Creating the Conditions for Effective Safeguards Knowledge Transfer The Building Blocks of an Effective Knowledge Transfer Framework

In recent years, there has been much discussion in professional knowledge management circles about how best to transfer “corporate memory” from seasoned employees of the “baby-boom” generation to the less experienced professionals who will soon succeed them. Much of the discussion to date has focused on specific aspects of this challenge such as how to debrief employees who will soon retire, IT infrastructures, technology-assisted training methods, and onthe- job support tools. Insufficient attention has been paid to the need for, and methods of creating, enterprise Knowledge Transfer Strategies in which a wide variety of knowledge transfer activities are implemented and practiced as a matter of accepted routine. This paper presents a vision for a safeguards knowledge transfer environment characterized by: • Senior management vision, commitment, support and active involvement; • A clear understanding of the organization’s knowledge transfer requirements; • A broad-based knowledge transfer architecture comprising both formal elements (e.g. classroom training, on-line tutorials, performance support systems, etc.) and informal elements (e.g. mentoring, access to experts, etc.); • Strong incentives for employees to contribute knowledge and learn; • A support organization to assist in the capture, organization, enhancement and dissemination of relevant content; and • Means for employees at all levels and in all locations to acquire information and learn while on the job. Although useful knowledge transfer activities can take place in the absence of an over-arching strategy, an increasing number of organizations are developing Corporate Knowledge Transfer Strategies to guide the implementation of such activities. An organized approach of this kind would be of value to the IAEA as a means of accelerating the achievement of knowledge transfer benefits by removing barriers and creating the conditions for successful, organization-wide knowledge transfer. The paper presents two alternative approaches to the creation of such an environment, highlights key success factors, defines the value proposition, and explores how more effective knowledge transfer can change safeguards learning and work in the future. A companion paper presented at the INMM 45th Annual Meeting, Just-in-time Knowledge Capture Techniques, explores some specific methods of retaining and transferring corporate memory.