APQC CONNECT 2026, APQC's annual process and knowledge management conference, will take place in Houston April 22–23. We asked our speakers to talk about different themes and topics they’ll be presenting at this year’s conference for a series of blog posts. Our third in this series features speakers discussing the future of knowledge management and process management.
In a few short words, where do you feel the future of process management and/or knowledge management is heading? What are steps that can be taken today to start preparing for this future?
Spotlight Sessions
At APQC CONNECT 2026, our Spotlight Sessions highlight leaders who are shaping the future of process and knowledge management in their organizations. These featured sessions offer deeper insights into how these disciplines are evolving—and how practitioners can prepare for what’s next.
Rebecka Isaksson — KnowFlow Value: KM experts and practitioners need to stop taking the same academic approaches that they have taken for the past 30 years, and look at Knowledge in practically applicable ways, rather than as theoretical frameworks and a supporting process (parallel to Business Processes) and focus on unleashing knowledge flows - when and where they should be unleashed but with appropriate Information Architectures, Governance, Metadata and Lifecycle Management.
Rob Rowello — Global VP Business Transformation, Magna International: "The future of process and knowledge management is shifting from documenting workflows to architecting them. When organizations standardize processes and anchor them in an enterprise ontology, they create a clean semantic layer that decouples business logic from legacy systems. That doesn’t mean ripping and replacing core IT overnight - it means progressively abstracting it, so new workflows can be built in low-code environments on top of trusted, well-governed data rather than hard-coded system dependencies.
The steps to take today are practical: establish a common process framework, define clear ownership, invest in data quality and governance, and begin modeling your core concepts in an enterprise ontology. Once your process language and data definitions are stable, innovation accelerates - because you’re no longer constrained by how systems were built, but empowered by how the business is designed to run
Breakout Session Speakers
In addition to our spotlight sessions, APQC CONNECT features practitioner-led breakout sessions where experts from across industries share real-world insights, lessons learned, and practical strategies for advancing process and knowledge management.
Lance Bradshaw — Director, HR Workforce Transformation, Intermountain Health: The future is moving toward adaptive, embedded, and human-centered process and knowledge systems. Static documentation and standalone repositories will give way to dynamic workflows where guidance, insights, and learning show up in the flow of work.
To prepare, organizations can start by:
-Making processes visible and measurable across functions
-Designing knowledge for reuse, not just storage
-Embedding learning and guidance into daily work
-Investing in governance and change management alongside technology
-Focusing on confidence, clarity, and capability, not just tools
The organizations that succeed will be those that treat process and knowledge management as living systems that evolve alongside the workforce.
Ellen Crowley and Shashank Agarwal — Sr. Enablement Program Manager, AWS and Sr. Technical Program Manager: The future of KM is a living sustainable system that captures innovation right as it happens and delivers new knowledge to the user when and where they need it most.
Klaudia Mintus — Architect-Process Excellence; KK Group: Clear, transparent communication and collaboration. Organizations should start by simplifying how processes and knowledge are shared.
Andrea Gilbert — Assistant Superintendent/Converse County School District #1: The future is integration and invisibility. The best knowledge management won't feel like knowledge management at all; it will simply be how work gets done. We're moving from "managing knowledge" as a separate activity to embedding knowledge capture, sharing, and retrieval directly into workflows so seamlessly that people don't even think about it.
AI and automation will accelerate this shift, making knowledge more conversational and accessible. Instead of searching for the right document or process, people will ask questions and receive synthesized answers from multiple sources. However, this only works if you have trustworthy, well-organized knowledge to begin with. AI won't fix a chaotic knowledge ecosystem; it will just make the chaos faster.
I also believe the future involves tighter integration between process management, knowledge management, and strategic execution. Organizations that treat these as separate functions will struggle. Those who recognize them as interdependent infrastructure supporting all other work will thrive. In our district, making KM/PM an explicit goal in our strategic plan is transformational—it signals that this isn't optional or peripheral, it's fundamental to how we achieve our mission.
Steps to take today:
Start with strategic alignment. Tie your KM/PM efforts directly to existing priorities. Make it clear that knowledge management isn't extra work; it's the infrastructure that makes everything else possible.
Build on familiar foundations. Use vocabulary, frameworks, and processes your people already understand rather than introducing entirely new concepts. In education, we leveraged PLCs, accreditation standards, and compliance requirements. In other sectors, it might be quality management systems, regulatory frameworks, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Create dedicated ownership. Someone needs to own knowledge management, even if it's not their only role. Without clear accountability, knowledge capture and process documentation remain everyone's responsibility, which means they're no one's priority.
Invest in simple, searchable, centralized systems before you start layering AI on top. The most sophisticated AI tools can't overcome disorganized or inaccessible foundational knowledge. Get your content house in order first.
Finally, lead culture change deliberately. Unified branding, common expectations, communication plans, and visible leadership commitment are essential. Knowledge management is as much about culture as it is about technology, and culture change requires intentional, sustained effort.
The organizations that thrive in the next decade won't be those with the most sophisticated AI tools or the fanciest technology. They'll be those who have built the cultural, strategic, and infrastructural foundations that make knowledge work for people—and then use technology to amplify that foundation.
Brad "Nick" DeWitt — Converse County School District #1: Increasing the use of process and knowledge management will continue to grow and become an essential part of our organization. Additional training, to include formal and informal, for more members within the district will provide a deeper understanding, belief, and trust in the benefits and values of PM/KM.
Rebecka Isaksson — KnowFlow Value: KM experts and practitioners need to stop taking the same academic approaches that they have taken for the past 30 years, and look at Knowledge in practically applicable ways, rather than as theoretical frameworks and a supporting process (parallel to Business Processes) and focus on unleashing knowledge flows - when and where they should be unleashed but with appropriate Information Architectures, Governance, Metadata and Lifecycle Management.
Neil Hopkins — Department of the Navy: I feel that process/knowledge management is leaning too heavily on AI parlor tricks. It's time to get back to being subject matter experts and helping our learning workforce.
Genevieve Caplette — Director of Transformation, Michelin: The future of process and knowledge management is connected, smart, and effortless — and the steps we take today to simplify, standardize, and modernize our workflows will determine how ready we are to capture that value.
Tyson Simmons — Operations Architect - Pinnacle: I think the previous question around AI really drives this one. Continuous improvement obviously isn’t going anywhere, but the pace is accelerating. The time it takes to identify opportunities, develop solutions, and move through the full DMAIC process is going to continue to shrink as AI grows.
I also think that as processes and jobs become more efficient, they’ll drive faster growth. That growth will lead to new processes and, in turn, new opportunities for continuous improvement.
To prepare for that future, I think it starts with simply being aware—staying connected to emerging technology and industry trends through research, conversations, and conferences like this one.
Avishek Shrestha — VP Strategic Operations, BMM Test Labs: GenAI can help structure and store knowledge management. For example, an AI Agent can restructure a knowledge base to reorganize it, automatically identify repeated themes, and generate links between artifacts.
These perspectives highlight a common theme: the future of knowledge and process management will be defined by simplification, integration, and intentional design. As organizations navigate AI, automation, and increasing complexity, the ability to connect people, processes, and knowledge in meaningful ways will determine who succeeds.
At APQC CONNECT 2026, these speakers—and many others—will share practical strategies, real-world experiences, and lessons learned from advancing process and knowledge management inside their organizations.
Join us April 22–23 in Houston to discover how leading organizations are working to Bridge. Streamline. Flow.
Learn More & Register Now: https://www.apqcconnect.org/2026