All services delivered by Kadrant are built leveraging MASK, a unique method created by Jean-Louis Ermine in the early 90’s specifically to solve knowledge capitalization problems. The strenght of the method comes from its 3 robust pillars :
As shown on the graphic aside, MASK is organized into four specific modules, covering the four steps of the knowledge management cycle.
MASK : Method for Analyzing and Structuring Knowledge
Across the spectrum, the level of technicity and complexity of the industry is increasingly fast growing : for organizations with large R&D divisions, managing knowledge is no longer an option. However, this is not something that can be easily improvised. Indeed, many large organization are still purchasing sophisticated software while still having a very low understanding of the relationship between Information Management and Knowledge Management. In this context, being able to assess and align on the knowledge management maturity of an organisation, appeared as an obvious accelerator for transformation.
This is why, over the years, The French KM Club, rallying major companies from the francophone world and presided by Jean-Louis Ermine, has developed a set of operational tools enabling the maturity of organisations with regards to knowledge :
The key benefits of these assessment models are that:
This service is triggered when pursuing any of the goals below :
The mapping method we are using (MASK 2) was developed at the beginning of the years 2000 for the needs of industries which are characterized by very unusual levels of complexity (atomic energy, defence…).It was subsequently used for various industries and is based on solid common sense :
– It is difficult to manage what we cannot see, so let us map the knowledge to make it visible.
– It is impossible to manage everything, so let us identify what knowledge is critical and why it is so, so that we can establish priorities.
Mapping the critical knowledge is a commando operation – it can be done in one week – of which purpose is to take reasoned decisions on how to secure and develop critical expertise.
We mapped critical knowledge on the following sectors : services, transportation, energy, various industries, defence.
This service, based on the MASK 2 method, is focused on serving industries facing serious strategic challenges: what does the strategy mean in term of knowledge? what is key? what knowledge is critical ?
The objective here is to evaluate the impact of the strategy on the knowledge of the organization, and prioritize actions to be executed. For example:
Combining the analysis of current knowledge criticity and the analysis of the knowledge required by a strategy shift, we are supporting organisation from various sectors (services, transportation, engineering…) aligning their knowledge and business strategy.
The elicitation method we are using (MASK 1), to model critical knowledge, has been developed in 1993 by Jean-Louis Ermine for the needs of the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA – the French Atomic Energy Commission). After the year 2000, this method has been deployed in various industries, in France and abroad, to capture tacit knowledge either because it was threaten, due to retirements or reassignment of critical personnel, or to support industrial transfers (Split or M&A).
NB: It is generally recognized that only 20% of the useful operational knowledge – with variations across sectors – is properly formalized. Starting from 2009 – 2010, the MASK 1 methodology has been increasingly used in the US.
The objective of the method is to model tacit knowledge and create Knowledge Books that will be given to the future experts so that they can acquire knowledge in a very short time frame. Experts using such knowledge books are evaluating saving about 6 months timeframe thanks to the access to such a tool.
Knowledge books are created when pursuing any of below objectives :
