KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Saul Guerrero
Head of Technical Development
ACF-UK
Where are we now and where do we want to be?
Wisdom
the extent to which knowledge is
internalised by practitioners to take
practical decisions, supported by a high
degree of personal experience
Knowledge
The degree of familiarity and practical
understanding of the information and
the conscious use of good and bad
practices to define practical action
Information
The message that results from the
analysis of the data
Data
Raw quantitative and qualitative
values or facts that are collected
by WASH practitioners
Objectives
Overall Objective
To improve the knowledge of the WASH coordination platform partners to help them
achieve more efficient WASH responses in emergency situations.
Specific Objective
• Develop a participatory knowledge management system that effectively captures
lessons learnt and increases access to reliable technical knowledge
• Promote greater horizontal accountability and experience sharing amongst Global
WASH Cluster partners
This requires something bigger than a project
It requires a multi-year strategy
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
Develop
Finalised
Knowledge
Management
System
PHASE 3
Implement Knowledge
Management System
within the Global WASH
Cluster
Evaluate possible
lessons learnt with
other clusters and
possible synergies/
inter-cluster model
development
Activities
Review & Adapt Knowledge Management System
1.
2.
Hygiene Promotion
Coordination
Practices
Test Knowledge Management
3. System
Information
on Key Themes
Management
4. Emergency WASH in
Urban Contexts
Develop
Preliminary
Knowledge
Management
System
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
What does this preliminary KM System look like?
Develop
Preliminary
Knowledge
Management
System
Working Principles
1
Priority stakeholders: 1 in-country WASH coordination platforms and partners (at national and
subnational levels), 2 GWC Field Support Team (currently comprising RRTs, RATs and RECAs) and 3
finally the broader GWC partners and other WASH actors
2
The KMS will rely on online sharing, and in particular, the use of a fully dedicated website, a onestop-shop for “emergency WASH information”. The web site will include quality controlled and
tested information, an active link for Q&A and links to a social platform. It is assumed that WASH
National Coordination Platforms will have an important role to play to relay lessons learnt from / to
partners that have not easy and systematic online access (access of local NGOs to information, ad
hoc translations).
3
The KMS will encourage horizontal information sharing, but its primary objective will be to review
and validate existing data and information collected by cluster partners and others. Whilst the KMS
will not prioritise the collection of primary data, its use of peer-review mechanisms will provide
direct and indirect guidance to improve the quality of future data.
4
Promote and support the establishment of nationally and regionally based knowledge
management approaches (when appropriate) prior to emergencies, commencing with high risk
countries. To do so, it will look at strengthening options for information sharing with governments,
universities and societies.
Review of Grey
Literature
(Reports,
Surveys, Papers)
Identify Lessons
Learned, Good/Bad
Practices from
Available Resources
Technical
Discussions
(KnowledgePoint)
WASH Partner
Organisations
WASH
Coordination
Platforms
GWC SAG
Promote/facilitate
the research
required for gaps
identified
Create/Identify
Peer-Group to
Review and Validate
previously identified
material
Identify
Theme
Identify
Knowledge Gaps
Formally
Disseminate
Findings with
Practitioners
Informally
Disseminate
Findings
(Peer-to-Peer)
Who is going to be doing the leg-work?
Level of Involvement
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
Involvement of WASH Partners
& CAST
Involvement of Steering Group
2013
2014
PHASE 3
2015
2016
2017
When is this kicking off?