Knowledge Management for Public Health

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Knowledge management (KM) provides a systematic approach to ensure that public health practitioners have access to the latest research and that they apply that research to public health programs at all levels of the health system—from the global, regional, and national levels down to the front lines. KM is an intentional process that includes identifying the knowledge needs of a particular audience and then generating, curating, and sharing relevant knowledge to help programs and organizations succeed.

Public health organizations that adopt KM strategies and practices can improve performance of health care workers and programs and contribute to reaching the end goal of improving health outcomes among communities. Using KM, public health programs can:

  • Promote collaboration and learning
  • Inform policy and advocacy
  • Improve programs, practice, and research
  • Enhance health training and education programs

KM programs are supported by three key components: people, processes, and technology.

  • People generate, store, and share knowledge and can help cultivate an environment that encourages knowledge sharing and use of KM systems.
  • Processes are the methods used to capture, curate, and share knowledge. These formal and informal processes must be embraced and integrated into an organization’s daily work flow to be most successful.
  • Use of technology that is appropriate to the context can expedite knowledge storage, retrieval, and exchange.

KM has particular relevance for low- and middle-income country settings. It can address human resource issues related to retaining organizational knowledge and can provide mechanisms for purposefully exchanging needed knowledge in real time. Implementing a KM system can ensure that relevant health knowledge—data, research findings, best practices, programmatic guidance—flows up and down the health system, from national to district to community levels and back up again. KM approaches also facilitate the exchange of information across a given level of the health system, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public health programs.

To learn more about how to integrate KM into your program:

 

  • Blog post
    May 08, 2013

    Blended Learning: A new way to train health workers

    At the KM Share Fair hosted by the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC), I had the opportunity to sit in on the Mixology: Blending eLearning with other Learning approaches session presented by Sara Mazursky, JHU∙CCP, Leanne Wolff, JHU∙CCP and Terra Fretwell, USAID. The session was part lecture and part workshop where participants were split into groups to design a blended learning program for programs described in two case studies.

    Blended Learning

    Blended learning can improve professional development experiences.

    In her short presentation, Mazursky introduced a new blended learning guide (PDF) developed by K4Health to inform health program managers and trainers on approaches to integrate self-paced eLearning courses, also known as online courses, such as those hosted by the Global Health eLearning Center (GHeL),  with other capacity building activities to increase application of new knowledge in the workplace.

    After a short presentation on when and where blended learning approaches are appropriate and how to design a blended program, the session transitioned to break out groups where participants were given one of two possible case studies: (1) an organization that needs to build skills to improve overall performance, and (2) an individual needing to gain technical knowledge for professional development.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 08, 2013

    Putting Learning at the Forefront of KM

    One of my greatest “take aways” from the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) knowledge management (KM) Share Fair held on April 16, 2013 is that learning is such a fundamental component of KM at all levels—individual, project, organizational and beyond. Learning is facilitated by the key KM elements—people, process, and technology—and takes place at all times—before, during, and after implementation of an activity or project. Almost everything we do in KM can be tied back to learning.

    We can facilitate learning in a number of ways as suggested by participants of the GHKC Share Fair:

    Whats Important for KM

    What's Important for knowledge management in global health and international development?

    • Actively listen to better understand and give voice to the communities we serve and their local knowledge
    • Explicitly create a defined “learning agenda” from the outset of activities.
    • Create feed back loops that take lessons learned and incorporate them into future activities
    • Get the right information, to the right people at the right time
    • Breakdown silos to “cross pollinate” ideas
    • Put people at the center who together form a powerful collective knowledge engendering multiple perspectives
    • Share failures openly so that others can learn from

    Putting learning at the forefront empowers us to translate knowledge into action—making informed decisions, creating evidence-based policies, and providing programs and practice based on experiential knowledge and latest research.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    Thoughts and Reflections from the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair

    This post originally appeared on Lab Notes, the new space on USAID's LearningLab to share timely news, announcements, commentary, and updates. Okey Nwoke attended the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Share Fair on April 16, and he shares his impressions on the participatory sessions, graphic facilitation, and storytelling.

    On Tuesday, April 16th I had the opportunity to attend the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair, hosted by the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC).  The aim of the Share Fair was to provide participants with an opportunity to share experiences, lessons learned, and acquire new skills and learning about knowledge management tools and techniques.  One of the benefits about attending these types of events is having the opportunity to meet other knowledge management (KM) practitioners who share common challenges within their organizations around knowledge sharing and learning.  Realizing that most organizations face similar challenges around knowledge sharing can spur a sense of comradery in addressing these challenges.  

    Share Fair Knowledge Wall

    Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities utilized graphic facilitation by The Value Web to capture the key points of conversations throughout the innovative, participatory one-day event.

    Throughout the Share Fair, various methods were used to encourage collaboration and dialogue among participants.  Participatory methods such as World Cafe, Peer-Assists, breakout sessions, and scavenger hunts were used.  One really creative approach that was used to bring attention to key points made throughout the day was graphic facilitation.  Graphic facilitation is essentially using imagery to draw participants towards seeing interconnections and reaching their goal.  It was really impressive to see how this form of facilitation can stir dialogue and spark ideas.  

    One big takeaway for me was realizing the importance of story when it comes to knowledge management.  With all the information we are bombarded with, it has become increasingly important for knowledge management professionals to become better storytellers.  Taking segmented bits of data, information, and knowledge and finding interconnections has become essential.  What do you feel are the big challenges when it comes to KM and what are some ways we can address them?       

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    Practice makes perfect: Changing the culture of knowledge exchange

    Originally published on the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Blog, this post by Cassandra Mickish illustrates the impact of using knowledge management (KM) approaches during trainings. Rather than tell participants how to utilize participatory techniques, the USAID ASSIST Project incorporates small group discussions, storytelling, and other KM tools into their training model.

    The USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems Project (ASSIST) is changing the way we do “knowledge management.”  We’re shaking up meetings that used to be a series of presentations by integrating small group discussions and other interactive knowledge exchange techniques.  We encourage participants to discuss issues, tell stories about their experiences, and ask questions of their colleagues.  This meeting style generates more meaningful discussion about how work was implemented, rather than just a report of the observed results.  Small groups make it easier for everyone to contribute, allowing every individual to feel their knowledge is valuable and allowing the larger group to benefit from everyone’s unique experience and perspective.  Then the larger group can come together to synthesize themes and agree on recommendations and next steps.

    We Learn "How To" Knowledge from Peers

    A peer-to-peer learning model, as compared to a dissemination model.

    Moving from a dissemination model to a peer-to-peer exchange model for learning sessions is a significant culture shift for our project.  This change cannot be achieved effectively or sustainably by simply disseminating instructions on how to facilitate more interactive meetings.  Meeting organizers need to have the opportunity to practice these new knowledge exchange techniques and experience the meaningful discussion that is generated.  Several of our colleagues have been understandably skeptical that this proposed culture shift would be feasible, but allowing them to practice the techniques helps them understand how the techniques work and builds their capacity to implement them independently.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    InterAction Forum 2013: Do Infographics Count as eLearning?

    Earlier this week I attended InterAction’s annual Forum in Arlington, Virginia, to connect with my colleagues in international development, learn what they are doing, and showcase K4Health’s recent accomplishments and offerings in eLearning.

    Marie McNamee of InsideNGO brought together and moderated a panel on Harnessing the Power of E-Learning – What is on the Horizon.

    As NGO workers, we’ve become adept over the years at training ourselves to meet the challenges of global relief and development work. But we continue to do so predominantly through face-to-face, classroom-based methods. Recent trends in aid - including the need for rapid scaling of operations, greater cost efficiencies, and expanded use of partnerships - are placing tremendous strain on these time-tested approaches to staff development. In order to achieve greater reach, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness, the NGO community is increasingly turning to e-learning and blended learning approaches to help complement existing training methods. This workshop will explore the emerging fields of e-learning and blended learning as illustrations of how technology is shaping the future of humanitarian and development action. Participants will not only learn about current directions in e-learning and blended learning - they will be invited to help shape its future development based on their own experiences and recommendations.

    Eric Berg, Executive Director of LINGOs, delivered the first presentation and asked the audience if they had ever been on a conference call and learned something from it. When almost everyone raised their hands, he explained that their experience was a form eLearning.

    Disaster Ready Initiative

    Disaster Ready Initiative's web-based portal.

    George Devendorf, Director of Disaster Ready Initiative, spoke next about his group’s new web-based portal. Devendorf described how they developed eLearning courses and what they hoped to achieve.When it was my turn, I discussed the value of delivering eLearning courses in the context of other types of training. The presentation, Blending Learning: Knowledge Acquisition to Application, was developed by MSH’s Liz Mclean as part of K4Health’s management of USAID’s Global Health eLearning Center and the associated Blended Learning Guide.

    Blended Learning Definition

    The definition of blended learning: a combination of learning media and learning environments that reinforce and accelerate mastery and application to the job.

    Blended learning is a combination of learning media and learning environments that reinforce and accelerate mastery and application to the job. Examples of learning media include: face-to-face, online, print, social media and radio. Examples of learning environments include: instructor-led, group-work, peer-to-peer interaction and individual work.

    A blended learning approach,  such as the one described in a previous post, can help learners move from knowledge acquisition to knowledge application, as defined in the infographic of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

    eLearning
    Blended Learning
    Infographics
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  • Blog post
    April 30, 2013

    Putting People at the Heart of KM

    Of the three main elements of knowledge management (KM) –people, process, and technology – I tend to gravitate towards the “people” aspect. It is understandable to get excited by innovative methodologies and new technology; however, people drive the processes developed, and technology alone doesn’t solve a problem without a community using it appropriately.

    People Process Tools

    The three main elements of knowledge management: People, Process, and Tools.

    This theme was mentioned throughout the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) KM Share Fair on April 16th. It was obvious that participants were excited about the possibilities of technology, but wary of focusing too many resources on it as a “magic bullet” to solve KM challenges. It also seemed that they were struggling with the issue of how to keep communities central to KM. Where do we start?

    Knowledge for Health (K4Health) has been putting people at the center of our project since its start in 2008. Since our goal is to improve knowledge sharing among an external audience of health program managers, service providers, and policy makers in low- and middle-income countries, our starting place was a series of needs assessments. We did these at the global level (through an Environment Scan and Global Online Survey) as well as at the country level (in India, Ethiopia, Peru, Senegal, and Malawi). These studies helped us understand knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities. We then used processes and technology appropriately in order to design KM programs based on actual users’ needs.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    April 30, 2013

    Beyond Outputs: Evaluating social media for outcomes

    Recently the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) brought together about 200 knowledge management (KM) professionals working in international development to share KM tools and ideas. The Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities had a variety of breakout sessions focusing on different KM interventions such as Net-Map, communities of practice (CoPs), blended learning, social media measurement, and many others.

    I moderated a session called Measuring more than “Likes” and “Follows”: Maximizing the potential of social media for KM. This session broke into small, facilitated discussion groups that focused on five concepts around social media measurement. These small group facilitators and topics were:

    Knowledge Wall - Social Media

    A portion of the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities Knowledge Wall focusing on social media.

    • Connecting Strategy with Evaluation: How to create accurate SMART objectives – Alexandra Bornkessel, Manager of Digital Strategy at RTI International;
    • The Established Presence: How to maintain it, grow it and show it – Leah Gordon, Knowledge Management Specialist and Public Information Officer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MEASURE Evaluation;
    • Let the Platform Chose You: Discussion on the best social media platform for your organization/project centered around how to manage expectations and show results – Ricki McCarroll, Digital Account Executive at Spectrum;
    • From Vanity Metrics to Effective Metrics looked at performance indicators instead of easy or vanity indicators – John Zoltner, Director of the TechLab at FHI 360; and
    • What The Hoot?: Using tools and social media management systems to measure effectiveness – Rebecca Shore, Communication Specialist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs.
    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
    Social Media
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  • Blog post
    April 29, 2013

    Low Tech Tools: Relationship Mapping

    At the Global Health and Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Share Fair, I attended and enjoyed the session on Net-Map.

    Net-Map is an interview-based mapping tool that helps people understand, visualize, discuss, and improve situations in which many different actors influence outcomes. By creating Influence Network Maps, individuals and groups can clarify their own view of a situation, foster discussion, and develop a strategic approach to their networking activities.

    Net-Map at the GHKC KM Share Fair

     

    A participant uses Net-Map at the GHKC Share Fair.

    Facilitated by Amitaksha Nag of Frametrics Consulting Private Limited and Natalie Campbell of Management Sciences for Health, participants used Net-Map to think about the complex social environment in which they work. The groups mapped a water and sanitation project in Zambia and an integrated FP/RH project in rural Malawi. They thought about the actors are involved, how they are linked, how influential they are, and what each actor’s goals are.

    At the end of the session, diagrams on flip chart helped foster discussion about each project’s strategy and where roadblocks and conflict might arise. Although we made impressive insights (e.g. the ministry of health is often where a project begins, community elders hold most of the influence), 90 minutes could barely do the process justice. Nag said that when Frametrics uses Net-Map in the field is often a two day process.

    Click here (PDF) for a short step-by-step manual on Net-Map, here for a detailed version and here for a training slide show.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    April 26, 2013

    Learning from Doing it Wrong

    Originally posted on the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative blog, Kris Horvath from IntraHealth discusses the importance of knowledge management practitioners to use our own tools, techniques, and approaches to explore how to reach our goals. His experience at the GHKC Share Fair encapsulated the spirit of the event, which allowed participants to "create their own experiences" and have meaningful interactions.

    From the beginning of last week's Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Knowledge Management Share Fair, it was clear that this gathering was not afraid to head into some uncomfortable territory -- in that spirit of candid inquiry and collaboration that marks us KM types, of course. Keynote speaker Stacey Young hit right away on an important conundrum. Namely that we, as KM practitioners, know well that efforts that fall short have plenty to teach us; on the other hand, the pressure to tell tales of success is real, and with a client sitting across from us, it seems unavoidable.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    April 26, 2013

    Thinking of Solutions on a Continuum

    Last week, I attended IntraHealth’s SwitchPoint 2013. It was an energizing event that brought together technologists, public health professionals, entrepreneurs, health workers, and artists to discuss innovations and partnerships for social change. I personally took away three key messages.

    1. Making is contextual

    Erik Hersman, a Nairobi-based technologist and blogger, opened the event with the statement “if it works in Africa, it will work elsewhere.” He shared the many creative solutions that can be found across the continent. Creativity and inventiveness are often by-products of having little. In Africa, if you can’t fix something, then you’re just stuck. You can’t just throw something away and buy a new version if something doesn’t work. You need to improvise, recycle, reuse, and find creative solutions.

    1. A solution is defined by its user

    Speaking of solutions, Josh Nesbit, CEO of Medic Mobile, challenged the technologists and reminded the public health folks in the audience that a solution is only a solution when it is used by the people for what they need. That is, once it solves a problem that the user is facing. Although technology offers all sorts of cool solutions, practical innovations are often low-tech as they must meet the needs of the end user without creating more problems for them.

    1. Trial and error is key

    Sometimes, the best solutions aren’t the high-tech or “sexy” ones. It’s critical to think about and, more importantly, collaborate with intended users to make sure that the solutions meet their needs. This process often requires a willingness among all parties to learn from trial and error. Assess the needs and what is currently be used or done to address the needs (if anything), develop a solution, monitor and learn from its implementation, and then reassess and refine or develop something else.

    eLearning
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