The Knowledge Sharing Challenge
performance depends on the level of synergy achieved through holistic integration. Only through an integrated, comprehensive approach can desired outcomes be realized and lasting value be generated.
The Results
In 2006, the solution for the Air Force was selected as one of five industry best practices by the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) for “leveraging knowledge across the value-chain” using knowledge management methods and strategies. In the same year, the E-Gov Institute Advisory Board (consisting of subject-matter experts from government, industry and academia) recognized the AFKN program as an innovative KM best practice. The AFKN solution earned the
E-Gov Institute’s 2006 award for a “Knowledge Management Initiative Delivering High Value to a Broad User Community/Supporting Agency Mission.”
KM benefits and success can be defined in many ways: cost and budget savings, cost avoidance and productivity gains; action synchronization; shared understanding and awareness; even the development of workforce skill. The secret to KM success, however defined, stems from a comprehensive methodology that draws principles and techniques from multiple systems theories and management sciences.
21st century challenges require resources that work jointly and in concert across the value-chain. High levels of performance can only result from increasing levels of collaboration and knowledge sharing across temporal, geographical, cultural and functional boundaries. Knowledge workers require clean data, accessible information, relevant knowledge and keen foresight to respond to agile business needs.
If comprehensive applicability and usability are overlooked or not properly understood, the solution-set will fail, resulting in an ignored or actively rejected investment. The AFKN solution was designed to serve as a catalyst for Air Force change, to enable an integrated workforce that is more agile and capable against a wide range of challenges.
Triune’s Solutions
KM supporting business: USAF Financial Management (FM): The Air Force’s FM organization turned to Triune’s AFKN solution-set to produce financial decisions through enhanced collaboration and improved training. Its Combat Comptroller and US Central Air Force’s Central Processing Sites (CPS) communities are just two examples of success. Developed independently of each other, both enable improved tacit and explicit knowledge exchange of training and resources between deployed individuals and stateside bases and personnel. In the case of CPS, the improvement of transaction timeliness enabled a cycle-time reduction from as much as 90 days to fewer than seven days. The savings is estimated at $1 million, 80% of which is annual savings.
KM supporting military operations: USAF Loadmaster and Rigger Aerial Delivery Operations (LARADO): In early 2006, LARADO members established a CoP for Air Mobility Command’s aerial delivery operations (airlift/airdrop) in response to content management challenges. Their CoP provides a crucial link between internal and external
stakeholders, such as Air Force Active, Reserve and Guard components, as well as Army units. The aggregation of critical know-how allows agile, responsive, need-driven dissemination of airdrop information, knowledge and expertise. What began as direction to employ an information management solution quickly matured into what is now a robust and flexible knowledge-sharing environment. The community successfully uses the CoP to collect, share and disseminate lessons learned, policy changes and best practices across service (Army/Air Force) boundaries. The CoPs’ alert notification capabilities enable members to immediately respond to significant events. As the CoP administrator stated, “The CoP... positively impacted airlift and airdrop operations worldwide, reducing dependence on land convoys and saving lives.”
KM supporting emergency response: USAF and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: In response to the hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 (Katrina and Rita), the 27th Intelligence Support Squadron (ISS) relied on Triune Knowledge Solutions Support Center’s quick turnaround to deploy an online community within 10 minutes of notification. Squadron personnel were immediately able to post content and share digital imagery of operational roads and civilian infrastructure collected through Air Force U-2 reconnaissance flights. AFKN’s linkage to the Air Force’s Portal provided access to federal agencies, relief crews, the US Coast Guard and the Texas governor. Air Force sources reported that the community disseminated more than 3.5 miles of film collected during a two-week period in September, 2005. AFKN capabilities allowed the Air Force to maintain compliance with intelligence oversight laws. Lessons learned from this experience permitted the Air Force to create new unclassified imagery dissemination procedures in the event of future national crises.
KM supporting global outreach: Global Health Knowledge Now (GHKN): USAID provides economic
and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries. Its international focus requires collaboration that breaks
geographical and time constraints. Moreover, joint multinational efforts to combat diseases such as malaria and avian influenza demand immediate information-sharing capability. Triune Group is providing USAID with GHKN—a knowledge management solution-set based on AFKN—to accomplish this global mission.
Douglas Brook has extensive experience in knowledge management (KM) and collaboration as well as software and systems development in both the public and private sectors. Having more than 15 years experience he has helped shape the future of KM and collaboration within the Air Force.
As president, senior partner and CEO of Triune Group, Brook oversees and guides the growth of Triune Group. Under his leadership the company has more than tripled its revenues and employment base in the last three years.
Founded in 1993, Triune Group provides e-management and consulting services, as well as custom IT solutions, to public and private sector organizations. With corporate headquarters located in Dayton, OH, and offices in Sutton, WV and Accokeek, MD, Triune is a dynamic and responsive small business providing result-driven solutions to
its customers.
To learn more, please visit: www.triunegroup.com or email: douglas.brook@triunegroup.com