The model allows fast clarification of terms and identification of knowledge management issues. Furthermore, it helps to pinpoint KM related techniques and tools. It puts them into the right perspective and shows where they bring the greatest benefits. This accelerates the understanding when defining outcomes of a knowledge management project.

1. 1/14
SKMF Roundtable Lausanne
Introduction of the 3 Sphere Model
for Knowledge Management
November 23, 2017
Dr Pavel Kraus
AHT intermediation GmbH, Churerstrasse 35,
8808 Pfäffikon, Switzerland
www.aht.ch
Swiss Knowledge Management Forum
skmf.net
pavel.kraus@aht.ch
Dr Gil Regev
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL),
School of Computer and Communication Sciences,
1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
gil.regev@epfl.ch
Itecor, Av. Paul Cérésole 24, cp 568, 1800 Vevey 1,
Switzerland
g.regev@itecor.com

2. 2/143 Sphere Model for Knowledge Management
Knowledge
Sphere
Based on: Kraus, P. and Regev G. (2017) Beyond Activities
Information
Sphere
Vapor
Liquid
Solid
Action
Sphere
Time
spanShort LongMedium
Knowledge -
Information
Ratio
1
2
3
5 6
4
4
1
3

3. 3/14
Background for the 3 Sphere Model for Knowledge Management
Practical experience in knowledge management and process management in:
– Supporting clients building innovative digital business models
– Modeling support processes
– Introducing more creative methods into classical development work (RED)
Publication and conference paper at
18th International Working Conference on
Business Process Modeling, Development and Support
(BPMDS)
Creation of a new model and a new framework
for usage of Knowledge Management tools
Published at BPMDS, Essen 2017

4. 4/14
Usage of the 3 Sphere Model
The model allows fast clarification of terms and identification of
knowledge management issues.
It helps to pinpoint KM related techniques and tools and puts
them into the right perspective and shows where they bring the
greatest benefits.
This accelerates the understanding when defining outcomes of a
knowledge management project.

5. 5/14
Underlying assumptions and definitions
Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or
something (Wikipedia). It is always bound to people (Probst, Raub, Romhardt;
D-A-CH Wissensmanagement Glossar).
For this model we use the term knowledge as what people know in their heads
at a given moment.
Information is that which informs. Information's existence is not necessarily
coupled to an observer, while in the case of knowledge, the information
requires a cognitive observer (Wikipedia).
For this model we use the term information mainly as documented knowledge
or recorded knowledge expression such as conversation.

6. 6/14
Description of the model - The 3 Sphere Model has two axes:
The first one depicts the transition between knowledge and
information. On top there is 100% knowledge, i.e. no recording
or note taking has been done.
On the bottom only information exists and knowledge has been
forgotten. This transition can be also described as the three
vapor, liquid and solid states.
The second axis depicts the time span in which knowledge or
information exists. This also refers to the usage of techniques
and tools, which deal with knowledge or information.
Vapor
Liquid
Solid
Time
spanShort LongMedium
Knowledge -
Information
Ratio

7. 7/14
Roundtable Assignment – No. 1
Situation
– You facilitate a series of workshops with very busy department leaders – they are your clients
– The series runs for one year and you prepare a workshop every two months
– Each workshop runs for about 4 hours
– You can use knowledge management tools and methods of your choice without restrictions
during or in-between the workshops
– These managers do not have any time for preparation and usually do not read anything
before the workshop or in-between the workshops
– They expect a smooth continuation of each workshop building on all knowledge
from previous ones.
Your tasks (30 minutes)
– Discuss the optimal way to deal with knowledge and information throughout this year
in order to meet the expectations of your clients
– Take any KM tool or method into consideration that might prove helpful
– Prepare a picture / process flow / presentation how you want to fulfill this task
– Make a 5 – 7 mins presentation

8. 8/14
BPMDS 2017
Beyond Activities: Business Process Models from
a Knowledge Management Perspective
Lessons learned from practice paper
Dr Pavel Kraus
AHT intermediation GmbH, Churerstrasse 35,
8808 Pfäffikon, Switzerland
www.aht.ch
Swiss Knowledge Management Forum
skmf.net
pavel.kraus@aht.ch
Dr Gil Regev
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL),
School of Computer and Communication Sciences,
1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
gil.regev@epfl.ch
Itecor, Av. Paul Cérésole 24, cp 568, 1800 Vevey 1,
Switzerland
g.regev@itecor.com

9. 9/14
Classical challenge in innovation workshops
Too much detail How to get the big picture?
BPM: Describing activities and their
relationships
Big picture: value proposition, customer
types, right timing, type of profit
generation.
Abstraction

10. 10/14
Goal and Approach
Developing a set of methods that help business leaders to
– Break out of their existing thought patterns
– Embrace a view on a bigger whole
– Get fast into flow of thinking, i.e. the workshop mode, after a longer break
Approach most effective by applying «Knowledge Management Techniques»
– Preparation to ensure rich context and high quality information
– Information notation fast and superficial during personal interaction
– Audio or video recording
– Between workshops emphasis on transcribing, editing, visualizing, reflecting and modeling
The goal was to produce high quality business process information for the next round:
be ready for fast workshop inception / start-up
Tools

11. 11/14
Time aspect in managing knowledge and information
Source: Kraus, P. and Regev G. (2017) Beyond Activities
Time
span
Conversation
techniques
Serious game
techniques
Media
consumption
Information
Knowledge
Fish bowl type
techniques
Transcripts +
visualization
minutes few hours days weeks months
Intermittent silence +
dialogues
Information rearranging,
filtering and modeling
Information
repositories
Knowledge ‒
Information
Ratio
up to one day

12. 12/14
Lessons learned and conclusions: Shifting the view from just activities to the final outcome
Practical experience showed
– Importance of orchestration and choreography in the usage of the various tools and
techniques
– Critical time dependency: each technique and tool works best in a specific time span
– Sensitive and time dependent interplay between knowledge work and the information
capturing
– High importance of value modeling and business process modeling techniques
– Shift from activities to the final outcome and value

13. 13/14
Time aspect in managing knowledge and information
Source: Kraus, P. and Regev G. (2017) Beyond Activities
Time
span
Conversation
techniques
Serious game
techniques
Media
consumption
Information
Knowledge
Fish bowl type
techniques
Transcripts +
visualization
minutes few hours days weeks months
Intermittent silence +
dialogues
Information rearranging,
filtering and modeling
Information
repositories
Knowledge ‒
Information
Ratio
up to one day
Expectation
mismatch
People are looking for
remedy of issues caused
through inadequately
dealing with knowledge
through technological
solutions

14. 14/14
Based on: Kraus, P. and Regev G. (2017) Beyond Activities
Knowledge
Sphere
Information
Sphere
Vapor
Liquid
Solid
Action
Sphere
Time
spanShort LongMedium
Knowledge -
Information
Ratio
1
2
3
5 6
4
4
1
3
Development of the 3 Sphere Model for Knowledge Management
The BPMDS paper has
laid the foundation of the
3 Sphere Model
The model is a simplified
version of the graph
depicting the knowledge
management tools and
their effectiveness at the
right time span
The model can be used to
accelerate knowledge
management projects and
give them the right
direction
The model is currently
under further development
by the SKMF community