Paul Meyer is the principal partner for Tecker Consultants, Clifton, Virginia. He can be reached at pmeyer@tecker.com. This is his first article for Facilities Manager.

Knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows.
-Alfred North Whitehead, British philosopher

In today's information rich society, the yellow flashing sign reading Information Overload is incessantly blinking. Institutions, corporations, communities, and individuals are constantly challenged with information overload. We are continually asking the questions, "Are we making better decisions as a result of the availability of all this information? Are we saving time? Are we saving money?" These and many other questions focus on our ability (or inability) to transform information into useful knowledge and, ultimately, to wisdom.

Information creates a framework for developing knowledge, knowledge drives good decision-making, and wisdom upholds the culture to sustain decisions. A focused effort on the transformation of information to knowledge and knowledge to wisdom is the soul of a successful knowledge management system. Whether your knowledge management system is set up to organize e-mail messages or to integrate the needs of a facility's complex web of users, the fundamentals are basically the same-the ability to organize, interpret, communicate, and make decisions using multiple sources and bits of information.

Knowledge is information combined with experience, context, interpretation, and reflection. It is not just the sum of what is known that is important, it is the ability to both create and effectively use knowledge that will distinguish successful organizations in the future. Knowledge creation is the act of taking relatively random data from across a broad spectrum and translating that data into a meaningful insightful context.

Knowledge is more than the accumulation of random facts and data relevant to a particular topic. Knowledge is not merely information. It is the transformation of information into a meaningful and insightful context through study, investigation, observation, and experience. Wisdom is the ability to sustain and integrate the collected knowledge through developed cultural norms and common understandings.

Transforming information to useful knowledge that will lead to good decision making is an awesome task. The use of technology as a storage and retrieval tool is widely discussed as the answer to this challenge. New systems and platforms are constantly being introduced providing greater integration, increased storage, and faster retrieval causing greater frustration, increased confusion, and faster tempers for those responsible for these efforts.

Technology and all its positive attributes is definitely leading the charge in assisting organizations in the transformation process, but technology alone is not enough. In addition, a greater understanding of the ultimate application and strategic outcomes as well as an understanding of the application by the end user is vital to the success of a knowledge management system.

Whether the decision maker is constructing a new facility, designing a new product, refining an existing procedure or developing a new business line, there are consistent elements of a successful knowledge management system and process that need to be considered. These elements combine the importance of technology as the tool, strategy as the driver, and people as the ultimate user and customer of the created knowledge.

Develop a Strategy and Create a Clear Definition of Success
All successful initiatives start with a thoughtful plan and a clear definition of what success will look like. At this stage, stakeholders are identified, needs are assessed, and resources are examined. It is not uncommon for this stage to take longer than expected. The end product should include a strategic plan with expected outcomes and a clear understanding of the resources needed to successfully complete the project. In addition, the plan should identify how the knowledge management system supports and links to the overall strategy of the organization. In other words, what is the relationship between the knowledge management strategy and your business objectives?

Create an Information Flow Chart
This is a chart that identifies the flow of information from its original collection point to its transformation to knowledge and, ultimately, to wisdom. This chart would have obvious branches and potential decision points that would guide the organization in deciding what to save, what to discard, and what to continue moving down the chart. As data passes down the transformation chain, it is likely to have increased human interaction, recognizing that it is through increased communication that information is transformed into other forms. For example, customer satisfaction data is transformed into valuable knowledge when it is interpreted by a group of individuals and compared with other sources of information.

Organize a Cross-Functional Team
Information is transformed into knowledge through the interaction of multiple disciplines and perspectives. A cross-functional team should be organized early on in the process so that all the appropriate voices are heard. Cross-functional teams are also used throughout the knowledge management and interpretation process so that information is interpreted through the lenses provided from a variety of perspectives.

Install a Relational Database
There are plenty of off-the-shelf customer relationship management systems and platforms and there are a variety of consultants that can assist in assessing the appropriate system for your needs. Basic, but important considerations are the ability of the system to carry out the outcomes you identified in your strategy and to interface with existing platforms and databases.

Technology is foundational to a solid knowledge management system. It is important to remember that it is merely a warehouse that collects and compiles data from many sources and displays the information at your fingertips, it cannot completely transform information to knowledge. In other words, do not assume that the relational database alone will create a successful knowledge management system.

Conduct Multiple Pilot Programs
Pilot tests can be conducted during a variety of stages of the knowledge management process. Before significant resources are expended on elaborate knowledge management systems, several pilots using existing information and processes should be conducted. For example, gather a group of cross-functional employees operating a central facility on your campus to review the data you have collected from user satisfaction surveys. Compare the data with the campus population demographic information and allow the group to provide feedback on their observations of the data. This begins the process of transforming information into knowledge and allows you to pilot the process without expending considerable resources. Pilots should be conducted as new systems and processes are put into place. They will assist the organization in collecting, analyzing, comparing, integrating, funneling, contrasting, communicating, and integrating data through an organization.

In most organizations there is too much to know. There is more data, information, knowledge, and wisdom than we have the capacity to maintain, organize, and interpret. Setting the strategic direction upfront with clarity, focus, and purpose will assist you in managing the right information and avoiding the Information Overload blinking sign.