I cam across an interesting research paper on BPM and knowledge management:
http://www.ejel.org/Volume-5/v5-i3/Leyking_et_al.pdf
Key points:
- Most training efforts are not linked to the situational context - so the learning is too remote from reality, in terms of content and timing
- A process focus can increase the value of training - process context can support modeling of required knowledge areas to complete an activity in the process
In my view there is a strong link between BPM and knowledge management. Many processmodelling efforts, as a start, where created from a knowledge perspective - helping new (and existing) employees in the business to understand the processes and activities to be done, so that they could perform their work accordingly.
And of course, when executing processes, the right employees with the right skills and knowledge are needed for performing certain tasks.
Some BPM technology vendors are already taking some steps to support knowledge management in the context of process. Simple example: a user can click on "show the process map" when working on an activity, and the processmap + highlighted activity is shown, helping the user to understand the context of the activity.
The paper triggered me to think a bit further -
Wouldn't it be great to have a BPM technology solution that enabled us to trigger "just in time" learning?
The scenario:
An employee gets a task assigned. The BPM suite identifies that the person has never performed this task before (of possibly other triggers: the employee scores low on certain other KPI's around this activity such as errors made, throughput time, etc).
The BPM suite suggest to the user, prior to activity start: "Do you want to follow a quick Just In Time training on how to succesfully complete this activity"?
And from that point on, a link is provided to some training environment, which trains the user, through video, text, quizes etc to understand the link to strategy, process context, activity and best practices for the activity.
Benefit: Just in Time, so very closely linked to the context of the actual work to be done.
