chatrooms and discussion threads to facilitate collaboration of teams or communities. T7 Request Tracking System A Request Tracking System tracks the client source, contact information, channel, type, status of requests for knowledge based requests, suggestions and client interactions. It also supports a view over time of contacts from a single client source through various channels (phone, email, Web) and provides a repository for trend analysis. T8. KM Databases and Directories KM Databases include knowledge bases to support specific domains or disciplines and knowledge directories linking users to knowledge experts and repositories. T9. Value Analysis Tools Value Analysis Tools leverage data from Client Surveys, on-line Personalization trending and cross-channel Request Tracking to evaluate and attribute value to an organization's knowledge assets. T10. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer Relationship Management tools can be used to maintain a knowledge base of contact information, interactions, activities and interests of UNDP's clients and potential donors. Primary Phase 0 “ Tools and Technology” Deliverable Overall technical architecture showing tools/technology interactions and interfaces. High level hardware capacity planning. High level design of the primary screen flows/online interactions.

20. Staff/Policy Alignment • Overall objective: To engage our global network of development practitioners to provide timely and high-quality Knowledge Objects; to ensure knowledge management features in the recruitment, learning and career development of all staff and provide the appropriate incentives to achieve this aim. • S1. “Practice Specialist” Career Track • UNDP’s relevance and value will grow as more of its thematic specialists come from its own talent pool. This initiative covers the definition of a Practice career track as a viable career option for every staff member with the interest and ability to become one. Potential components of this initiative include to: • Recognize thematic specialists as “core” staff with a promising future in UNDP, having longer term contracts with salary scales comparable to managerial staff. • Make Practice positions more attractive to top-rated outside specialists as well, by dramatically streamlining and shortening recruitment processes and offering competitive conditions of service. • Develop a “Practice Specialist” career track, starting from entry level as a National Officer, moving to regional responsibilities and then to global responsibilities – even while remaining at the same duty station. • Organize UNDP learning and career development initiatives around the four Practice levels (Members, Practitioners, Developers, Experts), and giving the Practice Leaders responsibility for “promoting” staff to the “Expert” level. • Include in the specialist career track periodic opportunities for “thinking” and research, such as taking a year “off” to be a visiting lecturer at a university. • S2. Performance Indicator Strategy • A competitive advantage of UNDP as a knowledge organization is its ability to draw on real-time experience and expertise from every developing country across the globe. Therefore every staff member should be expected to contribute whenever needed. This initiative covers the definition and deployment of the appropriate processes, policies and procedures to incentivize staff’s ongoing contribution to the knowledge repository. Potential components of this initiative include: • Knowledge acquisition and publication should feature in the Terms of Reference of every staff member (including project staff). • Staff performance assessments that reward quality contributions to knowledge networks, for example by promoting staff exchanges between country offices or to SURF offices for short-term assignments; or introduce a “credit-point system” as a currency for exchanging knowledge; providing knowledge communities with “grants” for workshops, research or other collective projects. For this to occur, knowledge sharing and networking must be made one of the major RCA competency categories, addressed in the staff and management scorecards, and as a development activity in the learning plan. • Unit Management Results Framework indicators that reward knowledge codification as well as knowledge sharing. • S3. Corporate Staff Leveraging • This initiative involves systematic utilization of the “talent pool” of UNDP staff, actively promoting the use of qualified staff members for specialist assignments outside of their home duty station.

21. Staff/Policy Alignment (Continued) • S4. Communication Strategy • A cultural barrier to knowledge management exists for many staff members in UNDP and this is possibly the largest obstacle to corporate development in this area. Each and every staff member across UNDP needs to recognise the value that knowledge can have to their everyday work and the core business of the organisation. In order for this to be made possible, senior management needs to set an example by prioritising tasks that relate to the acquisition and publication of knowledge. This will involve an element of risk taking, moving away from the traditional project management approach. Possible specific actions to help change the mindset include KM has to be seen as high on UNDP’s priority list. This initiative is to produce such a message, both internally and externally. Potential components of this initiative include: • Regular messages from Regional Bureaux Directors to staff encouraging them to share knowledge as well as monitoring and reminding staff to tap into resources in the Knowledge Repository. • COA should prepare an aggressive communications strategy, featuring UNDP KM project as a new and exciting approach to development cooperation, which promises to change the way the world perceives UNDP. • DRM should actively solicit donor resources to help build the internal architecture needed – for example, funding the full-time learning manager/knowledge manager in each country office. • OBR should pursue the reconceptualization of UNDP staff resources on the Practice Specialist career track as chargeable against Programme budgets, drawing on the GCF as the precedent. • Finally, the above knowledge management strategy needs to be supported by a comprehensive external communications strategy, featuring UNDP’s knowledge services as a new and exciting approach to development cooperation, which promises to the change the way the world perceives UNDP. • S5. Competency Directory • This initiative covers the development of a competency database for UNDP staff. It also includes the development of a referral tracking system. • Primary Phase 0 “ Staff/Policy Alignment” Deliverable • Identification and high-level documentation of the HR processes, policies, and procedures needed to support the personal/cultural changes that will enable the KM project. Outlines of the Communications Plan.

22. Networks and Communities Overall objective: To build and support communities of interest and communities of practice N1. In-Country Networks This initiative covers the creation by CO staff of in-country knowledge networks, comprised of project staff and practitioners in the development community and in Government. Whenever a committee, a working group, or a professional association is established, UNDP can play the role of facilitator by creating a network through a mailgroup (using the local language where appropriate.) The UNDP staff member acts as a bridge between the global knowledge networks and the in-country networks adding value to the knowledge product. N2. Communities of Practice Re-organization This initiative covers the re-organization of existing communities of practice/ knowledge networks with the aim of rationalizing the number of- and improving the quality of the Knowledge networks to allow for more effective, efficient knowledge sharing. Guidelines and policies/procedures will be finalized and then systematically introduced. Compliance to the guidelines will be assured by making this part of the task of Knowledge Network Facilitators, and incorporated into an agreement when individual staff members subscribe to a network. N3. Cross-cutting Communities This initiative covers the development of ad-hoc communities of practice and communities of interest, outside of the established practice delimitations. N4. UN Knowledge Network A large component of the project “knowledge sharing to support the achievement of the MDGs” involves establishing communities of practice with UN sister agencies. Agreements will be reached with interested agencies to apply the approach developed by UNDP, offering them access to facilitation resources, and to the network and codification processes developed or under preparation. Communities will be encouraged to link their agendas to a global “UN knowledge Services” approach. Non-resident UN Agencies will be urged to work more closely with SURFs as a way to link their support services with country support. Linkages with professional communities will be expanded for research, consulting support or professional development. This initiative covers the definition of a strategy for linking UNDP into a UN-wide Knowledge Network. N5. Global Expert Networks UNDP professionals should join (or initiate, where they don’t exist) expert external networks in the field of their professional expertise e.g. with UN System agencies, other donor agencies, the NGO community, research organisations, think-tanks,academic institutions and professional associations. These networks would be a source of talent for UNDP’s own policy support services, and would promote information sharing among professional peers, increasing the total knowledge about what works and what doesn’t in development. This initiative covers the definition of a strategy for linking UNDP into a large Development Knowledge Network. Primary Phase 0 “ Networks and Communities” Deliverable Communities guidelines, policies and procedures. White paper of UN/Global Expert Network collaboration possibilities.

23. Infrastructure Overall objective: To ensure a UNDP-wide enabling infrastructure is in place I1. KM Learning Program This initiative coversthe development of a KM training curriculum, using wherever possible an ‘action learning and review’ approach. I2. Operations/Maintenance Strategy This initiative covers the definition and deployment of UNDP’s ongoing KM operations. I3. Infrastructure Upgrade This initiative covers the definition and upgrade of UNDP’s infrastructure (including CO connectivity), if needed, to support KM applications. Primary Phase 0 “ Infrastructure” Deliverable Definition of UNDP’s KM-related maintenance/operations needs. Preliminary analysis of UNDP’s infrastructure upgrade requirements, if any.