Evaluation

	Table of Contents
p. 1 of 9 BACK | NEXT Preface Introduction Knowledge Management in ADB Learning Lessons Facilitating Lesson Learning Options for Lesson Learning Auditing the Lessons Architecture Business Planning Putting it all together: The Strategic Framework

Preface

Information and knowledge are now seen as the principal drivers of value creation, outstripping land, labor, and capital goods. In knowledge-based organizations, intellectual capital comprising human, structural, and relational elements is viewed as central to performance, and the focus of analysis is on comprehending what the organization knows, what it needs to know to be competitive, and how it should align its capabilities to those it requires. It follows that acquisition, integration, and dissemination of knowledge must be understood as a dynamic process that spans and crosses the boundaries of an organization.

In 2001, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) resolved to leverage knowledge management to raise the agenda for poverty reduction in Asia and the Pacific. The reorganization of ADB that year moved it to establish an ADB-wide Knowledge Management Committee in 2002, with a mandate to develop and support implementation of a strategy and plan for knowledge management. Under this committee, a knowledge management framework was approved in June 2004, leading to the creation of the Knowledge Management Center in the Regional and Sustainable Development Department under the Vice-Presidency for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development.

Since 2004, OED reports to the Board of Directors of ADB rather than to its Management. Behavioral autonomy, avoidance of conflicts of interest, insulation from external influence, and organizational independence will advance its mission to help ADB become a learning organization that continuously improves its development effectiveness and is accountable to its stakeholders. Operations evaluation emphasizes effective feedback on performance to improve the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of ongoing and future operations, and to enhance their contribution to the development of ADB's developing member countries.

In 2006, concerned about the small number of downloads of its evaluation reports through the Internet, a corollary of user interest in a world driven by information technology, OED developed a work plan to promote knowledge management. The work plan aims to promote client orientation among staff of OED and to initiate steps to improve dissemination of evaluation reports to key audiences. Encouraged by positive feedback from other departments, OED then formulated plans for establishment of a Knowledge Management Unit in 2007 to catalyze and facilitate identification, creation, storage, sharing, and use of lessons. OED was concerned that failure to do so would result in the operational and developmental impacts of findings and recommendations from operations evaluation being minimal.

Knowledge management applied to lesson learning needs to be advanced in ADB. In 2006, improvements were made that hold promise not only in OED but, more importantly, vis-àvis its interfaces with other departments, developing member countries, and the international evaluation community. In the medium term, OED must continue to improve the organizational culture, management system, business processes, information technology solutions, community of practice, and external relations and networking for lesson learning. It must connect better to ADB's knowledge management framework. For this, a plan is needed to build on recent achievements and create more value with measurable results against each interface. Learning Lessons in ADB: Strategic Framework, 2007–2009 sets the stage for regular annual knowledge audits for systematic identification and analysis of knowledge needs, products and services, gaps, flows, uses, and users from the perspective of learning lessons. It also permits formulation of annual business plans to deliver outputs steadily against each interface. As a result, OED will be better placed to accomplish its mission.

Learning Lessons in ADB: Strategic Framework, 2007–2009 was written by Olivier Serrat, Senior Evaluation Specialist (Knowledge Management) under the overall supervision of R. Keith Leonard, Director, Operations Evaluation Division 1.

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