Evaluation

	Table of Contents
p. 6 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

Options for Lesson Learning

ADB's annual lending volume is typically about $6 billion, with technical assistance (TA) totaling about $180 million a year. Therefore, the return on investment in lesson learning for operational and developmental impact is likely to be high, and maximizing it is a legitimate concern.¹⁴ There is anecdotal evidence that lessons sometimes feed into business processes—most recently it seems principally by means of country assistance program evaluations—but feedback mechanisms can be developed further. In 2006, OED examined what options for lesson learning might exist short of forming a knowledge management unit.¹⁵ The alternatives considered but not recommended were

• do nothing and prolong the status quo;
• formalize a role of knowledge management for all staff, and reduce the number of evaluation products accordingly; and
• create a separate division to handle knowledge management, or engage staff to handle knowledge management.

OED opted to establish a small Knowledge Management Unit. It would be operated by one professional staff, two analyst-level national staff, and two consultants for web writing and web development. The expected outcomes of OED's near-term knowledge management initiatives are summarized in Appendix 6. Initiatives are expected to

• increase client awareness among staff of OED,
• increase dissemination of findings and recommendations to key audiences, and
• increase learning and exchanges in OED and ADB.

Improvements are being made to OED's website.¹⁶ Invitations to link to it are being sent to organizations that maintain related websites. Evaluation reports are being recycled by compiling summaries. However, knowledge management also requires proficiency in areas of competence other than knowledge sharing and learning.

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¹⁴ Often, organizations do not know how to calculate the value returned from knowledge management and how to link that to performance measures. For ADB, in-house returns would stem for instance from reduced administrative and operational expenses; effi ciency gains; increased productivity; better collabora-tion within the organization; higher quality, usability, scalability, and integration of knowledge products and services; and innovation. In DMCs, these returns would include achieving better development results though higher pro-poor, sustainable economic growth, more inclusive social development, and better governance.
¹⁵ 2006. Establishment of a Knowledge Management Unit in OED. ADB, Manila.
¹⁶ Available: http://www.adb.org/evaluation/

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