KCS Adoption Framework
For a KCS Adoption to be successful there are several essential
aspects:
- Understand what is attempting to be accomplished as results
- Demonstrated commitment to achieving the results
- Development of processes and proficiency to contribute to
the results
- Measure progress toward the results and provide as feedback
to all involved
- Continually refine process and develop proficiency to contribute
to results
The following is a dependency framework for the XYZ Company
KCS Adoption based on the following 3 identified objectives:
- Customer Self-Help over the web
- Faster time to resolution
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Progress Feedback. This is the element that enables
the system to move forward. Everyone must be in aligned agreement
with the identified objectives and the feedback, which encompasses
all the red and yellow items, provides a sense of progress on
the objectives and in support of them. Without the aligned agreement
on the objectives and the continuous feedback on progress the
system deteriorates into activity focus that will not progress
toward the desired results.
- Published Content. This is the foundation which enables
Customer Self-Help. The organization should endeavor to publish
as much content as possible with an acceptable level of quality.
Here is a point where most organizations tend to get overly focused
on quality to a point where it reduces the time available to
actually generate content. The answers analysts currently provide
to customers aren't perfect and the organization should avoid
attempting to make the published content perfect. What should
be in place is a process to ensure that content is revalidated
each time it is used, by the user, and suspect content gets improved
or removed in a timely manner. Experience has shown that customers
desire access to what the organization thinks it know, and they
don't expect it to be perfect, though they do expect the organization
to process feedback and correct what needs to be corrected.
- Mature KB. A mature knowledgebase is the basis for
both published content and faster time to resolution, provided
individuals actually use the knowledgebase in conjunction with
resolving customer problems. A knowledgebase matures as content
is created and evolved though use. It is the "evolve though
use" aspect that ensures that the content continues to improve
in quality. For this maturity to develop analysts must participate
in the KCS Process, have a level of proficiency in the process
as well as a proficiency related to the products they support.
- KCS Participation. This is the level to which an individual
actually engages with the knowledgebase during the resolution
of customer problems. Typically it is calculated as KB Links/Cases
Closed. An individual's participation is dependent on their level
of interest or belief that the activity makes sense in conjunction
with their proficiency in the process itself.
- KCS Proficiency. An individual's proficiency is a
direct result of their interest in learning in conjunction with
the assistance they receive to support that learning, i.e., coaching.
Proficiency also requires an integrated problem solving process
and content standard that is sensible to those that it was developed
to serve.
- Participant Interest. This seems to be primarily dependent
on Management involvement to continually reinforce the awareness
of the objectives being pursued in conjunction with the progress
feedback being monitored.
- Coaching. Coaching is the basis for individual development
in the area of KCS Proficiency, Product Proficiency and how to
interact with customers. It is a direct result of the skill of
the coach in conjunction with their belief in the necessity of
coaching (which is supported by Management Involvement).
- Management Involvement. The most precious resource
that any of us have is our time. Members of an organization determine
what's important based on where management spends it time. Management
must commit time in support of the KCS it if is to produce the
results desired. This time is spent continuing to reinforce the
definiteness of the objectives in conjunction with an ongoing
review of the feedback. The feedback is then processed and contrasted
with the results to be achieved leading to supporting activities
which assist the organization in improving their progress toward
the objectives.
- Sponsor Involvement. Sponsor involvement is very similar
to Management Involvement in that is essential to promote Management
Involvement. It represents the investment of time to reinforce
the objectives, review the feedback and develop plans in conjunction
with management to ensure the maintained focus on KCS Adoption
to effect the desired results.
KCS Adoption success requires FOCUS. Focus to define the intent,
develop the capabilities which will support progress toward the
intent, monitor the progress by processing feedback, and finally
making adjustments where necessary to maintain the focus. One
doesn't win tennis games by focusing on the scoreboard. One wins
tennis games by developing their skills and focusing on their
game and being mindful of the scoreboard.
And I believe it is essential for any organization to be successful
with KCS to develop a similar framework if they are to be able
to articulate the reasons for adopting a KCS strategy. The determination
of ROI then becomes an outgrowth of the measurement system based
on the investment in conjunction with the progress made in the
target objectives.
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Copyright © 2004 Gene Bellinger