For over a decade, the team at the Lab at OPM has navigated the complexities of embedding design across the vast and varied landscape of the US federal government. Operating as a small, nimble consultancy serving large federal agencies, our team of 30+ designers faced challenges that resonate deeply with design teams operating in similarly complex environments:

– Real-time Accountability: Responding to the curiosities and scrutiny of senior leaders and managing internal communications often demands immediate access to accurate and impactful information about our work.
– Navigating Distributed Landscapes: We frequently collaborate with distributed teams, diverse stakeholders across federal agencies, and the public we serve, making consistent communication and shared understanding critical yet challenging.
– Tackling Increasingly Complex Challenges: The problems we address span legacy systems and processes to implementing emerging technologies, requiring our team to quickly onboard to novel domains and effectively engage with subject matter experts who may have established ways of working.
– Combating Knowledge Loss: With the inevitable ebb and flow of personnel, the risk of losing invaluable project history, contextual understanding, and tacit knowledge is a constant concern.
– The Pressure of Speed and Documentation: The urgency of design projects with federal agencies often clashes with the time required for thorough documentation, leading to a “”Groundhog Day”” scenario of repeated problem-solving and inefficient knowledge transfer.
– Breaking Down Silos: Despite our collaborative nature, the potential for siloing across project teams and functional areas within client agencies can hinder holistic solutions and shared learning.

These challenges are not unique to the public sector. Design teams within large organizations across industries grapple with distributed collaboration, complex domains, knowledge retention, time and resourcing pressures, and the need to demonstrate value to diverse stakeholders.

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The Lab at OPM has addressed these challenges by developing and iteratively refining an internal knowledge management (KM) practice. This wasn’t a top-down mandate but an organic, team-driven effort born out of necessity and a desire for greater efficiency and impact. Our effectiveness over time stems from:

– Empowering Our Team: Our KM practice isn’t a burden; it’s an enabler. By providing accessible repositories and fostering a culture of information sharing, we empower our team to onboard quickly, find relevant precedents, learn from each other’s experiences, and articulate the value of their work with confidence.
– A Decade of Nimble Adaptation: Operating as a small, agile team within a large bureaucracy has forced us to be resourceful and adaptable in our KM approach. We’ve prioritized practical solutions over ideals, constantly iterating based on our needs as a team and feedback from stakeholders and our clients.
– Focusing on the importance of “”Bite-size Stories””: We recognized that the comprehensive “”banner story”” of a project often misses the nuanced insights and critical decisions made along the way. Our KM practice emphasizes capturing these “”small stories”” – key milestones, unexpected challenges, lessons learned, and the rationale behind design choices. This granular approach provides a rich tapestry of knowledge that can be invaluable in future endeavors including building buy-in with new parties or expanding business with existing clients.
– Building Trust Through Transparency: The rigor and documentation inherent in our KM work builds integrity in our design process. When faced with executive inquiries, media interest, or the onboarding of new team members mid-project, we can readily access the “”who, what, when, and why”” behind our work, fostering trust with our leadership and clients.
– Cultivating External Relationships: We’ve learned that knowledge management isn’t just inward-facing. It provides the foundation for building long-term client trust by demonstrating our understanding of their context, our ability to learn from past engagements, and our commitment to delivering thoughtful and informed services.