NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Offering a virtual knowledge library, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) will launch two websites Nov. 19 to make it easier to collect, categorize and share vital acquisition information.
The two Knowledge Management System (KMS) sites will be accessible to all NAVAIR government and contract support professionals with a common access card and a SharePoint account, and both focus on meeting the needs of the NAVAIR workforce, with one providing Logistics and Industrial Operations (AIR 6.0) content and the other acquisition knowledge.
In addition, the sites will also be available to government and contract support personnel from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), Naval Air Warfare Center Training Support Division (NAWCTSD) and the Fleet Readiness Centers Enterprise.
“Pockets of excellence exist throughout the command and need to be more readily shared, documented and replicated,” said Vice Adm. David Dunaway, who leads NAVAIR. “The Knowledge Management System will allow us to capture and communicate ‘best practices’ and ‘lessons learned’ across professional communities as we seek to eliminate common barriers and constraints to program and project execution.”
Officials have organized three events at Naval Air Station Patuxent River to showcase the portal’s capabilities. All scheduled from 10 a.m. 2 p.m., the “roadshows” will be held Nov. 20 on the first floor atrium of the Rear Adm. William A. Moffett Building; Dec. 3 on the first floor of Building 2185 ; and Dec. 10 on the first floor of Building 2187.
Users of the KMS sites will have access to eight categories of information: Process Tools; Policy and Guidance; Subject Matter Experts; Lessons Learned; Document Repository; Community; Training; and FAQs/Help.
Todd Balazs, who oversees AIR 6.0, said the Knowledge Management System is a key strategic centerpiece.
"It will ultimately provide the tools, techniques, methods and processes to identify, capture and promulgate standard work packages, and best practices across the national organization,” Balazs said. “It will reduce cycle time, accelerate developing the workforce, reduce instances of ‘reinventing the wheel’ and improve accessibility to our subject matter experts across the organization.”
NAVAIR’s KMS leverages a learning organization concept to capture and share knowledge and resources among teams.
“It’s simply taking what’s in someone’s head or what they’ve gathered and stored in a variety of formats, and sharing that with the entire organization,” said Tom Drobeck, the Knowledge Management and Best Practices division head, who has been promoting the learning organization culture to NAVAIR’s senior leaders.
“Imagine you’re a program manager, who has transferred from the engineering community to the logistics community, the Knowledge Management System will offer a list of subject matters experts who can help guide your growth, a documents depository, policy and guidance — direct access to a world of information. You’ll have the collective wisdom of a team with the click of a mouse.”
For more information, contact AIR-1.0 Public Affairs at (301) 757-8058.