Client Story:
Unlocking the power of knowledge for all

In January 2024, Humanity United engaged Ideal State to assess their institutional KM needs and opportunities. Through extensive collaboration with project leads and the KM Advisory Group, we identified key areas for improvement. This work culminated in the creation of a multi-year KM and digital transformation roadmap, validated with stakeholders from across the organization in mid-2024.

The Vision: Building a Knowledge-Driven Future

Our vision was to create a knowledge-driven future for Humanity United by optimizing their digital workplace and establishing robust KM practices. We aimed to streamline processes, improve content management, and enhance cross-organizational information flows. A big focus of this work was to migrate content and collaboration from several disparate cloud content platforms to Microsoft 365. The organization was not taking full advantage of the enormous capabilities they had at their disposal and would also benefit greatly from a streamlined and improved security model governing most of its content.

The Journey: Implementing Change

A critical component of the transformation journey was the formation of the Digital Workplace Steering Committee (DWSC), a cross-functional group tasked with overseeing the implementation of the KM and digital transformation roadmap. The DWSC will ensure that all IT systems are selected, configured, managed, and used in ways that aligned with Humanity United's mission, vision, and values while helping them make best used of existing tools.

Phase 1: Strategy & Design

During the strategy and design phase, we worked closely with Humanity United IT and KM leaders to define the best approach to implementation and rollout of enhancements called for in the Ideal State-produced roadmap. Key activities included:

• M365 Optimization: We defined content and collaboration use cases to be supported by M365, established content management policies, and designed the future-state Teams and SharePoint/OneDrive information architecture.
• Change Management: We developed a change management plan to support staff in transitioning to new tools and ways of working.
• Digital Workplace Stewardship: We defined the scope and operating model for the DWSC to support cross-organizational coordination and decision-making around technology strategy.
• CRM Core + Impact System: We defined user stories and functional requirements for data capture, management, and reporting, and developed a recommended technology approach based on Dynamics 365.

Phase 2: Implementation

The implementation phase focuses on building, testing, and rolling out new tools to support better ways of working and managing critical data. Key activities include:

• M365 Optimization: We piloted the migration to MS Teams and SharePoint/OneDrive with select departments as the organization began implementing Entra ID for identity management, and launched change management efforts to support end-user adoption. Next comes rollout of this approach to all staff, as well as an enhanced SharePoint intranet for all-staff content sharing and internal communication.
• Digital Workplace Stewardship: Launching the DWSC with key stakeholders from across the organization will provide ongoing coordination and decision support during the roadmap implementation.
• CRM Core + Impact System: We are building and testing prototypes of the CRM Core and CRM Impact systems, conducting user testing, and collected feedback to inform future development. This agile approach will ensure that the organization has a purpose-built single source of truth for key data with the knowledge, skills, and system roadmap they'll need to scale and evolve the system's capabilities into the future.

The Impact: A Transformed Digital Landscape

The results of the digital transformation have already been profound. Staff are engaged and excited and Humanity United is rapidly streamlining its digital workplace with optimized tools and processes that support efficient collaboration and content management. The new KM practices are beginning to enhance cross-organizational information flows, enabling staff to access and share knowledge more effectively.

The Future: Sustaining the Momentum

The collaboration between Humanity United and Ideal State continues and has set the stage for a sustainable digital future. By implementing a comprehensive change management plan, establishing robust governance, and leveraging cutting-edge digital tools, Humanity United is well-supported to achieve its mission and make a greater impact in the world in the years ahead.