Is knowledge management difficult for architectural design firms? How did they manage to win the "Oscar" MIKE Award?

Since the introduction of the Most Innovative Knowledge Organization (MIKE) Award to China, it has built the most authoritative and professional knowledge innovation practice exchange platform, unearthed a large number of outstanding knowledge-based enterprises, and witnessed the outstanding value of knowledge management in industries such as manufacturing, design, finance, and real estate. As a promoter of knowledge management in China and the initiator of the MIKE Award, Lanling will integrate the successful experiences of award-winning enterprises and excellent enterprises to provide references for more companies that focus on knowledge management.
 

In the 21st century knowledge economy era, more and more enterprises are beginning to pay attention to the construction of knowledge management. Many benchmark enterprises in various industries have even elevated it to a strategic height. Many well-known companies such as Huawei, Siemens, and New Oriental invest a large amount of funds every year to strengthen the construction of knowledge management.

The architectural design industry, as a typical technology and knowledge-intensive industry, has multiple characteristics such as diversified business, professional employees, and widespread project-based management. Its knowledge management construction often faces the following confusions:

● There are many project experience results. How can we achieve effective accumulation and orderly management, so that knowledge can truly be "put to use" and empower business development?

● The various categories and attributes of knowledge in design institutes are complex. How can we sort out and build a unified knowledge architecture system?

● New employees take time to get up to speed and cannot keep up with the pace of development in the design institute; knowledge updates quickly both internally and externally, and frontline employees are overwhelmed. How can we solve this?
 

Lanling Software has focused on smart OA and knowledge management for 18 years, helping many well-known enterprises, including Fortune 500 and top 100 companies, achieve practical implementation and innovative transformation of knowledge management. Clients from the design industry, such as China Southwest Architectural Design Institute and Beijing Architectural Design Institute, have been recognized for their outstanding knowledge management practices and received the MAKE Award (the predecessor of MIKE). This article selects three classic cases from major enterprises to provide good references for design companies to promote knowledge management practices.
 

China Southwest Architectural Design Institute: Over 60 years of knowledge treasure, instantly transformed into "enterprise power bank"!

Customer Needs

With over 60 years of history and nearly 10,000 engineering design tasks completed, how can the vast amount of knowledge results be quickly accumulated, searched, and reused? With many types of knowledge results, how can we sort out and build a unified knowledge architecture system? In the era of AI big data, knowledge updates rapidly. How can we help employees grow quickly and enhance talent competitiveness?

Solution

The 2018 global MIKE Award-winning enterprise—China Southwest Architectural Design Institute, through in-depth cooperation with Lanling over multiple phases, gradually completed KM goal planning, knowledge classification system construction, KM platform construction, and special applications based on business scenarios, aiming to support enterprise strategy and business transformation, revitalizing over 60 years of knowledge assets, turning knowledge treasures into "power banks" for enterprise development, and providing "charging support" for the growth of knowledge-based talents.

Beijing Architectural Design Research Institute: Knowledge management fully empowers design.

Customer Needs

After 70 years of development, accumulating countless expert experiences and project results, how can we deeply mine this "knowledge gold mine"? How can we meet employees' knowledge needs in different business scenarios? How can we tap into the rich tacit knowledge of designers and create a culture of knowledge sharing?

Solution

The 2017 China MAKE Award-winning enterprise—Beijing Architectural Design Research Institute (BIAD) partnered with Lanling to build a new knowledge management platform by integrating major business systems such as OA, project management, and research management through several functional modules including knowledge warehouse, knowledge map, knowledge Q&A, expert network, and knowledge community, providing a unified platform for knowledge accumulation, search, and reuse for all employees, fully empowering the development of design business.

Shenzhen General Institute: From newcomers to designers, knowledge empowers employees in multiple scenarios.

Customer Needs

The project management system does not support mobile devices, significantly slowing down business work progress. How can we improve professional collaboration efficiency? The company has a large system with many relevant regulations and business knowledge. After new employees join, how can they learn and grow quickly? Knowledge updates rapidly both internally and externally. How can we ensure frontline employees grasp the latest knowledge in a timely manner to support business development?

Solution

As a large national comprehensive Class A design institute directly under the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Shenzhen Architectural Design Research Institute promotes efficient collaboration among all employees and enhances enterprise operational efficiency by integrating design project management through two supporting systems: "collaborative office and process management" and "basic applications of knowledge management."