The 6 elements of the KM delivery structure

What’s the most effective delivery structure for KM? We discuss this below.

We recommend six components to the knowledge management delivery and reporting structure, shown here.

1. In the centre is the Chief Knowledge Officer, or head of Knowledge Management; accountable for delivering, maintaining and continually improving the KM framework.  This blog post describes the role of the CKO.

2. The CKO is supported by the KM team, who work with the CKO to deliver KM. This blog contains many posts about the role of the team, the size of the KM team, and the skills of the KM team.

3. The CKO and the KM team work with the KM community of practice – a community of the KM champions and other people with KM roles within the business.

4. The CKO reports to the KM sponsor – the senior executive who provides the budget for the KM team and acts as internal customer for KM delivery.

5. The CKO and sponsor are supported by a steering team (as described in this blog post). This is an active team of diverse senior leaders from within the main business units and functions, who help direct the KM implement effort by providing guidance, advice and challenge.

6. Finally the CKO and KM team draw on the support of good, trusted, external KM consultants. An experienced consultant can provide coaching, training and advice, and can take some of the more specialist KM tasks such as assessment, scanning or cultural baselining, where an external viewpoint is most important.