People, Systems, Processes - A discovery framework
Ignoring key players, technology, or workflows leads to a fragmented understanding and results in a poorly designed and implemented solution. When all aspects are considered, we gain a comprehensive view of how different components influence overall success.
People
Uncovering details about the people involved can be separated into 3 key categories:
- Target audience
- Operational roles
- Stakeholders
Target audience
Knowledge is truly powerful when the intended audience can leverage it for its intended purpose. A knowledge solution should support the goals and objectives the user is trying to achieve. This will influence what content is prioritized for migration, creation, and maintenance.
A few target audiences to consider are Customers, Agents, Partners, and Employees.
Operational roles
Operational roles are those roles accountable for the systems and processes in place, such as:
- Site administrators
- Content contributors creating and maintaining knowledge
- IT personnel managing user access and authentication
- Project Managers
- Solution Architects
Stakeholders
Stakeholder involvement will influence the trajectory of the overall experience. Stakeholders play a critical role in ensuring alignment with business goals, resources and budget allocation, improving decision-making processes, risk mitigation, and facilitating change management.
Systems
Knowing the existing technological landscape allows for the integration of new solutions without disrupting ongoing operations, and helps in leveraging current investments. This analysis also highlights the compatibility and scalability of current and future state systems.
Connect the Systems assessment with what was identified in the People assessment to hone in on Target and Operational people and the systems they use directly and are indirectly affected by.
Example Systems assessment
- Knowledge Management platform
- Offline knowledge
- User access and authentication
- CRM platform
- Chatbot
Processes
Understanding current knowledge workflows and procedures helps in identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and where optimization is needed.
Analyze process dependencies and interactions with existing systems, current investments, and future state considerations. This will eliminate redundancies and ensure that knowledge processes and their counterparts flow more efficiently across the organization.
Example Processes assessment
- Knowledge publication process
- Compliance and security
- Improvement cycle and feedback
- Access management
By thoroughly analyzing PSP, organizations can implement knowledge solutions that are holistic, aligned, and scalable. This structured approach ensures that key players, technology, and workflows are all considered, eliminating fragmentation and driving efficiency. When properly assessed, PSP forms the foundation of a knowledge management solution that not only meets but exceeds the organization's goals, providing sustainable growth and long-term success.