Building a Learning Organization at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

1. Building a Learning Organization at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Dr. Edward W. Rogers Chief Knowledge Officer Goddard Space Flight Center September 28, 2007 Presentation to IIM Bangalore M task is to help Goddard be a better learning organization. M task is to help Goddard be a better learning organization.

2. Where Does KM Fit in the Big Scheme? KM fits in with HOW you are going to go about achieving your organizational vision (or the strategy you will adopt for success)� how you will assemble and make use of the resources you have available. To think about KM and OL you must think at the strategic level - for long term results, not short term fixes which are operational in nature. KM fits in with HOW you are going to go about achieving your organizational vision (or the strategy you will adopt for success)� how you will assemble and make use of the resources you have available. To think about KM and OL you must think at the strategic level - for long term results, not short term fixes which are operational in nature.

3. The Knowledge Production Function We are in the knowledge business but we don�t often understand the knowledge production function. The interaction is where the leverage is. Building human capital is important but the interaction is the unique value the organization itself contributes. IE> The same smart people share, cooperate, interact better when the are part of this organization. We are in the knowledge business but we don�t often understand the knowledge production function. The interaction is where the leverage is. Building human capital is important but the interaction is the unique value the organization itself contributes. IE> The same smart people share, cooperate, interact better when the are part of this organization.

4. The Origins of Our Success Unless the center discussion happens, we don�t benefit from this structure. This is the interaction factor. It is what has help us build such a success record. We can do all four circles well and still fail. It�s the discussion that matters. The formal flows help but can never replace the center information market. Unless the center discussion happens, we don�t benefit from this structure. This is the interaction factor. It is what has help us build such a success record. We can do all four circles well and still fail. It�s the discussion that matters. The formal flows help but can never replace the center information market.

5. The Nature of Knowledge Flows Must understand the Nature of Knowledge Hayek, Friedman and Phelps (3 Nobel Prize winners in Economics) Economics of knowledge flows in society Drucker, Prusak and Wegner Productive value of knowledge and its role within firms Whitehead, Polyani, and Novak Human learning and cognition for individuals Must avoid simplistic conceptualizations Is KM getting the right information to the right people at the right time ? Except we don�t know what, who or when with respect to our knowledge! Feeds an efficiency of process at the expense of effectiveness of people Provides only single loop learning (fixes symptoms, not the system) We cannot treat knowledge like an expendable asset (collect & manage) We cannot separate the value of knowledge from the host who carries it Being clear about what we mean by knowledge and how we understand knowledge is key to avoiding many pitfalls along the way to simplistic, dangerous and dead-end but intuitively attractive solution paths Economics teaches us from several hundred years the nature of knowledge in society, not in an esoteric sense, but a practical sense of how knowledge moves and operates in society, or in peaceful cooperation among people.Being clear about what we mean by knowledge and how we understand knowledge is key to avoiding many pitfalls along the way to simplistic, dangerous and dead-end but intuitively attractive solution paths Economics teaches us from several hundred years the nature of knowledge in society, not in an esoteric sense, but a practical sense of how knowledge moves and operates in society, or in peaceful cooperation among people.

6. Knowledge Authenticity �Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them.� Introduction to Mathematics, Alfred North Whitehead, 1911 Assembly Experts Reference GSFC has developed a set of GOLD Rules required for all flight projects derived from the wisdom of our experiences. We follow the rules to apply the lessons behind the rules. Applying lessons should always be a learning experience. Assembly: The effectiveness of knowledge is dependent on how it is assembled for use. Encyclopedia was an improvement on the almanac because of the embedded context for people, the articles instead of just facts. We must not be fooled to mistake digital for easy or correct. Assembly of knowledge is a messy process, sorting out the good from the trivial. We cannot simply dump it all into a database. That is only passing the buck to the search people. Experts: The default method of being authoritative and widely used within NASA. It has it drawbacks. Difficult to counter an expert because you take on the person. Easy to avoid lengthy procedures if an expert will render a quick opinion. We have gotten into trouble in this area before. Reference: How is knowledge organized so you know what you are getting, can repeat the process (verify sources etc.) and build knowledge upon knowledge. The peer review and publish process has worked for hundreds of years but has its own inefficiencies. Wikis are quick and open but subject to erroneous information and even gaming the facts. One choice Goddard has made is to adopt a set of GOLD rules or design principles to help us teach the wisdom embedded in our collective knowledge. Assembly: The effectiveness of knowledge is dependent on how it is assembled for use. Encyclopedia was an improvement on the almanac because of the embedded context for people, the articles instead of just facts. We must not be fooled to mistake digital for easy or correct. Assembly of knowledge is a messy process, sorting out the good from the trivial. We cannot simply dump it all into a database. That is only passing the buck to the search people. Experts: The default method of being authoritative and widely used within NASA. It has it drawbacks. Difficult to counter an expert because you take on the person. Easy to avoid lengthy procedures if an expert will render a quick opinion. We have gotten into trouble in this area before. Reference: How is knowledge organized so you know what you are getting, can repeat the process (verify sources etc.) and build knowledge upon knowledge. The peer review and publish process has worked for hundreds of years but has its own inefficiencies. Wikis are quick and open but subject to erroneous information and even gaming the facts. One choice Goddard has made is to adopt a set of GOLD rules or design principles to help us teach the wisdom embedded in our collective knowledge.

7. Knowledge Access �Complete liberty of contradicting and disapproving our opinion is the very condition which justifies us in assuming its truth for purposes of action and on no other terms can a being with human faculties have any rational assurance of being right.� On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, 1859 Scientific Inquiry Intellectual Curiosity Free Circulation GSFC has implemented a case based series of workshops (The Road to Mission Success) where participants discuss recent project risks, issues and incidents with the project managers in an open forum. Access must be open in principle to encourage sharing but closed in practice to the defined boundaries of the organization. Scientific inquiry must be as open as possible to ensure the best ideas are turned into missions and projects. All scientists count on the system being open. All have a stake in maintaining that system of openness and sharing. Any KM effort must be careful not to inadvertently end up restricting scientific inquiry. Curiosity must be encouraged at every level or we end up teaching people to follow rules, not to think. Lessons learned must generate thinking, not pat answers. Circulation means the knowledge that is useful is that which is in circulation, what people carry in RAM and talk about. Forgotten or stored material is seldom accessed. The trick is keeping the right knowledge in circulation and putting the other information in storage with the right tags so that is enters circulation when needed. To encourage talking and sharing, Goddard has implemented a RTMS course as a place to demonstrate how we can talk about our missions and lessons. We use many cases from our own work to address the issues. Access must be open in principle to encourage sharing but closed in practice to the defined boundaries of the organization. Scientific inquiry must be as open as possible to ensure the best ideas are turned into missions and projects. All scientists count on the system being open. All have a stake in maintaining that system of openness and sharing. Any KM effort must be careful not to inadvertently end up restricting scientific inquiry. Curiosity must be encouraged at every level or we end up teaching people to follow rules, not to think. Lessons learned must generate thinking, not pat answers. Circulation means the knowledge that is useful is that which is in circulation, what people carry in RAM and talk about. Forgotten or stored material is seldom accessed. The trick is keeping the right knowledge in circulation and putting the other information in storage with the right tags so that is enters circulation when needed. To encourage talking and sharing, Goddard has implemented a RTMS course as a place to demonstrate how we can talk about our missions and lessons. We use many cases from our own work to address the issues.

8. Knowledge Application �If man is not to do more harm than good in his efforts to improve the social order, he will have � to use what knowledge he can achieve, not to shape the results as a craftsman shapes his handiwork, but rather to cultivate a growth by providing the appropriate environment in the manner in which the gardener does this for his plants.� The Pretense of Knowledge, Friedrich August Hayek, 1974 Internal Knowledge Markets External Partnerships GSFC has written case studies on international projects to learn from these partnerships and what can be done to improve the way they work. Knowledge cannot be applied like paint or bolts or design modifications. A knowledge culture is a cultivation exercise not an engineering design problem. Many times this shows up in our partnerships where we over design and under cultivate the relationships needed to make the partnership work. One or our cases in this area is Calipso which has many lessons for international partnerships. Knowledge cannot be applied like paint or bolts or design modifications. A knowledge culture is a cultivation exercise not an engineering design problem. Many times this shows up in our partnerships where we over design and under cultivate the relationships needed to make the partnership work. One or our cases in this area is Calipso which has many lessons for international partnerships.

9. The way to balance Knowledge and Risk is with People -- not systems. People reduce the risk by applyig their knowledge. The way to balance Knowledge and Risk is with People -- not systems. People reduce the risk by applyig their knowledge.

10. A Learning Organization is Made Up of Human Learners not Smart Computers Early IT solutions were based on a �remove the humans from the loop� automation and AI approach. Unless we lose this jargon we will not seriously engage the workforce. �This KM system will allow you to retain the key organizational knowledge without retaining the people.�Early IT solutions were based on a �remove the humans from the loop� automation and AI approach. Unless we lose this jargon we will not seriously engage the workforce. �This KM system will allow you to retain the key organizational knowledge without retaining the people.�

11. Three Challenges for Sharing What shows people what to share? What equips people how to share? What motivates people why to share? If we don�t understand how and why people learn and share within our orgs we will have little chance of successfully designing a system that will foster organizational learning. Most org learning efforts are over engineered and under-led; assuming that a solution can be implemented rather than a change of direction demonstrated. If we don�t understand how and why people learn and share within our orgs we will have little chance of successfully designing a system that will foster organizational learning. Most org learning efforts are over engineered and under-led; assuming that a solution can be implemented rather than a change of direction demonstrated.

12. Increase Internal Depth Perception People out of touch with the org are�t likely to go out of their way to share knowledge to improve the org. How many Dilbert cartoons on the cubicles?People out of touch with the org are�t likely to go out of their way to share knowledge to improve the org. How many Dilbert cartoons on the cubicles?

13. Keep Communication Open Why talk into a dead phone line? UP, DOWN, ACROSS Why talk into a dead phone line? UP, DOWN, ACROSS

14. Reward Fairly (and Punish Fairly) If I am just here to make my boss rich (or famous) it�s generally not worth it. No one wants to play in a rigged game so don�t bother to ask.If I am just here to make my boss rich (or famous) it�s generally not worth it. No one wants to play in a rigged game so don�t bother to ask.

15. Why Knowledge Sharing Efforts Fail Knowledge management efforts mostly emphasize technology and the transfer of codified knowledge, Knowledge management tends to treat knowledge as a tangible thing, as a stock or quantity, and therefore separates knowledge as something from the use of that thing, Formal systems can�t easily store or transfer tacit knowledge, The people responsible for transferring and implementing knowledge management frequently don�t understand the actual work being documented, Knowledge management tends to focus on specific practices and ignore the importance of philosophy. From The Knowing-Doing Gap: How smart companies turn knowledge into action by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton. (1999). Harvard Business School Press. Page 22. No one can learn for someone else. Note the last point. Why this talk is mostly approach. People will follow any practices that are part of an approach they can believe in. Keep the practices simple and the rationale profound instead of simplistic rationale (People are leaving !!!) and the practices (IT systems) complicated. No one can learn for someone else. Note the last point. Why this talk is mostly approach. People will follow any practices that are part of an approach they can believe in. Keep the practices simple and the rationale profound instead of simplistic rationale (People are leaving !!!) and the practices (IT systems) complicated.

16. Five �Nots� or KM Myths NOT just about Capturing Knowledge NOT Right Info, Right Person, Right Time Is NOT the same in any Organization CanNOT Be Meaningfully Measured Does NOT require Culture Change First KM is NOT about Capturing Knowledge Knowledge is a distributed good Knowledge value is host dependent KM is NOT about Right Info, Right Person, Right Time Future Knowledge Needs Cannot Be Known Today Inevitably Leads to Technology Focus (Efficient but not Effective) KM Systems will NOT work in any Organization Knowledge Flows along Social Networks Lines not Org Charts Knowledge Sharing Requires Cultivation not Intervention KM Efforts CanNOT Be Meaningfully Measured What�s Important CanNOT Be Measured in Short Term What�s Unimportant Is often Measured Instead with Negative Results KM Does NOT require Culture Change First A KM Intervention IS a Culture Change (not a prerequisite) Behavior Change Follows Leadership (Behavior modeling) KM is NOT about Capturing Knowledge Knowledge is a distributed good Knowledge value is host dependent KM is NOT about Right Info, Right Person, Right Time Future Knowledge Needs Cannot Be Known Today Inevitably Leads to Technology Focus (Efficient but not Effective) KM Systems will NOT work in any Organization Knowledge Flows along Social Networks Lines not Org Charts Knowledge Sharing Requires Cultivation not Intervention KM Efforts CanNOT Be Meaningfully Measured What�s Important CanNOT Be Measured in Short Term What�s Unimportant Is often Measured Instead with Negative Results KM Does NOT require Culture Change First A KM Intervention IS a Culture Change (not a prerequisite) Behavior Change Follows Leadership (Behavior modeling)

17. Four Essential KM Practices Leadership Practicing Sharing (Modeled Behavior) Reflective Group Learning (Pause and Learn) Knowledge Sharing Events (Story Telling Workshops) Case Study based Training (Teaching Wisdom) Leadership Practicing Sharing (Modeled Behavior) Open Communication (vertical and horizontal) Admitting Mistakes (look human so others can be human too) Taking Input (valuing the thinking of others) Reflective Learning (Pause and Learn) Simple Practice within Local Control Individual Reflection Group Lessons Knowledge Sharing Events (Story Telling Workshops) Ability to Talk About Our Work Experiences Separate Decision Making from Single Point Outcomes Opportunity to Model Leadership Behavior Case Studies (Teaching Wisdom) Allow All Voices to be Heard Telling the Rest of the Story Opportunity to Pass on Learning in Context Leadership Practicing Sharing (Modeled Behavior) Open Communication (vertical and horizontal) Admitting Mistakes (look human so others can be human too) Taking Input (valuing the thinking of others) Reflective Learning (Pause and Learn) Simple Practice within Local Control Individual Reflection Group Lessons Knowledge Sharing Events (Story Telling Workshops) Ability to Talk About Our Work Experiences Separate Decision Making from Single Point Outcomes Opportunity to Model Leadership Behavior Case Studies (Teaching Wisdom) Allow All Voices to be Heard Telling the Rest of the Story Opportunity to Pass on Learning in Context

18. Three Opportunities for a KM Effort To SEE all around the Organization Reviews, Reports and Trends To INTEGRATE KM into Processes Risk Mgmt, Safety and Reviews To INFUSE Knowledge in Other Projects Relevance, Impact and Risk Opportunity to SEE what is happening around the Organization Reviews (questions, issues and unknowns) Reports (incidents, mishaps, and close calls) Trends (internal organization sharing) Opportunity to ELEVATE KM to an integrated practice Integrated within Risk Management Integrated within Safety and Mission Assurance Integrated within Review Processes Opportunity to INFUSE directly into other projects See the potential relevance of new information Ability to investigate potential impact (risk) of new information Access to Project Leaders for Discussion of new informationOpportunity to SEE what is happening around the Organization Reviews (questions, issues and unknowns) Reports (incidents, mishaps, and close calls) Trends (internal organization sharing) Opportunity to ELEVATE KM to an integrated practice Integrated within Risk Management Integrated within Safety and Mission Assurance Integrated within Review Processes Opportunity to INFUSE directly into other projects See the potential relevance of new information Ability to investigate potential impact (risk) of new information Access to Project Leaders for Discussion of new information

19. Two Lessons Learned to Succeed KM Needs a Clear Definition of the Problem being Addressed Reliability of Organizational Systems to Produce Sustainability of Organizational Systems to Produce KM Needs a Champion KM Architect, Chief Knowledge Officer, Guru & Cheerleader KM Needs a Constant Presence (office, committee, & budget) If people think it�s an Agency problem, people will wait for the Agency to fix it. If it�s a local problem, then they realize that they�d better do something about it. KM as a delegated task (short term assignment, other duties as assigned, outsourced) will not catch on with the core workforce. Why should someone spend time or energy on something senior management thinks is unimportant? If people think it�s an Agency problem, people will wait for the Agency to fix it. If it�s a local problem, then they realize that they�d better do something about it. KM as a delegated task (short term assignment, other duties as assigned, outsourced) will not catch on with the core workforce. Why should someone spend time or energy on something senior management thinks is unimportant?

20. One Focus: The USER I Experience I eXchange I Collaborate I Extend I Learn �As smart as a KM system may be, it will never be smart enough to fool the people expected to use it.� McElroy, M.W. (1999). Double-Loop Knowledge Management, MacroInnovation Inc. Available from www.macroinnovation.com References to what is a healthy organization Knows how to process knowledge Davenport, Information processing into usable knowledge Treats knowledge as a distributed good Hayek, dispersed collective knowledge is the most valuable Evolves with knowledge use Fulmer, Shaping the Adaptive Organization Encourages meaningful subject matter interaction Novak, self directed learning behavior Facilitates meaningful human to human interaction Argyris, stimulate human learning capacity Loads Local units with knowledge Pfeffer, KM is not an upward extraction process Rewards local sharing and reapplication Rogers, Innovation and solution finding are intrinsic motivators Shares knowledge across usability lines, not reporting lines Wegner, Communities primarily help each other (not management)References to what is a healthy organization Knows how to process knowledge Davenport, Information processing into usable knowledge Treats knowledge as a distributed good Hayek, dispersed collective knowledge is the most valuable Evolves with knowledge use Fulmer, Shaping the Adaptive Organization Encourages meaningful subject matter interaction Novak, self directed learning behavior Facilitates meaningful human to human interaction Argyris, stimulate human learning capacity Loads Local units with knowledge Pfeffer, KM is not an upward extraction process Rewards local sharing and reapplication Rogers, Innovation and solution finding are intrinsic motivators Shares knowledge across usability lines, not reporting lines Wegner, Communities primarily help each other (not management)

21. Knowledge Management Office Established in May 2003 Charter focuses on LEARNING Started at NASA in May 2003 Task Challenge Understand and describe the KM and learning organization problems in an actionable way Develop a coherent and coordinated approach to help make GSFC a better learning organization Develop and implement practices that can be readily adopted across the center to improve our learning and knowledge management Help smart people work together for mission success Creating, sharing and applying our best collective knowledge First Priorities Understand how your organization works Gain credibility for the KM function Develop a plan that people understand and support Started at NASA in May 2003 Task Challenge Understand and describe the KM and learning organization problems in an actionable way Develop a coherent and coordinated approach to help make GSFC a better learning organization Develop and implement practices that can be readily adopted across the center to improve our learning and knowledge management Help smart people work together for mission success Creating, sharing and applying our best collective knowledge First Priorities Understand how your organization works Gain credibility for the KM function Develop a plan that people understand and support

22. The KM Problem for the Organization Not Reliable Designer dependent outcomes (team make up determines team outcome as much as team function or structure) Organizational communication processes introduce risk to system (redundancy, reliability delusions, stress points) Knowledge loops are longer than operational throughput cycle time (knowledge is not timely in application) Not Sustainable Social networks are decaying faster than they are being reproduced Knowledge sharing legacy systems are not built around today�s workplace structures Mentors have a time-space gap with Mentees for effectively sharing knowledge KM is an organizational reliability problem. NASA is a matrixed organization. We reach into Engineering, Safety and Project mgmt to assemble a team that will execute a mission. Who we get on the team should not determine the success or failure of that team based on knowledge application. This moves KM down to the departmental level of responsibility. It cannot be an agency level function because no learning really takes place at the agency level. KM is an organizational reliability problem. NASA is a matrixed organization. We reach into Engineering, Safety and Project mgmt to assemble a team that will execute a mission. Who we get on the team should not determine the success or failure of that team based on knowledge application. This moves KM down to the departmental level of responsibility. It cannot be an agency level function because no learning really takes place at the agency level.

23. Goddard Learning Architecture Created a picture to tell the story The six practices 3 at the project level 3 at the center level How they work together, why it makes sense, where people fit in. I could tell my approach in 60 seconds. Used this diagram for a year to tell my story. Because that�s all I had many times. People have strong intuitive assumptions about how they will make things efficient. Some things are not meant to be efficient in life: market places, the IRS, and democracy. Created a picture to tell the story The six practices 3 at the project level 3 at the center level How they work together, why it makes sense, where people fit in. I could tell my approach in 60 seconds. Used this diagram for a year to tell my story. Because that�s all I had many times. People have strong intuitive assumptions about how they will make things efficient. Some things are not meant to be efficient in life: market places, the IRS, and democracy.

24. Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) Responsible for designing and implementing knowledge management practices and learning practices to enable the center to function like a learning organization; Leads the GSFC KM team. Champions knowledge management within the Center to make it a sensible and responsible activity to perform Articulates a vision and plan for knowledge management that makes sense to projects and technical groups across the Center Represents the Center on Agency boards, committees and activities related to knowledge management Interacts with the public and academic interested in knowledge management at NASA - Goddard to inform them and to learn more that NASA - Goddard may take advantage of in its knowledge management Publishes papers and makes presentations to disseminate lessons about how to design and implement knowledge management Speaks with other agencies of the Federal and State governments to share knowledge and experiences about knowledge management Supports as needed, activities from HQ related to knowledge management (from OCE, OHR, SMA, SMD and ESMD primarily).