Best management of knowledge

For the firm that has integrated knowledge of contacts, markets and environmental trends into its planning and service delivery.

2003 WINNER

James Mann of FT.com with Shirley Jackson of Ernst & Young

Accountants Ernst & Young’s “UK Pursuits Community Homespace” is a remarkably ambitious project – bringing together knowledge on clients and markets and the work product.

The system has a simple interface with users able to readily locate relevant information. There are plenty of pointers to learning and best practice, which should help with improved client service, and tools to assist with work scheduling and planning.

The judges particularly liked the fact that the firm had employed a widely skilled team in putting their solution together. They deserve praise for an outstanding piece of work in this multifaceted and demanding field.

RUNNER UP

Second place is awarded to Pinsents. Unlike our other two winners, Pinsents’ successful entry is based on a knowledge management approach which embraces a number of different systems and pieces of software. Their system is much more than technology. It’s a way of looking at what is being gathered, how it can be used and how to get it to those who need it – by a variety of mechanisms.

The detailed submission document successfully demonstrated to the judges how these elements fit together to deliver significant benefit to the firm’s staff and ultimately to clients.

Indeed, an emphasis on a better understanding of clients and interaction with them is at the heart of this project.

3RD PLACE

This was the only entry into the Knowledge Management category which employed hi-tech for the entry itself.

The CD, produced by the team provided an excellent demonstration of PeopleFind. And its clever graphics kept the judges entertained for hours!

Part of the project’s beauty is the simplicity and limited objectives set for it. PeopleFind is designed to locate who knows the answer to some issue or problem and provides an elegant mechanism to achieve this. Because it is so easy to use (and entertaining!) it seems sure to achieve good levels of user take up.

The judges did debate whether this is really Knowledge Management at all. Knowledge Management is often seen as capturing knowledge for the benefit of the organisation as a whole. This system makes no attempt to do so, believing that the best repository for that knowledge is the individual expert.

But against the key criteria of innovation, team working and improving client service, the judges gave PeopleFind high marks.

2003 FINALISTS

Runner up

Third place

Shortlisted

2003 SPONSOR

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