IFAD-supported projects can face challenges in designing and implementing a KM plan. Often the concept and objectives of KM are not clear; the main roles and responsibilities are not assigned and there are limited resources. What follows are a few ideas, organized around nine major steps:
1. THE BASICS
Every project/programme should have:
- A KM plan (with activities included in the annual programme of work and budget)
- Adequate resources to implement the KM plan
- Clear responsibilities assigned for KM implementation (including M&E and progress reporting)
- Capacities in KM skills
- Basic information management system linked to M&E
- Communications plan
2. CONSIDER KM DURING THE PROJECT DESIGN PHASE
The project design document should include a broad outline of the purpose of KM and the main expected outputs and outcomes. The more detailed KM strategy and/or plan are best finalized at the start of project implementation with the project management team and staff, to ensure their full involvement and ownership. Here are some pointers:
- Ensure the purpose of project KM is clearly described in the design document, and include guidance on KM in the Project Implementation Manual.
- Assign clear responsibilities for coordinating KM activities. If feasible, include a KM Officer in the project staffing, or ensure the M&E Officer has a clear KM role, ideally included in the position title i.e. M&E and KM Officer. [See the sample ToR for a project KM Officer in the Templates section]
- Include KM-related responsibilities in the ToRs for all project staff in order to ensure they know how they contribute to project KM. [See the description of the integrated KM system for guidance]
- Discuss the KM plan at start-up to ensure project staff and stakeholders are clear about what it is and how it can contribute to continuous improvement of project performance, visibility, knowledge product development and knowledge sharing.
3. IDENTIFY THE PROJECT'S KEY KNOWLEDGE THEMES
First, ensure that all stakeholders are familiar with project documents and have a clear and common understanding of the project goal and objectives, and how they will be realized. Based on this it should then be easy to identify the project's key knowledge themes – the areas in which the project will generate knowledge – and learning questions that will guide studies, documentation and the gathering of evidence through the M&E system, studies, etc.
4. IDENTIFY THE KM GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The goal and objectives for the project's KM activities should relate to the impact that the knowledge generated and shared will have on different sets of stakeholders. How it will be used to: improve project performance and results; develop knowledge products and raise visibility; influence policy; to trigger action that contributes to effective scaling-up; raise awareness and engagement of key stakeholders. This will help to ensure the project's KM and sharing activities play an integral part in the project achieving its development objectives.
5. LINK THE M&E SYSTEM TO KM
The KM function relies on the project's M&E system for inputs and ideas. It is essential that a functioning M&E system is established at project start-up, and that it also includes indicators to monitor KM activities (see point 8 below). Additionally, the M&E system needs to provide the data and information to answer learning questions and to feed into knowledge products generated by the project over time. The effectiveness of the M&E system and its linkages to the KM plan should be regularly reviewed.
6. DEVELOP A KM PLAN
Based on the identified project knowledge themes, and the agreed goals and objectives of the project's KM activities, a simple KM Plan should be developed [click here to see a template for a KM and learning plan]. This should include a detailed work plan and budget for Year 1 and an indicative plan covering the subsequent 2-3 years, to be updated annually. Expected outputs and outcomes should be identified. The planned activities should, at a minimum, support: capture, analysis, use and sharing of lessons learned and results during implementation; development of knowledge products; internal process for broad consultation with IFAD target groups; analytical work building on project M&E data; dissemination of knowledge products to increase visibility of project results and successes. [See also the IFAD Communications Toolkit for guidance on things like branding, publishing, dissemination, and use of social media].
Expected outcomes of KM activities could include:
The expected outputs could include:
- Operational effectiveness and efficiency are improved.
- Best practices and lessons learned are consistently used in project implementation, and disseminated to other projects and partners.
- Needs and priorities of target groups more consistently addressed through knowledge and learning initiatives.
- Successful experiences are scaled up based on solid evidence-based and technical knowledge on what works and why.
- Project knowledge products are used in policy engagement.
- Information management supports efficiency in operations.
The expected outputs could include:
- Documented lessons
- Knowledge products to support policy dialogue, advocacy and visibility
- Regular learning events (for example, project learning days; country programme team meetings; country programme implementation reviews; knowledge events to support policy engagement, etc.)
- Information materials and training for target groups based on needs assessments
- Thematic networks/communities
- Knowledge partnerships
- KM capacity building initiatives
7. INCORPORATE KM IN THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN AND BUDGET
It is important to do this to ensure that activities are adequately planned and resourced. Update the KM work plan and budget annually. This will enable project staff to distil the lessons learned during implementation, use them and disseminate them to interested stakeholders.
8. MONITOR KM ACTIVITIES
Each year, as part of the overall AWPB preparation process, the KM plan should be reviewed and updated, taking into account progress and lessons learned, the evolution of the project and potential changes in knowledge themes, and opportunities for new or different KM products. Weaknesses or gaps in the information being obtained from the M&E system should be highlighted and the necessary improvements made to the M&E system itself. The effectiveness of the KM plan should also be monitored through the project's own M&E systems, which should include indicators related to KM plan objectives and activities (i.e. number of knowledge products, participation in relevant fora, knowledge products used in policy engagement, number of lessons learned and innovations documented and shared, etc.). KM is now rated at supervision, so it may be useful to refer to the criteria included in the supervisions guidelines. The KM plan should also be assessed at the Mid-Term Review.
9. GET STARTED
Once the KM plan is developed, budget is allocated and responsibilities are clear, activities can get underway. Good practice would be to create an on-line repository at start-up, where resources can be stored, including documented lessons and other knowledge products, photos, videos, that can be easily retrieved, used and shared throughout the project lifetime. Sharing of information within the country programme, with partner and stakeholders and with IFAD HQ on new products, new data, help needed, lessons learned should become part of regular project activities.