Part B:
How interview questions are developed --> TCS model, Christine
2. TITLE
2.1 Maturity Level
To assess the state of maturity of KM at MUS, the 5iKM3 model, also known as TCS-model
is used. The 5iKM3 Knowledge Management Maturity Model from Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) – has been designed to assess the effectiveness of the current KM capabilities,
to evaluate the organization from a KM maturity perspective, and to provide inputs to
formulate and sustain a KM program (TCS, 2010).
The defined 5iKM3 framework has five levels of maturity that can be addressed to MUS
(Mohanty and Chad, 2004):
Innovative
Intelligent
Initiative
Intent
Initial
Figure 1: Levels of KM maturity at MUS
- Initial: MUS expresses an interest in adopting a KM program
- Intent: MUS realizes the potential of harnessing the knowledge for business benefits
- Initiative: MUS takes the first steps to implement KM through identified change
management and processes
- Intelligent: MUS harnesses knowledge from all sources and derive business benefits, after
adopting KM as a process and draw up a KM vision and roadmap for the future
- Innovative: MUS reaches the most aspired state of maturity, where
KM is institutionalized and becomes part of the organizational culture and its processes are
leveraged to optimize and drive business linkages
There are three important pillars at each organization that are essential for KM. The TCSmodel focuses on
1. People and Culture
2. Process, Policies and Strategy
3. Technology and Infrastructure,
whereas the contribution to KM is 70% people, 20% process and 10% technology (Rao, 2004)
People and culture address the ‘mindsets’ and related aspects of people and culture at MUS.
The MUS members possess knowledge and are creators and/or users of it. The culture can
motivate knowledge sharing and collaboration or vice versa. Process, policies and strategies
facilitate people to consistently produce and harness organizational knowledge. Processes and
policies facilitate people in the KM life cycle, e.g. by maintaining a structured archive.
Technology and infrastructure are enablers to create and harness knowledge across
organization, e.g. by encouraging collaboration enabling technologies like wikis (Mohanty
and Chad, 2004).
All three pillars will help to create a KM environment and turn tacit knowledge into explicit
knowledge. The knowledge assets are created, captured, stored and (re)used in the operational
process.
2.2 Assessment at MUS
To assess and evaluate the maturity of KM at MUS, the project group has the following
approach:
a) Data Collection
 Definition of the business of MUS and its use for KM
 Identification of its stakeholders
 Identification of the current state of MUS regarding the three pillars People &
Culture, Technology & Infrastructure and Process, Policy & Strategy
b) Consolidation and Interpretation of the data
 Evaluation of the KM maturity
 Reflection of KM maturity in the TCS model
a) Data collection
To find out, at which level MUS is, the KM International Apprentices developed a
questionnaire1 that will bring additional value to the information available online.
The questionnaire is structured in three parts: general information about the interviewee, the
knowledge transfers at MUS and the awareness about KM of the interviewee. In the first part
more information about the interviewed person is gathered to get to know him/her. Questions
cover the position, the term of office, the responsibilities and the membership of MUS. These
answers also help to interpret the outcomes of the second part better.
The questions in the second part are designed to get information about the knowledge transfer
and information turnover within MUS and between MUS and its stakeholders. It is divided in
three sub-categories as analyzed with the TCS-model. To evaluate the maturity of KM at
MUS, the culture and the people at MUS have to be analyzed. The MUS members are the
knowledge source of the organization. The survey includes therefore questions about the work
atmosphere and communication. Do people know whom to contact and are they on the actual
stand of news? How do they find about things and do they know what their colleagues are
doing? Also the processes, policies and strategies facilitate people to consistently produce
and harness organizational knowledge. Thus the questions cover the existence and
accessibility of guidelines and policies as well as the sources of information used. Finally, the
Technology and Infrastructure plays also an important role as mentioned before. The
questionnaire investigates the technology used to communicate internally and with
stakeholders as well as the infrastructure for the MUS members. Also suggestions for
improving the knowledge flow are being addressed.
1
See Appendix xx
In the third part the members’ awareness of KM is investigated by asking whether the
members know something about KM.
b) Consolidation and Interpretation of the data
The TCS model categorized the information about KM in an organization as followed:
Figure 2: Key Operational Processes with regard to the maturity states (Rao, 2004)
The outcomes of the interviews with MUS members and the online research date will be
evaluated with regard to that framework.
____________________________________________________________
sources:
Kuriakose K.K., Baldev Raj, S.A.V. Satya Murty and P. Swaminathan (2010): Knowledge
Management Maturity Models – A Morphological Analysis, Journal of Knowledge
Management Practice, Vol. 11, No. 3, September 2010
Mohanty Santosh K. and Manish Chad (2004): 5iKM3 Knowledge Management Maturity
Model
for
Tata
Consultancy
Services
Ltd.,
2004,
available
at
http://www.tcs.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/White%20Papers/5iKM3%20Knowledge%20
Management%20Maturity%20Model.pdf
Rao Anand (2004): Knowledge Management using Enterprise Content Management System
for Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., 2004, available at
http://www.tcs.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/White/20Papers%2FKnowledge%2520Manage
ment%2520using%2520Enterprise%2520Content%2520Management%2520System.pdf
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (2010): BIPM Brochure Knowledge Management 5iKM3,
April 2010, available at
http://www.tcs.com/resources/brochures/Pages/Knowledge_Management_5iKM3.aspx
___________________________________________________________________________
Highlights for Slides:
5 States of Maturity
Innovative
Intelligent
Initiative
Intent
Initial
Three pillars contribute to KM
1. People and Culture
2. Process, Policies and Strategy
3. Technology and Infrastructure
 help to create a KM environment
 turn tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge.
The knowledge assets are created, captured, stored and (re)used in the operational process.
Approaching MUS:
c) Data Collection
 Definition of the business of MUS and its use for KM
 Identification of its stakeholders
 Identification of the current state of MUS regarding the three pillars People &
Culture, Technology & Infrastructure and Process, Policy & Strategy
Questionnaire in 3 parts:
1. General information about MUS
2. Information about knowledge transfer at MUS (three pillars)
3. Awareness of KM
d) Consolidation and Interpretation of the data
 Evaluation of the KM maturity
 Reflection of KM maturity in the TCS model
Matrix
_____________________________________________________________________
This could be used for summary at the end, source Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (2010):
BIPM Brochure Knowledge Management 5iKM3, April 2010, available at
http://www.tcs.com/resources/brochures/Pages/Knowledge_Management_5iKM3.aspx
While KM changes the way people use processes and technology, it places a premium on managing people's
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