Knowledge Management

& Learning

Resources for the center of the project management cycle.

Why Learn & Practice KM?

Managing knowledge and learning is about making sure you have the best evidence and knowledge to help you make decisions – and passing that knowledge and new experience onto others in a similar situation. Just as decision making is a constant throughout the project management (PM) cycle, having access to the right data and learning is always important. In other words, managing knowledge and learning is an integral part of each part of the PM phase.

When a project invests in and utilizes its knowledge management (KM) and learning, it yields multiple benefits:

Capturing and sharing knowledge improves decision-making: Teams that capture and share data will have the right information at the right time for future decision-making.
Accessing knowledge leads to continuous improvement: Learning from experience leads to future success. Likewise, experience from past success points to a place to continue to invest in.
Applying knowledge and learning results in an agile workforce: Staff with learning “mindset” are able to anticipate and respond to a changing context with agility and meet “latent” needs of affected populations.
Knowledge and learning make for engaged and motivated teams. Learning as part of work has been shown to decrease stress, increase productivity and improve employee engagement

Key Resources on Knowledge Management & Learning in DMERL

Photo: Garry Calixte/American Red Cross

Valencia Prisca BRUTUS, Louvemise SENATUS, Marie Josephine BRICE and Jonathan PAUL study at HELP, an organization funded by the American Red Cross in Cite Soleil, Port-au-Prince. In addition to providing students with scholarships to study at university, the Red Cross donated a computer lab at HELP with 50 new computers and helped kickstart IT and open-source software curriculum.

Tools:

IFRC Lead to Change (LtC) Learning Journey Toolkit

ISD How to Hold a Failfest

USAID Collaborating, Learning, Adapting (CLA) Toolkit

USAID Facilitating a Learning Agenda

How to Build a Learning System for a Humanitarian Project

Step 1 - Leaders cultivate an enabling learning culture

The team working on the project is supported by senior leaders that commit resources to knowledge management systems, foster a safe and inclusive working environment, and empower staff to work in a reflective and thoughtful way.

Step 2 - Team leaders facilitate practices of team learning

Team leaders facilitate sharing knowledge and reflection in a safe and inclusive space.

Step 3 - Individual staff take responsibility for their role

Team members show up with a learning mindset and willingness to grab and share knowledge and to learn together.