Knowledge Maps 2018-11-28T11:47:35-05:00
Knowledge Maps - a powerful group learning tool

Authentic Engagement That Can Scale

Once you've started the employee engagement process, how do you keep people actively involved?

We will design a Knowledge Map experience that authentically engages your people to achieve your desired outcomes.

Knowledge Map client quote

You Desire More

You want to achieve a higher level of engagement and commitment by your employees. If you want to use the engagement method that employees find more effective, let us help you.

We Deliver

We design custom Knowledge Map™ tools which guide your employees through an experiential learning process. Employees go deeper into a topic and make connections only possible with authentic engagement.

Knowledge Maps Explained

A Knowledge Map is a group experiential learning tool designed to engage employees authentically and collaboratively.

Hundreds of corporations have had great success with Knowledge Maps. Millions of client employees have experienced custom Knowledge Maps covering a wide range of business challenges.

 

Each group of up to 10 employees is provided with a custom Knowledge Map kit and a client facilitator. Multiple groups can be running concurrently. The client facilitator has received proper training to use the Knowledge Map materials and lead the group through an engaging and effective learning experience. Multiple groups can be conducted concurrently.

Components of a Knowledge Map Experience

The Knowledge Map employee engagement methodology has been refined over the last two decades. There are six components to the Knowledge Map engagement methodology:

The pace and direction of the group’s conversation is guided by a series of carefully crafted questions that the Applied Learning design team develops in partnership with you. We focus group test the sequence of questions and adjust for functional, cultural and business unit differences as necessary. Our iterative design and test process ensures that we can achieve the same great outcomes with each group that experiences the Knowledge Map.

Our expert teams design the learning experience to provide an open and trusting learning environment where authentic dialogue can occur. Through the collaborative process of discussing the marketplace facts with peers, employees can absorb a lot of new information and personally accept the change that needs to happen.

External and internal facts are provided on activity cards to focus employees on key learning points. People are most likely to change their assumptions and opinions about an issue when confronted with reliable data. We present this data to them in a logical and consumable format, using our expertise at choosing the most relevant and powerful data and the most effective way to communicate it.

We incorporate exercises designed to help employees to think about and articulate the changes they plan on executing after the session. We provide a structured personal action plan to help channel their energy into activities that are practical and well-coordinated.

A Knowledge Map visual is approximately 3’ by 5’ in size and depicts the business topics. In a learning session, it is put on a table and surrounded by up to ten employees sitting around it on three sides of the table. The visual is designed to be fun and engaging for employees at all levels of the organization. Since most people learn visually, this learning style increases the ability of employees to retain the material covered and understand the complex relationships within it. Applied Learning will work with your subject matter experts to develop a custom Knowledge Map visual to suit your business needs.

A client facilitator conducts each Knowledge Map session, ensuring that it runs smoothly, effectively, and on time. Unlike the facilitator in many other training situations, the facilitator of a Knowledge Map session is not a teacher or instructor. The Knowledge Map materials have been carefully designed so that the facilitator only needs to support the employee’s learning process, rather than lead it. Client facilitators will participate in a train-the-trainer session and will be provided with a visually oriented facilitator’s guide.

Clients that have relied on our Knowledge Map solutions:

Your Challenge

Bring us your challenge and let’s talk about how we can partner to develop an engaging, scalable, group experience that achieves your goals.

Listed below are example client outcomes and benefits of using custom Knowledge Maps grouped by key challenge.  If you don’t see example outcomes that are similar to what you’re hoping to achieve, we’re happy to get on the phone with you to share examples that are more relevant.

StrategyExecutionSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Strategy Execution


 

We believe that strategy execution requires leadership alignment as well as emotional buy-in at the employee level. We help align leadership teams and equip them to address the people aspect of strategy across your organization.

 

Knowledge Maps™ offer you with a comprehensive solution to meet the needs arising from the four phases of strategy execution.

AllStepsArrowDesign

Sample client outcomes and benefits:

  • Executives have said that the development process for the Knowledge Maps revealed gaps in understanding across silos and drove better executive alignment during strategy planning and implementation.

     

  • Managers appreciate the ‘strategy-in-a-box’ benefits that Knowledge Maps provide. The 2 most mentioned benefits are: maps eliminate the need for managers to be strategy experts, maps translate strategies into terms that managers and front-line employees can understand and act upon.

     

  • Front line employees value the visual framework plus two-way conversations regarding the company’s strategy and future. Employees find the Knowledge Maps fun and a useful platform for them to have their voices heard.

     

  • For process change efforts, clients have found a custom Knowledge Map is best used to set the context of why the change is needed and build internal buy-in to the change effort. A Knowledge Map visualizes the process while also facilitating the conversation of employees from across the silos.

StrategyExecutionSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Strategy Execution


 

Spark! Discussion Starters can deliver strong results as a stand-alone solution or they can be integrated into a comprehensive solution to address the needs arising from the four phases of strategy execution.

AllStepsArrowDesign

Sample client outcomes and benefits:

  • Discussion Starters provided the structured process for getting executives to talk openly and candidly about the strategy.

  • Managers valued the ‘plug and play’ nature of Discussion Starters to initiate a strategy conversation with teams and keep the strategy alive over time.

  • Conversations are the invisible driver of strategy execution and customized Discussion Starters have ensured employee conversations about strategy stay focused and execution-oriented.

  • Changing processes to reflect strategy is more about changing behavior than updating process graphs. Discussion Starters facilitated a smooth transition by individuals and teams through the change effort.

LeadershipDevelopmentSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Leadership Development


 

Our guided process of creating a tailored, experiential leadership development program includes proven frameworks and authentic conversations; all set within the business context that will achieve desired program goals. Learn more

BusinessAcumenSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Business Acumen


 

We provide expertise in knowing how to create authentic and engaging learning experiences that instill sound judgment at all levels of your organization. You can specify the program details or choose from proven business acumen frameworks that we offer. Learn more

CompanyCultureAndVisionSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Culture and Performance


 

We partner with leaders to grow and reinforce a healthy culture that is aligned with company goals. Our guidance and custom-designed tools will ensure that your desired culture is vibrant across your organization. Learn more

OperationalExcellenceSmBorderKnowledge Maps: Operational Excellence


 

We have supported operational initiatives with hundreds of clients. We offer expertise in creating tailored, experiential programs that align and engage employees so you can achieve world-class quality, service and delivery. Learn more

Client Success with Knowledge Maps™

Applied Learning Client Story Image

Client Story: La Quinta


Operationalizing Pricing Strategy Improves Customer Loyalty

Applied Learning Client Story Image

Client Story: Aetna


Building Emotional Commitment to Aetna's New Strategy

We Guide Your Path Forward

We guide you through our proven process of creating a custom Knowledge Map that tells your story in a compelling, memorable and powerful way. Our veteran team knows how to be time efficient with your subject matter experts and manage the issues that arise when collaborating around complex ideas.

We Partner For Your Success

Our goal is to partner with you so that you can be successful. We offer world-class creative talent and adult learning expertise to ensure that our partnership is exceptionally productive.

Let’s Talk.

We can discuss your business needs and guide you to a solution that is best for your situation.