Engineering and Construction Expertise Transfusion at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A KM case study

Knowledge Management (KM) is the collection and transfusion of the organization’s critical information, skills, experience, and identity, held by senior individuals, to successor generations for action. A great deal of the technical expertise in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been departing through the retirement of the most experienced employees over the last several years and continues to do so today. Without robust technical competency, an organization as large as USACE cannot continue to perform design and construction functions effectively. This research study defines KM, reviews best practices from industry and assesses how USACE is performing at the working level. The research data obtained identified key needs and subsequent recommendations for additional efforts or improvements to existing initiatives. Data was collected through interviews of eight managers at a USACE District Office to make assessments and determine steps to be taken to ensure critical expertise is retained and mission execution continues effectively. This study found that at the working level the current KM program is primarily based on mentoring and informal communities of practice, and not in top-down information systems based approaches. USACE would benefit greatly from reconciling different approaches, eliminating redundant items, and a coordinated approach at all levels of leadership to champion processes that work.