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Knowledge  Management  in  the  Development  Sector    Insights  from  UNICEF  and  personal  experience    

Robin  van  Kippersluis  KMA,  DC  Chapter  25  March  2015  robin.van.kippersluis@gmail.com  

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1.  The  development  sector  A  significant  and  knowledge  intensive  industry  

   Context  for  knowledge  management:      •  ODA  around  $  140  billion  annually  •  Aid  through  capacity  development  and  knowledge  transfer  •  Aid  effecNveness:  MDGs  and  global  partnership  –  a  personal  moNvator  •  A  new  wave:  South-­‐South,  Knowledge  Hubs,  Post-­‐2015,  IT  and  cell  phones  

   

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2.  UNICEF  and  mobilizing  knowledge  …  for  children  …    

•  Helps  build  a  world  where  the  rights  of  every  child  are  realized  –  Presence  in  190  countries  –  Strong  communicaNons  and  

advocacy;    

•  Lots  of  KM  everywhere.  Focus  corporately?  –  Research    –  Corporate  KM  effecNveness    

•  History  in  KM  –  Without  endless  strategy  process  

___________________________________________________________________________  2.1.  In  UNICEF  different  types  of  knowledge  exist  …    more  emphasis  on  evidence  

INFO

RMAL  &  TAC

IT  

FORM

AL  &  EXP

LICIT  Facts  or  

figures  from  surveys  

Management  insights  

Case  studies  

Research  findings  

StaNsNcs  

Wricen  policies  and  procedures  

Program  improvement  pracNces  

EvaluaNon  findings  

Country    and  sector  learnings  

InnovaNons  from  the  field  

Tips  on  internal  administraNon  

Management  informaNon  

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2.2.  Knowledge  Management  for  Research  Weaving  research  and  evidence  into  organizaConal  DNA      •  Access  to  evidence  

–  Database  –  Best  of  UNICEF  Research  ‘compeNNon’  

•  Quality,  Integrity  and  reach  of  Research  –  ROI  –  Ethics  compendium,  charter,  tools  and  procedures  –  QA  guidelines  and  procedures;  good  pracNces  

•  Methodological  Guidance  (briefs,  videos,  synthesis)  

•  Focus:  process  for  sejng  research  prioriNes  globally  

•  Next  Steps:  EvaluaNon;  Further  tailoring  support  services;  synthesis  and  themaNc  briefs;  research  into  use  (programs  and  policy)  

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2.3.  Corporate  KM  effecNveness  Understanding  KM  role  implicaCons  …  

External  

Internal  

Audien

ce  

Expert  Influencer  /  Advisor  Creates  knowledge  to  influence  policy,  

advocate  for  acNon,  or  inform  &  advise  others  

Innovator  Conducts  research  to  enhance  the  quality  of  

own  programs  and  products  

Consumer  Collects  knowledge  from  outside  to  improve  

own  programs  and  products  

Conduit  (to  Influence  or  Inform)  Collects  knowledge  and  uses  it  to  influence  

others  and/or  makes  it  available  to  help  others  

•  Source:  Dalberg  analysis  and  interviews  

Generated  by  OrganisaNon   Generated  by  Others  Source  of  Knowledge  

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2.4.  Lessons  and  way  forward  Focused  intervenCons  –  realisCc  ambiCons  

•  Successful  organisaNons  are  clear  about  their  purposes  and  select  appropriate  R&KM  models  

•  KM  must  be  seen  as  the  responsibility  of  the  enNre  organisaNon,  with  clear  responsibiliNes  for  different  units,  a  strong  coordinaNon  mechanism,  and  an  enabling  environment  with  reliable  incenNves  

•  Successful  research  and  knowledge  management  requires  a  serious  commitment  and  significant  resources  

•  Commitment  to  R&KM  results  in  tangible  benefits  such  as  being  posiNoned  as  a  ‘go-­‐to’  organisaNon,  or  being  able  to  provide  becer  products  and  services  more  efficiently  

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 •  UNICEF  KM  for  Research  approach:  

•  Quality,  RoI,  build  KM  components  into  research  and  project  proposals  

•  KM  corporate  effecNveness:  need  to  make  choices  on  budget  and  focus  •  increased  focus  on  knowledge  exchange  (CoPs;  coherence  in  systems;  avoid  overlap;  SSC)  

•  Governance:  SC;  New  KM  team  in  NY;  network  model  and  competencies);    

•  Becer  understanding  of  costed  opNons  for  running  R&KM  (reality  check)  •  Work  with  exisNng  sosware  soluNons  

___________________________________________________________________________    3.  Personal  take-­‐aways    

1.  FascinaNng  new  wave  of  KM  in  development  sector  taking  place  

2.  Development  knowledge  is  more  and  more  about  evidence,  data,  research  

3.  Knowledge  Exchange  -­‐  Quality  macers  

4.  CreaNng  momentum  and  value  are  alternaNves  for  big  strategy  

     Thank  you  !