Corporate Memory

CHAPTER EIGHT (S. 89-90)

Performance Centered

Learning In order to develop a corporate memory system it is necessary to introduce new technologies into the organization and teach the staff how to use existing technologies more effectively. More than traditional training is required: learning in a technological environment is becoming more and more important as traditional training turns out to be expensive and, often, transitory. Organizations are beginning to look at various ways to solve the problem of introducing technology into the workplace.

Our goal must continue to be to integrate information whenever possible and make it accessible to those who need it. Traditional training Too often, when new technologies are introduced the workflow is changed to meet the requirements of the software. A software package is identified, purchased and introduced into the organization. Trainers are then hired to teach the software application. In the traditional training environment, a trainer who is familiar with the new technology is brought in to teach staff how it can be used. However, the trainer is not usually familiar with the work situation and generally leaves its specific application up to the students.

There is also often a time lapse - sometimes very long - between training and the actual implementation of a technology. The introduction of new technology enables changes in the work process, so that much of what has already been learned becomes obsolete once the technology is fully implemented. Users are normally left on their own, with generic documentation and access to a help desk, and often make use of only a small percentage of the capabilities of the technology. However, there is a better way to introduce technology to an organization.

Learning

The trouble with traditional training is that it does not enable the user to learn about the product over time, and to take control of the technology. The technology, not the user, determines how it is used. The power of modern technology, however, is only fully unleashed when the user masters it and uses it in new and unexpected ways. Learning how to use technology must be based on an understanding that people learn in a context over time. Learning is a student's activity, training and education are often done from the viewpoint of the instructor. An organization needs to become a learning organization - one in which the acquisition of new skills and knowledge is a normal part of life.

Learning, like any other activity, takes time and commitment, and in this chapter we will discuss how an organization can develop the type of learning environment that is necessary to implement a corporate memory system. Implementing a corporate memory management system with adequate computer search and retrieval technologies requires significant changes in work processes and thought processes.

The workflow of the organization will change over time. Such changes should not be required by the software but should arise out of new possibilities for improved customer service. In other words, information systems should support business activities, not create new work. Staff will need to learn new ways of doing business. Learning is best done in context: 'just-in-time learning' that is available when and where a new skill is needed. Much more is needed than simply training to use a tool. Computer technology is used by workers at all levels of an organization and frequently changes the way in which tasks are done.