Feast or Famine
“In the digital age, knowledge is our lifeblood. And documents are the DNA of knowledge.”
-–Rick Thoman, CEO, Xerox
In recognizing the way that the operational Army approaches knowledge management one must acknowledge that where you are at in Army Forces Generation (ARFORGEN) will drive your activities and focus at any given time. When you begin a life-cycle, usually at the conclusion of a operation or deployment as of late, knowledge workers are traditionally gathering observations and best practices, archiving and cataloging good ideas and what worked best, and improving on the processes that did not quite work so well. It is then when equipment (and people) are “reset,” new soldiers come while old soldiers go, and new and overhauled equipment is issued.
During the Ready phase is when the knowledge worker is sharpening their axe and helping the unit to prepare. New equipment is integrated and processes are evaluated. Staffs and operators are trained, standard procedures are developed and drills are established. Units begin checking with their deployed counterparts for possible changes and adjustments to their standing procedures while new and emerging doctrine is review and incorporated in to routine activities.