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Knowledge Transfer

Sara Williams

Vermont Agency of Transportation

October 17, 2024

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Knowledge Transfer Plan

AOT’s Knowledge Transfer Template is a tool that will:

Ease role transition efforts
Capture essential position information
Group knowledge needs into logical and separate components
Provide a process to transfer knowledge in a structured manner

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The template the Vermont Agency of Transportation uses ensures that knowledge is captured in a consistent and organized format, making it easier for others to understand and follow.

Using a template streamlines the transfer process, saving time by outlining exactly what needs to be documented and shared without starting from scratch each time.

The Knowledge Transfer Template is a tool that will:

Ease role transition efforts
Capture essential position information
Group knowledge needs into logical and separate components
And provide a process to transfer knowledge in a structured manner

By using a Knowledge Transfer template, organizations can ensure more effective knowledge sharing, foster better communication, and safeguard valuable expertise across teams.

This process encourages better collaboration among teams by providing a clear and structured way to share knowledge, enabling smoother transitions between team members or departments.

All in all, it helps preserve critical institutional knowledge when key team members leave, retire, or change roles, preventing knowledge loss and ensuring business continuity.

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Knowledge Transfer Template

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Key Contacts & Relationships

Assignments

Deliverables

Meetings

Issues & Risks

Vital Information

Lessons Learned

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Key Contacts & Relationships

Identify and define the relationships of the position's key contacts.

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Identify Key Contacts

Internal contacts may include:

Supervisors or director reports
Cross-functional teams (other groups within the organization)
Senior leadership for guidance or decision making

External contacts may include:

Clients or customers
Vendors or suppliers
Consultants or contractors
Regulatory bodies or additional government agencies

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Define the Relationship

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Purpose of the interaction
Frequency of the interaction
Type of Communication

For each of the key contacts, determine the following:

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Assignments

Provide an overview of the position's current assignments

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Overview of Assignments

A detailed list of current assignments may include the following:

Regular ongoing projects

Special assignments

Data analysis and research

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Identify For Each Assignment

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The assignment and its purpose

Your role

All parties involved

Frequency of assignment

Timeframes

Recipients of the assignment

Current status

Action steps for completion

Where assignment information is stored

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Deliverables

Identify the tangible deliverables assigned to the position.

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Identify For Each Deliverable

The deliverable and its purpose

Your role

How input is received (from who and/or where)

Frequency of deliverable

Timeframes (deadlines, schedules, etc.)

Reviewer(s)

Recipient(s) of the deliverable

Current status

Action steps for completion

Where information on the deliverable is stored

Similar to each assignment, for each deliverable you will need to:

Describe the deliverable and its purpose
Identify your role Identify how input is received (from who and/or where)
Identify frequency of deliverable
Identify timeframes (e.g. deadlines, schedules, etc.)
Identify reviewer(s) Identify recipient(s) of the deliverable
Provide current status (e.g. in progress, under review, etc.)
Identify action steps for completion Identify where information on the deliverable is stored (e.g. shared drive location, file folder name, etc.)

Examples include:

Routine Tasks: Many positions have recurring tasks that lead to tangible outputs, such as preparing reports, managing budgets, or overseeing specific processes. Look for tasks that have definitive end products.

Project-Based Tasks: In project-oriented roles, the deliverables are often tied to specific phases of a project (e.g., completion of a milestone, submission of project plans, or delivery of final products).

Administrative Deliverables: For roles with an administrative focus, tangible deliverables might include meeting minutes, performance reviews, policy updates, or financial reconciliations.

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Meetings

Identify and provide a detailed schedule of the position's recurring meetings and responsibilities thereto.

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Organize and Categorize Meetings

Daily

Morning team stand-ups or briefings
Updates on daily tasks
Addressing urgent matters

Weekly

Department meetings
Project status updates
1:1 meetings with direct reports
Addressing team goals or challenges

Monthly

Stakeholder check-ins
Committee meetings
Longer term planning

Quarterly/Annual

Annual goal setting
Strategic planning
Performance evaluations
Budgeting

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Issues & Risks

Provide an understanding of the active issues/risks inherent with this position.

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Issue vs Risk

Issue

An unresolved or disputed matter that has a critical impact or importance to the organization.

Risk

An unresolved or disputed matter that harms or exposes the organization to potential litigation or negative public scrutiny.

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Vital Information

Identify information pertinent to this position and its source and/or storage location.

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Types of Vital Information

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Technology

Processes

Performance Enhancement Mediums

Resource Tools

Types of Vital Information

Technology

List all technologies used by this position (examples include different software, applications, databases, etc.)

Processes

List all documented processes used by this position (examples include contracting manuals, policies, procedures, standards, etc.)

Performance Enhancement Medium

List all performance enhancement mediums relative to the position (such as industry newsletters/articles, networking venues, webinars, etc.)

Resource Tools

List all resource tools used in the position (those could include directories, toolkits, information maps or binders, etc.)

For all of these vital pieces of information be sure to include the purpose of the information and its source location. Provide additional information as needed which could include special instructions to obtain or access the information and the frequency of usage.

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Lessons Learned

Record and share the lessons learned from the individual while in the position.

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Lessons Learned

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Identify

Document

Store

Share

Integrate

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In Summary

Standardization
Efficiency
Minimizes Knowledge Gaps
Improved collaboration
Scalability
Preservation of Institutional Knowledge
Faster Problem Solving
Easier Updates

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In summary

A Knowledge Transfer template offers numerous benefits for organizations and teams, especially during transitions, training, or when critical expertise needs to be shared.

Some key benefits include:

Standardization - A template ensures that knowledge is captured in a consistent and organized format, making it easier for others to understand and follow.

Efficiency - Using a template streamlines the transfer process, saving time by outlining exactly what needs to be documented or shared without starting from scratch each time.

Minimizes Knowledge Gaps - Helps ensure that all essential information is transferred, reducing the risk of missing out on critical details

Improved Collaboration - Encourages better collaboration among teams by providing a clear and structured way to share knowledge, enabling smoother transitions between team members or departments.

Scalability - It allows organizations to scale knowledge transfer across multiple departments or locations, ensuring that everyone receives the same level of information

Preservation of Institutional Knowledge - Helps preserve critical institutional knowledge when key team members leave, retire, or change roles, preventing knowledge loss and ensuring business continuity.

Faster Problem Solving - When information is organized and readily available through a template, it becomes easier to troubleshoot problems or make decisions based on past experiences.

Easier Updates - A template simplifies the process of updating and maintaining knowledge over time, ensuring that information remains current and relevant.

Remember, it is crucial to foster an environment and culture where knowledge sharing is incentivized!

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Thank you!

Sara Williams

s ara.williams@vermont.gov

https://vtrans.vermont.gov/training-center

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QUESTIONS?