This column is the first installment focusing on the how to's of building a knowledge warehouse (KW). Keep in mind that the purpose of a so-called KW is to use knowledge management techniques and technology tools in a method that enhances supply chain performance in a measurable and meaningful manner.

Knowledge management, an outgrowth of operations research and psychology, has only recently entered the supply chain area. Examples include portals that host exchanges and knowledge centers relevant to specific supply chain functions.

Now to the KW building blocks: The sidebar lists six major building blocks essential to creating an effective KW. The first three items address process, as described below. The last three focus on technology, which is the subject of my next column.

Define scope and context: As with any project, defining the scope starts with establishing boundaries and clearly stating what is included within them. For example, ask:

• What corporate goals will the KWsupport?
• Should the KW include strategic, tactical, and/or operational information?
• Should the KW include knowledge from internal and external sources?
• What parameters should be used to measure the KW?

Depending upon the timeframe of the goals supported by the KW, the team may wish to emphasize strategic, tactical, and/or operational information within its structure. While definitions may vary, strategic time frames might fall within 3-10 years, intermediate goals may be set for a 6 months to 3-year time period, and operational periods may be 6 months or less.

Define knowledge structure: This effort consists of establishing a classification structure for data, information, and knowledge relevant to the goals at hand. The makeup of KW teams must demonstrate several capabilities in order to achieve this successfully. Subject matter experts, information and library management specialists, and computer systems specialists are the ideal contributors.

It is their task to map out the various elements, sub-categories, and their interdependencies to form an all-inclusive classification structure. Many companies find that a knowledge map locating knowledge and skill sets in the organization is extremely useful. In this process, the KW team will determine how to manage documents, and where the information resides, both internal and external to the enterprise.

Locate, capture, and create relevant data/information/knowledge: At first blush, this seems like a daunting task, but in actual practice, KW teams find this aspect very rewarding. As the team documents fundamental principles and information that are subject to continuous changes (either incremental or radical), the relevance of the KW becomes real. Having well-documented and easily accessible, useable information and knowledge is rare in many businesses. As the KW begins to come together, the importance of the team's work becomes very clear to them.