1.0 KCS Core Concepts Flashcards
Define Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS)
Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS) is a proven methodology based on four principles and ten core concepts for integrating the use, validation, improvement, and creation of knowledge in the workflow. Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS) is:
- a principle-based methodology
- a methodology that seeks to reuse, improve, and create knowledge in the support service delivery process
- a means of collaboration
- NOT something we do in addition to solving problems; rather, KCS becomes the way we solve problems
- about people and process first, enabled by technology (tools)
Explain what Knowledge-Center Service (KCS) is based on.
KCS is based on:
- the concept of knowledge from a few for the use by many
- many-to-many-model that is demand-driven and self-correcting
- the academic concept of a double-loop learning
Identify the four KCS principles.
The four KCS principles are:
- Abundance - share more, learn more
- Create Value - work tasks, think big-picture
- Demand Driven - knowledge is a by-product of interaction
- Trust - engage, empower, motivate
Explain a KCS principle.
KCS principles are underlying beliefs and behaviors that serve as the foundation for the KCS principles. Principles tell you why (rather than how) we are doing what we do.
Explain a KCS core concept.
A KCS core concept is based on one or more principles. Core concepts are more specific and more numerous than the principles.
Explain a KCS practice.
KCS practices are based on one or more techniques and are organized by what we need to do. The practices are the application or use of the principles and core concepts in organizing activities. KCS practices:
- help organize the techniques (how)
- include examples of how to do things and are applicable across multiple techniques or functions
Describe a KCS technique.
Techniques describe activities or HOW we do things. They are the detailed actions on what we need to do. Techniques may include the skills needed to complete the technique or identify the efficient manner of doing/achieving something.
Techniques are at a more granular level of detail than Practice. A collection of KCS techniques make up a KCS practice.
Identify the ten KCS core concepts.
The ten KCS core concepts are:
- Transformation and Continuous Improvement
- Buy-In at All Levels
- Leadership is Required
- Collective Experience
- Collective Ownership
- Seek to Understand Before Seeking to Solve
- Sufficient to Solve
- Knowledge Integration
- Coaching for Success
- Asses Value
Define knowledge articles.
Knowledge articles (aka articles) are the collective experience of the organization in solving issues and answering questions. KCS articles can cover a variety of issues: usage or “how to,” configuration, inter-operability, performance, defects, and procedural or diagnostic information.
Describe the KCS Concept of Transformation and Continuous Improvement.
The concept of Transformation and Continuous Improvement involves a double-loop process which is typically described as consisting of A and B loops.
- The A loop is the activity of getting work done; and it is often reactive in that the activity is triggered by an event or an interaction.
- The B loop defines the A loop process and is also reflective. It is a process of continuous improvement for the A loop and the output of the A loop. The B loop activities asses the health of the system by analyzing the patterns and trends that emerge from a collection of A loop activities and outputs, and identifies opportunities for improvement
Describe the KCS concept of Buy-in at All Levels.
The concept of Buy-in at All Levels is maximizing the autonomy of all stakeholders to understand, believe, and choose to contribute. A key motivational factor in a knowledge-centric environment is the sense of autonomy or control.
Leadership’s goal is to create an environment where people choose to help and feel good about contributing their knowledge; an environment where the purpose is clear and people have bought into that purpose. When representatives understand and believe in the purpose and values of the organization, and they trust their leadership and the people they work with, they will make good judgments about when to reuse, improve, or create knowledge articles.
Describe the KCS Concept Leadership is Required.
For a successful KCS Adoption, leadership must drive the organizational change and create/sustain the demand for engagement. The key areas where Leadership is Required include:
- Create a vision that relates the value of KCS to the key stakeholders. This includes
- A compelling purpose - a simple value statement that expresses the importance of KCS and elicits and emotional response
- A mission statement - how the organization will achieve the compelling purpose
- Explicit values - the behaviors the organization and its people aspire to in achieving the purpose
- The brand promise - value attributes to the customer or those who the organization serves
- Encourage trust in knowledge workers and their good judgement in achieving and aligning with the organization’s purpose, values, and brand promise
- Valuing their employees for their:
- knowledge and ability to follow instructions
- good judgment
- lifelong learning
- collaboration
- quality creation and reuse of knowledge
For a successful KCS Adoption, leadership must drive the organizational change and create/sustain the demand for engagement. The key areas where Leadership is Required include:
- Create a vision that relates the value of KCS to the key stakeholders. This includes
- A compelling purpose - a simple value statement that expresses the importance of KCS and elicits and emotional response
- A mission statement - how the organization will achieve the compelling purpose
- Explicit values - the behaviors the organization and its people aspire to in achieving the purpose
- The brand promise - value attributes to the customer or those who the organization serves
- Encourage trust in knowledge workers and their good judgement in achieving and aligning with the organization’s purpose, values, and brand promise
- Valuing their employees for their:
- knowledge and ability to follow instructions
- good judgment
- lifelong learning
- collaboration
- quality creation and reuse of knowledge
- Measure customer success and value - move from activity or transaction-based measures to a commitment to measuring customer success and value. Provide visibility of the contribution of value by knowledge workers.
- Continual improvement of technology integration including performance and functionality to ensure technology supports knowledge work and knowledge workers.
Describe the KCS concept of Collective Experience
The KCS concept of Collective Experience means capturing the collective experience of the community of knowledge workers so that the knowledge will always be more complete and accurate than what any individual or expert knows. KCS leverages collective experience and acknowledges that all the people who interact with knowledge have something to contribute to that knowledge
Describe the KCS concept of Collective Ownership.
The concept of Collective Ownership applies to all who use the knowledge. It is a key driver for the efficiency of KCS processes and knowledge quality. If knowledge workers take responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the knowledge they interact with, the knowledge that is being used is constantly being updated.
In environments where the intended audience for knowledge includes people outside of the organization (i.e., partners or customers), they too are part of the collective ownership model. Allowing them to improve or at least comment on knowledge, based on their experience with that knowledge, is important.
Collective ownership relates to all four of the KCS principles and the observation that the best people to create and maintain knowledge are those who use it every day.
