Applying Knowledge Management to an Organizational Transformation
- Paper number
IAC-08.D5.2.3
- Author
Ms. Shannon Potter, NASA, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Purpose This paper will explore the application of Knowledge Management in facilitating the organizational transformation that is underway in the International Space Station (ISS) and Spacecraft Processing Directorate at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The directorate currently performs the ground processing tasks required to prepare Space Shuttle and ISS payloads and experiments for flight. Upon retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet in 2010, the directorate’s roles will undergo a major change as it assumes more responsibility for ground processing of the Constellation Program’s Crew Exploration Vehicle, Orion. Methodology The directorate formed a team of engineering and process experts within NASA, and KM experts from academia, in order to build and implement a strategic vision for the transformation process. Over the next four months, the team will assess the organization’s current KM infrastructure with the intent of identifying effective tools and processes for closing any gaps. It will evaluate new tools, technologies, and processes, and will elicit tacit knowledge from current and historical subject matter experts throughout the ground processing engineering and technical disciplines. The team will consider the management and transfer of personnel, skills, processes, physical assets, institutional knowledge and lessons learned. It will employ a comprehensive, evolutionary approach to determine which elements to incorporate, revise or delete. It will produce a framework for a seamless integration of the best KM cultures and practices into the organization. The directorate has adequate funding for representation at the IAC2008. Results This analysis has not yet been performed, so no results have been compiled, published or presented at any other conference. NASA expects to provide a meaningful comparison between the directorate’s strategic vision and the reality of implementing it in a complex, dynamic organization. The results will include the identification of gaps in the current KM infrastructure and methods for addressing them. The results of the effort to develop streamlined processes, and the progress and pitfalls on incorporating a “learning” culture will be presented. Conclusions This paper will serve as both a benchmark and an instruction manual on how effective KM can enable a learning organization within a mature program to evolve to meet the challenges of a new program without encountering any transition-related downtime. Areas for Discussion Areas for discussion will include KM tools and approaches, challenges that affect organizations in transition, the application of knowledge within a learning organization and the application of strategic thinking. Contact Author: Shannon Potter NASA/UB-K Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 Phone: 321-867-3341 Fax: 321-867-6080 Shannon.w.potter@nasa.gov Co-Authors: Ralph Fritsche NASA/UB-R1 Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 Phone: 321-867-6120 Fax: 321-867-7282 Ralph.f.fritsche@nasa.gov Tracy Gill NASA/UB-G Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 Phone: 321-867-5824 Fax: 321-867-6570 Tracy.r.gill@nasa.gov Jim Lichtenthal NASA/UB-R1 Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 Phone: 321-867-1550 Fax: 321-867-4119 James.d.lichtenthal@nasa.gov
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.D5.2.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.