Nurturing knowledge sharing: for design technology or bim managers
In the dynamic landscape of technology innovation and implementation, rapid changes often create challenges and opportunities for teams. Knowledge sharing emerges as a cornerstone for growth, innovation, and overcoming resistance to change. Drawing from my professional experience, I've developed a series of frameworks tailored to support design technology managers or BIM managers in fostering collaboration, learning, and adaptation within their organizations. These frameworks serve as valuable tools for navigating technological advancements and ensuring success in the ever-evolving architectural landscape.
New Team Members Framework:
Objective: Support new team members by fostering connections and identifying roadblocks.
Format: Weekly stand-up meetings following the Scrum technique, focusing on progress, goals, and roadblocks.
Action: Facilitate connections between new and existing team members, encouraging knowledge exchange and support.
Recommendation: Gather a few new employees together, max 5 or 6. Maintain same day, time and meeting location / call link.
All Employee Sessions Framework:
Objective: Spread knowledge and tools to inspire innovation and curiosity across the organization.
Format: Live sessions allowing for questions and discussions, with recordings for later reference.
Action: Create a platform for employees to explore new tools, spark ideas, and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Recommendation: Maintain same day, time and meeting location / call link.
Knowledge Repository:
Objective: Make knowledge readily available to all employees when needed.
Format: Utilize a Knowledge Repository with organized resources such as videos, PDFs, and checklists. Tools like: Share Point, One Drive, Google Drive, Stream, Paylocity, Pinaccle, etc.
Action: Record short instructional videos and documentations for easy access and learning.
Recommendation: Short topic videos, 1-3 minutes; Long topic: Max 10 minutes.
Refresh Session Framework:
Objective: Support existing employees facing new project challenges, returning from leave, or returning to a project after a long time.
Format: Individual or focus-group meetings to address specific questions or concerns.
Action: Provide personalized support and guidance to employees transitioning into new roles or projects.
Recommendation: Ask the topic question related ahead of time, this will help you to get prepared.
Q&A Open Call Framework:
Objective: Address team members' questions promptly and enhance technology support.
Reduce interruptions and distractions, allowing for question to be concentrated in a period of time and using the same communication channel.
Format: Recurring sessions held twice a week following major deployments. Or, weekly during adaptation phases.
Action: Maintain consistent availability for team members to ask questions and collaborate on solutions.
Recommendation: Maintain same day, time and meeting location / call link. Foster at atmosphere of inclusion, all level questions are accepted.
Feedback Loop Framework:
Objective: Gather feedback for continuous improvement and identify areas for exploration.
Format: Team retrospectives following scrum techniques, using collaborative tools like Miro or whiteboards.
Action: Foster open and honest feedback to identify pain points, revise processes, and enhance internal knowledge.
In the fast-paced technological landscape of the next five years, adaptation and agility will be key to success. By embracing knowledge sharing frameworks and fostering a culture of collaboration and learning, design technology managers can navigate change effectively and drive innovation within their organizations. My hope is that by sharing these frameworks, I can inspire readers to explore new ideas and make their design technology journey more enriching and fulfilling.
