Knowledge Management at Accenture CASE III — Shane

Knowledge Management at Accenture CASE III - Shane C & Abby M

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect Accenture- History • Once the administrative services division of Author Anderson (1953 – 1989) • Split from Arthur Andersen in 1989 but kept the Anderson Trademark (Anderson Consulting). • In 2000, changed its name to accenture after a contract dispute with Arthur Andersen

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect Organization • Accenture is a global company, working with 96 of the top 100 Fortune Global companies. • 3 main revenue streams consulting, technology services and outsourcing ▫ ▫ 100, 000 people in 2005 “today” 181, 000 in 120 countries 13. 67 billion in Revenue in 2004 “today” over 25 billion in Revenue

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect Accenture – Structure (2005) Operating Groups Financial Services Resources Products Government Commun / High Technology Capability Groups Strategy and Bus Architecture Supply Chain Mgt Customer Relation Management Human Performance Finance/ Controller Facilities MGT Corporate Communications Technology

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect “High Performance Delivered” • Low Employee Efficiency ▫ Highly Fragmented Organizational Structure ▫ Access to the right expertise and information to sell and deliver against their clients ▫ 30% of employees are new • Shareholder Loss of Value ▫ Pressures to maintain competitive edge ▫ Operational Budget pressures

Organization – Problem Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Aspect Current State – (2005) • Average of 4, 500 employees access to information on-line PER DAY with on average 500 new users each day. • Currently running more than 40 lotus notes servers, knowledge exchange fragmented by decentralized web based portals • Knowledge exchange management team recently downsized. • Unclear who is to manage the content and how the governance structure should be mandated

Organization – Problem Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Aspect Silo Data Bases - Duplication of Information Ineffective Search and Retrieval of Information Collaboration Efficiency Information Inconsistency Nonintuitive End User Experience Unmanaged Content

Organization – Information – Problem Aspect IT/IS impact Multiple Data Bases Multiple Servers Silo Data Bases - Duplication of Information Ineffective Search and Retrieval of Information Multiple web based portals – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Nonintuitive End User Experience Lotus Notes Information Inconsistency Unmanaged Content Lack of centralized search technology

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Problem Aspect Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Knowledge Management Systems • Knowledge Management is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge. ("An Open Discussion of Knowledge Management", Brian (Bo)Newman, 1991. ) • Range of practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute and enable adoption of insights and experiences. ("Knowledge Management", Wikipedia).

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Problem Aspect Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Knowledge Management Systems • KM involves the ability to categorize and retrieve information that other people have written. To be able to share the collective knowledge of the organization is what can give you a competitive advantage. (IBM Website) • Knowledge is unstructured and Messy. A successful KM program transforms data into intelligence and wisdom.

Organizational Objectives of KM • • • Improved Performance Competitive Advantage Innovation Sharing of lessons learned Continuous Improvement

Technologies Employed in KM • • • Knowledge Bases (Searchable, Categorized Knowledge) Knowledge Repositories (Repository of Media) Groupware (Email, Calendaring, etc) Expert Systems (Use of Artificial Intelligence to assist decisions) Group Decision Support Systems (Electronic Meeting Systems) Blogs Wikis Rss Enablement Social Networking

Gartner Magic Quadrant • Knowledge Systems

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Problem Aspect Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages 1) Sharepoint Allows organizations to consolidate and centralize their content, data, documents, processes, application and people ▫ Easier knowledge retrieval ▫ Efficient knowledge asset management ▫ Reduction in servers to 10 ▫ Cost savings (estimated to be one million dollars)

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Problem Aspect Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages 2) Upgrade existing system Lotus Notes currently house documents, processes, knowledge articles in centralized repository • Add ins for specific knowledge transfers • Enhanced search and retrieval abilities • Centralized data

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Problem Aspect Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages 1) Share. Point Pros Cons • Change leader in place • Industry standard ▫ Popular for medium to large size businesses • Strong development toolsets • Availability of Developers • New Users comfortable with user interface ▫ Similar to other Microsoft products ▫ Tighter integration with existing Microsoft products • Change • Could be seen as conflict of interest • New product not allot KM tools available and experience

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Problem Aspect Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages 2) Upgrade existing Pros Cons • Existing staff familiar with system • Easier migration • More mature KM tool/modules • Customizable • Availability of programmers • User profiles and security levels not integrated with active directory ▫ Single source of authorization /authentication

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons Problem Aspect – Solutions – Messages Why not upgrade? • Why not improve what is working? ▫ Evolution vs revolution ▫ Culture needed a KM revolution • Build on it rather than start fresh ▫ Efficiencies may not have been gained by working within existing architecture and concepts • 70% of users are familiar ▫ New future users and/or 30% are not and Lotus Notes is more complex

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons Problem Aspect – Solutions – Messages Compelling reason to Change • Gains through process of newly designed knowledge exchange architecture • In house champion • Shareholder value ▫ More marketable solution for their consulting and even possible IT services group • EFFICENCY side, equal in terms of options as the benefit in the process of re-architecture of design and human process.

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons Problem Aspect – Solutions – Messages Project Goals • • • 1) Fostering and Sustaining a Knowledge Sharing Culture 2) Improving the time to Competency for New Hires 3) Enabling and Enhancing Accenture's’ Sales Capability 4) Ensuring and Improving the ROI for KM 5) Improve Margin on Key Engagements SWOT Analysis showed for each of these goals showed that elements of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Strengths had hardly anything to do with technology, and everything to do with Process and People.

What happened at Accenture • Legacy system was retained for 90 days • Increased usage, 170, 000 downloads per month to more than 400, 000 • Increase in Employee Satisfaction surveys and a 7 -10 point increase in access to information and ability to locate • Increased Cost savings, ability to reduce the number of servers

Organization – Information – IT/IS impact – Alternatives – Pros/Cons – Solutions – Messages Problem Aspect Messages for Modern Leader • Not Just Information Technology • Culture of Continuous Improvement • Foundation of Governance (Policies and Procedures) • Motivating Staff • Training Staff on what KM is and why? • Building a KM team, empowered/enabled