With decreasing bureaucracy and decentralization of operations, the span of knowledge coordination should be as close as possible to relevant knowledge domains. Coordinating mediums, or knowledge managers, have key roles to play.

1. Advancing Roles and Functions
for Knowledge Management
Coordination
Olivier Serrat
2010
The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian
Development Bank, or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included
in this presentation and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this presentation do not imply any
view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

2. Sharpening the Knowledge Focus in ADB's Operations
(Add value at regional, country, and project levels)
Empowering the Communities of Practice
(Collaborate for knowledge generation and
sharing)
Strengthening External Knowledge
Partnerships
(Align and leverage external knowledge)
Further Enhancing Staff Learning and
Skills Development
(Enhance opportunities for staff to learn)
Enhancing Knowledge Management under
Strategy 2020: Plan of Action (2009-2011)

3. K N O W L E D G E
ADB Operations: CPSs, loans, grants,
and TA projects
Key Actions
1. At the regional level, the Technical Assistance Strategic Forum will coordinate the medium-term research and sector work among
the knowledge and operations departments.
2. At the country level, the Country Partnership Strategies will explicitly reflect knowledge management as part of CPS formulation
and implementation.
3. At the project level, project teams will be encouraged to answer the following questions:
• Is a project relevant and responsive to the specific problem being considered?
• Does the design integrate the knowledge, lessons, and insights of similar situations?
• Does the project utilize and enrich skills in ADB and its DMCs and encourage knowledge sharing and learning?
• What innovative features characterize the project design and implementation?
• What knowledge products might the project generate?
• How can the project be designed to support rigorous impact evaluation, forge knowledge partnerships, harness sector and
thematic know-how, and encourage learning and knowledge sharing?
Challenges
• Operations may still not fully benefit from knowledge work
conducted in ADB, or be enriched from other sources
• Knowledge work has not always effectively supported the
objectives of ADB's operations in DMCs
Sharpening the Knowledge Focus
in ADB's Operations

4. Challenges
• Limited outreach to staff
members, including those in RMs
and ROs
• Because of their limited budget,
some CoPs may not yet be able to
deliver their functions fully
• The mandates and work of the
CoPs should be better
synchronized with the priorities of
Strategy 2020
Proposed Actions
1. Ensure that CoPs and networks of practice become an integral part of ADB's business processes
2. Increase the budget of CoPs to an appropriate level, based on a clear set of objectives and measurable outcomes
of improved knowledge management
3. Require the CoPs to engage in external partnerships including regional and nonregional knowledge hubs
4. Review the role of knowledge management coordinators and identify ways to harness their knowledge, skills,
and experiences to empower CoPs
CoPs Galvanize
social capital, knowledge sharing, learning, and change
Financial Sector Development
Gender Equity
Governance
Health
Regional Cooperation &
Integration
…
Social Development &
Poverty
Transport
Urban
Water
…
Agriculture, Rural
Development, & Food
Security
Education
Energy
Environment
…
Empowering the Communities of Practice

5. Key Actions
1. Develop criteria for the selection of knowledge partnerships including non-regional institutions.
2. Ascertain that expected outputs and outcomes are aligned to ADB and DMC priorities.
3. Ensure that knowledge partnerships are considered when ADB enters into agreements such as letters of
intent and memorandums of understanding with other institutions.
4. Make sure that knowledge partnership agreements spell out the need to conduct proactive dissemination
activities in ADB and DMCs.
Some Challenges
• The purpose and selection of
knowledge partnerships need clarity.
• Monitoring and evaluation systems are
insufficient.
• Performance vis-à-vis work plans is
poor.
Promote learning, creativity, and innovation for the
benefit of DMCs.
KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIPS
Strengthening External Knowledge Partnerships

6. Key Actions
1. Design and implement a focused (and needs-based) knowledge management and learning training program for
all staff members, including those in RMs and ROs. This program would be jointly developed by RSDD-KM and
BPMSD
2. Introduce the concept of a "sabbatical" in the current "Special Leave Without Pay" arrangement to encourage
staff members to seize learning and knowledge sharing opportunities
3. Invite a selected number of Senior and Junior Researchers to ADB for short-term assignments in forward-looking
research aligned to the priorities of Strategy 2020
4. Increase the budget for external training for administration by the VPs
5. Capture the knowledge and experience of departing staff and retiring members through exit debriefings and
participation in the induction program
Knowledge
Sharing &
Learning
Knowledge Solutions
Knowledge
Showcase Storytelling
Learning &
Development
Learning for Change
in ADB
Challenges
• Insufficient understanding of
knowledge management
• Low awareness of the concept of the
learning organization
Further Enhancing Staff Learning and Skills
Development

7. Enhancing Knowledge Management
under Strategy 2020: Results Framework
Purpose
• Showcase the expected outcomes,
useful results indicators, specific activity
indicators, targets, and sources of
verification
• Assess and improve performance
• Help identify problems and their
solutions
• Serve as basis for reporting
• Promote a stronger culture of results
and performance for knowledge
management in ADB

8. Enhancing Knowledge Management
under Strategy 2020: Results Framework
First Pillar: The Knowledge Focus in ADB's Operations is Sharpened.
• Regional Level: ADB is increasingly recognized as a lead policy advisor, notably
through the knowledge agenda that its TA for research and development
advances.
• Country Level: CPSs guide medium-term operational programming with a focus on
results and development effectiveness.
• Project or TA Level: Key documents embody quality, knowledge, and innovation.
Second Pillar: The Communities of Practice are Empowered.
• CoPs become an integral part of ADB's business processes.
• Output-based financing recognizes CoPs that generate and share useful and usable
knowledge.
• The CoPs engage more purposefully in external knowledge partnerships.
• The contributions of the knowledge coordinators in ADB are enhanced.

9. Enhancing Knowledge Management
under Strategy 2020: Results Framework
Third Pillar: External Knowledge Partnerships are Strengthened.
• The design, implementation, and monitoring of external knowledge
partnerships with global, regional, and national institutions is improved.
• External knowledge partnerships generate and share knowledge
proactively.
Fourth Pillar: Staff Learning and Skills Development are
Enhanced Further.
• Staff skills in knowledge management and learning are developed and
captured.
• Staff pursue external learning opportunities.
• Research in priority areas of Strategy 2020 is boosted.
• The tacit knowledge of departing staff is captured to drive organizational
performance improvement.

10. Enhancing Knowledge Management under Strategy
2020: Plan of Action (2009-2011)—Progress Reports*
Outcome Target Specific
Activity
Indicator
Rating of
Progress in
Adoption
RSDD
Validation
*By end-July 2010 and 2011.

11. Roles and Functions for Knowledge Management
Coordination
Sharpening the Knowledge Focus in ADB's Operations
• Develop a Knowledge Management Work Plan for the office or department,
aligned with ADB's plan of action for 2009–2011, and advise its head of progress.
• Recognize good practice approaches, methods, and tools to enhance the
identification, creation, storage, sharing, and use of knowledge from the
operations cycle in ways consistent with the needs and systems of the office or
department and DMCs directly supported.
• Promote the use of knowledge management principles in preparing CPSs, RRPs,
and TA reports.
• Distinguish opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge from both
lending and nonlending products and services throughout the project cycle and
encourage related actions.
• Help boost research and analytical work relevant to the role of the office or
department in priority areas of Strategy 2020 and the needs of unit clients, with
attention to aligning with stages of the project cycle.

12. Roles and Functions for Knowledge Management
Coordination
Empowering Communities of Practice
• Enhance interactions between the office or department and CoPs to identify,
create, store, share, and use knowledge and extend related products and services.
• Promote awareness, understanding, and use of sector and thematic work and
research between CoPs and the office or department.
• Facilitate feedback to CoPs on the perceived relevance and effectiveness of their
activities in the office or department's sector divisions and RMs.
• Identify opportunities for knowledge generation and sharing at CoP events.

13. Roles and Functions for Knowledge Management
Coordination
Strengthening External Knowledge Partnerships
• Identify and share good practices from ADB lending and nonlending products and
services (including those sourced from outside ADB) to promote uptake.
• Explore opportunities to generate and share knowledge solutions with decision
makers in DMCs before, during, and after interventions.
• Integrate knowledge components in external partnerships.
Further Enhancing Staff Learning and Skills
• Raise awareness of learning and development opportunities in knowledge
management and learning in the office or department and provide feedback to
learning program providers on their effectiveness.
• Help capture the tacit knowledge of departing staff to drive organizational
performance improvement.

14. Roles and Functions for Knowledge Management
Coordination
Promoting Knowledge Management and Learning
• Take part in, or keep aware of, the development and implementation of IT
solutions that facilitate knowledge generation and sharing in the office and
department and DMCs directly supported.
• Link with OAS-IR to optimize use of the Library's information resources and the
library and records resources in the office or department and facilitate access in
RMs and ROs.
• Launch or support knowledge transfer initiatives through web development,
storytelling, e-marketing, media promotion, and multilingual outreach.

15. Advancing Roles and Functions for Knowledge
Management Coordination
The new roles and functions for the Knowledge Management Coordinators will
• Gather the functions of point persons for knowledge management, IT, web
development, and publishing, most of which are related and frequently overlap.
• Validate the need for full-time work on knowledge management and learning.
• Enhance the visibility of knowledge management functions in ADB.
• Provide a common language enabling
 Structured activities, inputs, outputs, and outcomes;
 Interdepartmental complementarity and partnerships;
 Cross-referencing of ADB-wide initiatives;
 Mutual learning;
 Critical mass; and
 Wider outreach and impact.
• Inspire other staff to engage in knowledge management and learning.
• Drive the KM Action Plan and the Results Framework.

16. Building a Knowledge-Centric
Organization
Full
Implementation
Pilots and
Measures
Change
Management
Information and
Communication Technologies
Organizational Design, Culture, and
Learning
Communities and Networks of
Practice
Awareness Strategy Target Areas
Knowledge Taxonomy
Benchmarking
Extending
and Sustaining
Knowledge Management
and Learning

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