^The APQC Blog

If the 90’s can be called “retro,” so too can some KM approaches. There are companies where the Communities of Practice are older than some of their members! But those communities are still in place for a reason—they work. At the same time, it seems like there’s always new KM tools and techniques coming around the bend. Some fall by the wayside, but others are incredibly sticky—and they quickly become the new normal.

APQC is engaged in an ongoing project to research and think about the future of knowledge management. We’re interested in where KM is headed, what the “next big thing” is, and what internal and external forces will cause the discipline to reshape itself (again) over the coming years.

APQC conducted a survey to understand how organizations leverage the Process Classification Framework^SM (PCF) and overcome implementation challenges. What it found was that over three-quarters of professional service (PS) firm respondents use the PCF in their client engagements for process development work and to establish a standardized language across the organization. This infographic highlights the key findings on how PS firms use the PCF with their clients and  the challenges they face in those client engagements.

Despite accounting for half of the U.S. workforce, women only make up 19 percent of employees in the U.S. oil and gas and petrochemical industries, according to a 2014 study by the American Petroleum Institute (API). This is a problematic trend for oil and gas companies. Research has shown that a diverse workforce increases productivity and revenue.

We all enjoy talking and listening to people who agree with us. We have our favorite talk radio hosts and TV pundits.  Listening to the “other guys” just annoys us. That search for confirmation may keep us comfortable, but it does nothing to keep us creative or agile in the face of change.

As those of us who practice knowledge management (KM) intuitively believe, the easy flow of ideas can make groups more productive and creative.

Get used to hearing “Welcome to Big Thinkers, Big Ideas,” as it will be my standard greeting for our new APQC podcast series launching tomorrow. What’s to follow will be anything but standard. This series is my chance to interview some of the most interesting people in and around the world of business.

This interview is the second in a series on workforce predictive analytics. APQC interviewed John Callery, Director of People Analytics at AOL. In this role, he focuses on building a predictive analytics team to ensure talent-related decisions at AOL are driven by data and science. In this article, he provides insights into the field of predictive analytics as it relates to talent and makes recommendations on how HR can leverage analytics.

APQC: Could you tell me about your background and how you got into predictive analytics?

Due to widespread outsourcing of production activities, tremendous pressure has been put on manufacturing managers to be cost competitive and offer unique customer value. This pressure has intensified the need to produce quality products that are delivered on time, at a competitive price, and with excellent customer service. To accomplish this, manufacturing leaders must establish production schedules, optimum work flows, effective maintenance procedures, and continuous improvement programs that will keep the organization moving forward. 

It’s that time of year again! No, I am not talking about March Madness or spring break.

It’s almost time for the release of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For^® list, produced by Great Place to Work^® Institute. Each year, I look forward to this publication.