Reply to: Knowledge harvesting (or IP rip off)

[Gibbon]

'Don't tell em Pike'

[vetran]

Catch the train first class, Book a nice hotel at their expense, do some shopping, meet friends. Got to be worth 2 days travelling paid .

surely easiest to read the executive briefing on one of the popular books covering your speciality and repeat parrot fashion.

The ones requiring experience that the book doesn't cover just tell them you write two lists for & against then evaluate them. When they ask you how do you decide what you put on the lists you smile and say 'it depends on the situation but I would canvass opinion or engage an expert if my own experience didn't cover it'.

Every likelihood is that if you provide perfect answers that fit their study you will get invited to loads of interviews with free lunches and not much work to do.

It's not a fishing expedition, its a corporate derived BS exercise, treat as such.

Vetran in gotta slow down mode.

[TheFaQQer]

#
What’s the first thing you do?
- I use the first part of my usual process map.

How do you know to do that?
- 10 years of doing this as a professional

How do you know when to do it?
- 10 years of doing this as a professional

What do you do next? Why?
- The second point on my plan.

What usually happens?
- It succeeds

What happens if something else is done?
- That never happens. People ALWAYS do what I tell them to do.

Be vague, and if necessary point them in completely the wrong direction. Actually - always point them in the wrong direction, and make sure they know how to get you back to fix their mess because they misunderstood what you told them.....

[doodab]

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes on Monday

I fear the worst.

[d000hg]

Actually, I'm not paid to do what they ask, I'm contracted to deliver the products as stated in my contract.

Oh, you have specific contractual deliverables/obligations, that's a bit different. Does your PM seem happy to be billed for work you do on another project... if he likes you can you get him to say he can't spare your time?

Or just don't turn up.

[Platypus]

This is a knowledge harvesting interview

And the answer is still no.

I will have been there 12 weeks, what they want is not organisation knowledge, it's my knowledge.

If they ask 'how would you do X?' can't you simply reply, 'I don't know without doing the analysis' or 'I haven't thought about it' ?

What you know about their organisation / projects is fair game. Outside that, what's in your head is strictly off limits. The link you provided seems to lean towards them getting to know what you know about their them. Not getting what you know on a broader range of subjects / techniques.

[cojak]

Actually, I'm not paid to do what they ask, I'm contracted to deliver the products as stated in my contract.

And if they don't like my response there's not much the can do cos I'm doing my utmost to keep my project sweet, and the PM won't fire me.

Or if he does he'll have done me a favour.

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes on Monday

[d000hg]

Hmm.

The "I'm contracted to do X, you want Y" argument might work, on the other hand what will you do when they get snotty and say "you're paid do do what we ask". If it was your project this would be hard to defend but if it's another project, depends on the people involved.

Maybe you can tell them: "I can't possibly give you anything useful in such a short period but if you hire me in the capacity as a consultant at £/hr for a few days I can help."

Or do it and leave your card "in case it goes wrong".

Or find some work you have to do which means you're too busy to attend.

[Zippy]

I'm with cojak on this one - the organisation doesn't own her, and she's under no obligation to provide them with any additional (free) services.
I should point out that this exercise is doomed to failure, so I wouldn't worry too much ("How do I know how to do that? 10 years experience")

[Sysman]

This is a knowledge harvesting interview

This know-how can then be made available to others in various ways such as through training programmes, manuals, best practices and knowledge management databases.

The intentions are pretty explicit.

[BolshieBastard]

The contract was only for 3 months in the public sector. And there are handovers and 'let's suck your expertise from you to tell us in detail how we're going to do this job, because we haven't the first clue'.

I don't mind telling them the 'what' and the 'why', it's the 'how' I object to.

And the people asking aren't my project!

Then dont go and dont tell them! simple really. Alternatively, tell them the 'what' and the 'why' but say the 'how' will be billable and you want a purchase order before you can do this.

[doodab]

This is a knowledge harvesting interview

The ultimate goal of knowledge harvesting is to capture an expert’s decision-making processes with enough clarity that someone else could repeat the same processes and get the same results

So this is a scheme dreamt up by NHS managers and intended to facilitate replacing experts with flowcharts and treating everyone like cogs in a machine. It has fail written all over it.

I will have been there 12 weeks, what they want is not organisation knowledge, it's my knowledge.

A fair point, but ultimately they won't get it from a two hour interview.

Describe a time when…?
What’s the first thing you do?
How do you know to do that?
How do you know when to do it?
What do you do next? Why?
What usually happens?
What happens if something else is done?
What would happen if…?
Who else is involved?
What are some common mistakes or misconceptions?
What is the most important thing to remember when you’re doing this?
Describe how you currently help others learn how to do this?
What are the main obstacles that prevent them from achieving the same results as you?
What are examples of support materials, documents, procedures, manuals, research evidence, checklists that are relevant?
What would make this process easier to understand?
What would make this process easier to achieve?
Etc

in fact, if it were me I can see them getting a lesson in making coffee.

BTW, what is it that you do? Just curious.

[MarillionFan]

You undoubtedly got the role based on your expertise. It's nit unreasonable to share some of that knowledge.

I'm surprised at your reaction.

There are those in work who help out others and share knowledge and there are those who are paranoid that all they have is what they know!

I'm very surprised to find you in the second camp!

[cojak]

This is a knowledge harvesting interview

And the answer is still no.

I will have been there 12 weeks, what they want is not organisation knowledge, it's my knowledge.

[doodab]

If they want my expertise they should hire me MF. I object to them taking my IP without paying me.

I'll give them what we both agreed to in my contract, other than that is off-limits.

How much expertise or 'IP' is a non-expert going to obtain from a two hour interview?

Surely this is an opportunity to help them realise why they need to hire an expert.