ISO 30401 - Knowledge management systems - Requirements

ISO 30401 is the title of the international standard that was published at the end of November 2018 by ISO (www.iso.org). As with the reference standard, it should be auditable by an approved external body and therefore certifiable.
Certification is a procedure whereby an approved body external to a company guarantees that the knowledge management system (KMS) implemented meets the requirements of the standard.

Three concepts are already present in the ISO 90001:2015 standard:

Taking into account the company's context.
Control of risk management for each process.
Knowledge Management [§ 7.1.6 of the DIS and a point regularly raised during audits], which implies the need to create knowledge bases or knowledge sharing systems.

Ardans' view of the ISO 30401 standard:

While this new standard specifies the requirements for a knowledge management system in an organisation, regardless of its domain, size or the products/services it provides, it says nothing about how to implement or "how to do".

Ardans' proposal for ISO 30401:

Ardans' experts will help you define the strategies and the associated process, to determine the tools necessary for the good management of any knowledge assets and thus successfully implement your SKM.
We can prepare you for the audit and certification by performing a pre-certification audit.

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ISO 9001- 2015: From competence management to organisational knowledge management

Until now, every company or organisation seeking certification to ISO 9001 was interested in competence management without really considering how the knowledge, skills and other organisational know-how of its employees were managed, but with the latest version of September 2015, which devotes a whole paragraph to this topic (ISO/DIS 9001:2015, § 7.1.6), this is no longer possible.

Three new concepts have been added to the seven original principles of the standard: taking into account the company's context, controlling risk management and, what interests us here, knowledge management.

But how do you access the necessary organisational knowledge required by ISO 9001:2015? In three points, the standard clarified what to do:

Identify the knowledge needed (including intellectual property rights and acquired experience) to implement its processes and achieve product/service conformity
Maintain and make available knowledge, from both internal and external sources, to stakeholders
Determine how to acquire or access the additional knowledge needed.

While quality is too often considered to be a cumbersome and secondary process, it is essential to the smooth running of a company, both in its management and in its production or service provision.

In this sense, it is similar to knowledge management, which is also unfortunately often overlooked due to a lack of resources or means, despite its undeniable advantages. How can a company's knowledge and know-how, which are essential to the quality of its products and services, be developed or simply maintained without thinking about an effective - or even efficient - knowledge management approach? The answer is simple: it is not possible.

So how can we respond? By a dynamic of capitalisation and sharing of experience and know-how, allowing the creation of added value in each action.

Knowledge management is therefore inevitable if quality is to become an intrinsic and permanent virtue of the company. It improves the visibility of the actors and their skills, while formalising the knowledge and know-how linked to the activities. By putting people at the centre of the organisation, good knowledge management undeniably contributes to the improvement of practices and processes, as well as the sharing and transfer of knowledge.

With this in mind, Ardans has been working for over 15 years to help you strengthen your quality management.

Firstly, through its usual activities: consulting (scoping study, diagnosis, knowledge mapping, support for the implementation of KM projects, etc.), software (AKM® knowledge management platform) and training dedicated to KM. Secondly, through its "AKM quality" offer, which is more complete (study and analysis of the criticality of knowledge, collection of expertise or creation of knowledge bases).

Finally, and especially with regard to the ISO 9001 standard, Ardans offers to carry out an audit of your KM Knowledge Management process in order to measure the effectiveness of your knowledge management approach. Our PDCA approach includes 3 steps

Preparation of the audit and its opening meeting
The execution
The restitution with the elaboration of the report

Quality management and knowledge management are therefore complementary. Integrate one into your company and you will undoubtedly improve the other.

ISO 30401: 2018 Knowledge management system - requirements

A new international standard entitled: "Knowledge management system - requirements" with the normative reference ISO 9001:2015, was published in November 2018.

As with the reference standard, it should be auditable by an approved external body and therefore certifiable*.

If this new standard specifies what are the expected requirements for a knowledge management system in an organisation, whatever its field, its size or the products/services it provides, it does not indicate anything about the implementation modalities or the "how to" to define the associated strategies and process but also to determine the tools necessary to the good management of any knowledge asset.

Ardans KM Knowledge Management consultants, experts in knowledge management, are ready to accompany you step by step in the implementation of the SKM according to the requirements of this standard and in a way adapted to your structure.

And if in the future you wish to obtain certification if the standard is auditable, Ardans will also be able to help you prepare for the certification audit by carrying out a pre-audit of your knowledge management system.

* As a reminder, certification is a procedure by which an approved body, external to a company, guarantees that the knowledge management system in place meets the requirements of the standard.

Knowledge Management and standardisation