A challenge facing IMs in country is a lack of documentation on the historic and current knowledge management procedures in place.
Comprehensive documenting and recording of theIM procedures (databases, structures, analysis etc) is very important, both for internal purposes (ie the team know how specific procedures are undertaken), but equally for external purposes, for instance, gaps in staffing (due to Break in Service, leave etc) which require an incoming IMO or alternate to fill in (eg gFSC support).
By practising effective knowledge management practices, the in-country IM structure will be easy to transfer or to assess. Here are some good practices that exist in-country:
- IM procedure: documenting and recording how to undertake all the day to day tasks (Combiner, master database, contact list management, website management, 5W data collection etc…) is highly recommended: see FSC DRC repository here and FSC WoS IM guidance note here.
- Developing Video Materials on how to undertake respective IM procedures is very useful, see FSC DRC country example here and FSC Whole of Syria here (request from gFSC forcal point).
- 5W process: by adding the different flow and linkage between the datasources/ bases, it would help any incoming staff to more effectively take over.
- Regular in-house training and update when having several IMO in the department.