^The APQC Blog

Okay, truth be told, this blog is really about big data analytics and the Cleveland Browns. However, if you’ve read even this far, then you’re probably either a Browns fan or a Browns hater. It really doesn’t matter to me which though, so long as you keep reading because it really is an interesting intersection of the two. Moreover, the rest of the story is more about the use of knowledge anyway (or in this case data).

Avi Kedem, Chief Knowledge officer with Israel Aerospace Industries, talks about knowledge continuity and how Israel Aerospace created a structured process to preserve critical knowledge from retiring workers.

If you would like to see more conference highlights, you can go to our 2014 Knowledge Management Conference Recap page.

According to a recent APQC survey, 51 percent of organizations consider reducing the time to market for their products and services to be a top priority. Many organizations are looking to address this and other priorities through the use of rapid product development initiatives. To find out how prevalent and successful these initiatives are, check out the infographic below or download a copy.

Project Management Offices (PMOs) have become a hot topic within APQC, as well as in the Business Excellence arena. In fact, PM Solutions just came out with their State of the PMO Office for 2014 survey report, which found that high performing companies have more capable PMOs. In their findings, PMOs are going to have to be more strategic in their thinking as they support an ever changing business. Highly capable PMOs drive continuous improvement processes across the enterprise.

Predictive analytics is a process where people bridge the gap between knowledge, data, and action. Big Data, which is a collection of data that is extremely large and complex, is increasingly making the list as a key trend. While it's a hot topic, most companies have not been successful at leveraging data for predictive analysis. Most organizations are still focused on siloed, historic data and examining trends versus forward-looking analytics.

In April, knowledge management (KM) leaders and practitioners from around the globe joined together for APQC’s 19^th Annual Knowledge Management Conference. One word in particular kept buzzing around this meeting of over 350 attendees: “conversation.”

The short answer? Because they don’t start with the business goals in mind! As simple and as common sense as that seems, it’s analogous to the sales person who talks to a prospective customer about why the sales person’s company is so good—without ever asking for the sale itself. That is, the connection to the desired outcome in both cases is broken.

I recently talked with Chris Jacobs, Director Advisory Services at Grant Thornton LLP, to discuss how organizations can succeed with their transformational change initiatives even when they struggle at the beginning of the process and below are a two of the key we topics discussed.

APQC recently spoke with Lawrence Merritt, Jr., Manager of Global Environmental Policy at Ford Motor Company’s Environmental Quality Office, on the importance of having a manufacturing environmental strategy. He also discussed the implementation and benefits of Ford’s Environmental Operating System (EOS).

How critical is it that a manufacturing environmental strategy also be good for a company’s bottom line?

APQC research shows that a certain leadership style may be more effective at minimizing skills gaps. Organizations embodying a less traditional and more contemporary leadership style, a group we call “dynamic leadership organizations,” are experiencing smaller skills gaps and are less concerned about a leadership skills deficit compared to organizations using a traditional leadership style.