Enterprise Learning
Since the publication of Peter Senge's The Fifth Discipline (1990), the notion of the learning organization has become a popular and powerful tool for enterprises, private and public, desiring to gain competitive advantage. But what does it mean in practice for an organization to "learn"? What relation does organizational learning have to knowledge management and the systems that support it? What do these practices have to do with the learning or training of the people who make up the organization? And how does a forward-looking enterprise align its knowledge management practices, its training programs, and even its internal career pathways with organizational strategic goals?
Whether it occurs in the "wetware" of the human brain or in the context of an organization, learning involves the acquisition and storage of knowledge. In the language of knowledge management, learning is the process of transforming data or information into knowledge. Information is useless unless it can be retrieved and applied in appropriate contexts, so the key to this transformation is the contextualization or appropriate indexing of the information as it is being stored. For people this means providing relevant associations or "hooks" with the content at the time of learning. For organizational systems it means the consistent application of a commonly understood indexing scheme ("tagging") while the information is being encoded or catalogued.
Each organization practising effective knowledge management requires a contextually appropriate knowledge indexing scheme (KIS). The needs of retrieval are the most critical criteria in designing such a scheme — there must be sufficient "metadata" included to ensure accurate and consistent retrieval. On the other hand, for knowledge management to be as efficient as possible, schemes are best designed to keep human involvement to a minimum. While some of the indexing process may be automated, this generally means keeping the scheme from becoming too complex. As usual, it's a delicate balancing act.
Just as each person has his or her own unique set of experiences within which to frame the context for personal learning, each organization has its unique knowledge management (KM) requirements and information needs that provide the context for its indexing scheme. Typically, cataloguing needs will depend on the predominant subject or domain of concern of the enterprise. For example, a widget manufacturer will require indices regarding widgets and the equipment used to produce them. But there are also some indexing needs all learning organizations have in common.
The foundation of enterprise learning lies in the learning of the individuals that make up the organization. Learning organizations that have an enhanced ability to meet their internal learning needs can leverage their uniqueness to gain an edge in our rapidly evolving economy. In particular, organization-specific information stored in a KM system provides a wealth of pre-contextualized content that may be used to support training. Access to it requires the organizational KIS to incorporate a learning index that can catalogue the kind of learning each information or knowledge object supports.
Enterprise learning can provide customized learning programs for individuals wishing to advance through the organization. Based on the knowledge and skills required for any number of organizational positions (e.g., Widget Machining Operator), a matrix of competencies (technical literacy, problem solving, interpersonal skills, etc.) is developed and incorporated into the KM indexing scheme. Knowledge stored in the system can then be readily accessed to support training for these positions. Moreover, if the knowledge and skills required for each position are defined and assembled in such a way as to form a position framework with natural career paths, then individuals can design their own personalized career pathway. Personal learning plans may thus include career goals, competency gaps, performance measures and results, training requirements, and assessment mechanisms — all supported by organizational knowledge. When people can readily develop their knowledge and skills and complete the learning they need to advance in (or move across) the organization, they will be happier, more motivated and fulfilled employees.
Ultimately, a learning organization's knowledge indexing scheme and its framework of position specifications must align with its strategic goals. These goals should be used to specify the skills and competencies required to advance the organization itself, as well as the evolution of positions needed to actualize the strategy. The resulting competency matrix establishes the key indices for managing strategic learning. Organizational knowledge that is indexed to enterprise learning and human resource requirements provides the unique leverage needed to advance the organization in its chosen strategic direction.
Thus, enterprise learning leverages organizational knowledge to provide personalized training and customized human resource development aligned with organizational goals.
An enterprise learning system
To learn more, see The Learning Process and Learning Systems.
Copyright © 2005 Epsilon Learning Systems