When is this applicable
During business change, business processes may need to be transferred to a new or wider stakeholder group. This may be particularly relevant during migrations, acquisitions, mergers or target operating model changes.
Components of business knowledge
The various components are the following:
What is the expected outcome/benefit of introducing a standard methodology and tool?
The benefits are to:
- Ensure a consistent approach
- To communicate the success criteria required for knowledge transfer
- To provide a process to transfer knowledge in a scheduled, structured manner
- To evidence handover criteria has been agreed and audit approval when complete
- Confirmed roles, responsibilities and ownership
- Agreement on what knowledge transfer is required, estimates, progress and sign off
How to apply a standard methodology and tool?
- Identify the business areas impacted, does business knowledge have to transfer between different business areas. Are they all engaged and has knowledge transfer been communicated to them. Is there likely to be Human Resource involvement required?
- Persons giving knowledge transfer will need to be provided with the time to do this
- Persons receiving knowledge transfer will again need time allocated and time spent with the person giving the knowledge transfer
- Agree number and levels of sign off for the business knowledge transfer. Is it appropriate for the persons giving and receiving the knowledge transfer to sign off or is further sign off required from their managers or higher up authorities?
- Agree level of formality required for providing evidence and documentation.
- Agree template content
- Identify all of the end to end business processes that need to be transferred for each person transferring the knowledge
- Ensure there is a template available for completion for each person giving knowledge transfer
- Specify a key contact if there are any queries about the template
- Specify a folder location for the completed templates to be stored
- Examples of column content are:
- Agree knowledge transfer strategies. Is the knowledge transfer going to be by using process documentation, teaching, shadowing, practicing or by leading? One or more methods may be applicable. For example, there may be a period of shadowing followed by the person receiving the knowledge transfer then leading the work to check they have understood what is required.
- Assign owners to manage completion of templates
- Trial template and make amendments if necessary. It is recommended to trial the template as there may be valid reasons for changes that not aware of.
- Ensure template completion for each set of processes is part of the business readiness criteria. This is to make sure the knowledge transfer template completion becomes a compulsory part of the process.
Thoughts? Questions? Please share in the comments.
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