Knowledge Management Lifecycle

At Extro, we truly believe in the power of innovation.

True to this focus, we have developed our own home-grown knowledge management cycle which we would like to share. Tip: To be effective, the circle must be completed!

1. Learn - Learn everything there is to be learned from existing sources of knowledge. Read about all the hard work that has already been done, and avoid making mistakes that others have already resolved.
   Cliche #1: Don't Reinvent the Wheel

2. Leverage - After you have used all the available resources to build an understanding of the area, you will be in a position to make better decisions about how to proceed, which are the best techniques and technologies to use, and you will have tried and tested processes available to you.
   Cliche #2: Stand on the shoulders of Giants. Or if you prefer: Make sure you’re cooking with Gas.

3. Improve - As you complete the task, keep your eyes open for ways to further improve, refine, and simplify the process. Find any gaps that could be filled in the learning materials.
   Cliche #3: Look for diamonds in the rough

4. Document - Make your discoveries, learnings and ideas available for others, and even for yourself for next time. Be sure to store the learnings in a sensible and intuitive location that can be accessed quickly and easily.
   Cliche #4: When you bury treasure, don’t forget to make a map

5. Publicise - The final step is to tell others about your learnings and improvements so that they can make use of them in the future. Also, make it as easy as possible for people to find this knowledge by making it accessible (linking to it) from all related areas.
   Cliche #5: Shout it from the rooftops.