Using the Knowledge Silo Matrix (KSM)

The Knowledge Silo Matrix inventories the current areas of expertise (“silos”) in use at your pool as well as each employee's
level of expertise within each silo.

1. Most of your active work will be on the "Knowledge Silo Matrix" tab. Input your pool name in Cell B1 of this tab.

2. The angled titles in Row 2 are a draft set of silos. More detail about these silos is in the "Pool Silo Descriptions" tab. Edit
the silo names and descriptions in both places to reflect your pool's vocabulary and current state. Remove silos that do
not apply and add any that are missing.

Ÿ
3. In Column B, replace the sample names and titles with the people working with your pool right now (whether employed
or contracted). Consider the scope that makes sense for your pool. Larger pools might create a separate matrix for each
department or operating unit as well as one for the overall leadership team.

4. In each silo column, indicate the expert to be replicated (the one who will set the standard for the silo) by typing the
letter "p" in the appropriate cell and pressing Enter. The cell will turn purple.

Then indicate how all listed staff are operating in each silo by typing a letter from the list below within each silo cell.
Typing in the letter will auto-add color. Leave the cell blank if the person does not work in that silo.

Status Color Letter

Expert to be replicated p P
Consistent with expert g G
Actively learning y Y

5. Read the questions below in the specific context of your pool to identify at-risk silos and individuals. Then identify areas of
risk by column and row by changing silo and individual names to red text. (You can do this by putting an "r" or "R" in
Row 1 or Column A.)

Silo Risk Indicators (consider questions for each silo)

• Does this silo have enough resources overall (purples/greens)?

• Are there sufficiently independent resources (greens) available to take on work in
this silo if needed?
• Are there alternate resources (in-house, on the market, as a new hire or
consultant) available to take on work in this silo if needed?

• Is the expert in this silo at risk of leaving or being unavailable? Do they sit outside
the team? Are they ready to retire? Are they at risk of burnout or needed elsewhere?

• Would it take a lot of time or money to train another expert resource in this silo?

• Are there too many purples in this silo (which might create confusion and
conflicting directions)?

Individual Risk Indicators (consider questions for each staff person)

• Is this person purple in too many silos? Are they at risk of burnout? Have they
announced retirement/departure? Are they a bottleneck?

• Is this person a new hire/transfer and still yellow in many silos?

• Is this person an underutilized resource (green, yellow and/or purple in too few
silos)?

• Is this person a shared resource on multiple teams (spread too thin)?

6. For each silo you marked red, indicate in Row 4 the urgency of mitigating the risk according to the scale below.

Priority

1. Urgent/immediate priority. Address right away.

2. High priority. Address as soon as feasible.
3. Medium priority. Mitigation needed but not time sensitive.
4. Low priority.

7. Transfer all at-risk silo names and at-risk individual employee/vendor names to the Action Plan tab. Continue work on
that tab according to the instructions there at the top.

© The Steve Trautman Co.

© The Steve Trautman Co. Knowledge Silo Matrix 723338304.xlsx

Employee 2
Employee 1
Pool Name

Employees/Vendors
Priority
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 A silo is a narrow working area that requires deep expertise. A silo takes between a month and a year to learn and usually consists of 20 to 100 skills and tasks that must be mastered
to work independently in that area. A silo description should clearly describe the work of the silo. A description should have two to four phrases that include verbs and outputs. The
phrases should describe activities and outputs that are core to, or representative of, the work of the silo.

Silo Name Description/Notes

© The Steve Trautman Co. 723338304.xlsx

 KSM Action Plan for <Replace this text with pool name>
For each at-risk silo or individual, list the silo or individual's name, why there is a risk, and the potential impact of not resolving the risk. In each row, select the appropriate proposed mitigation plan and priority from the dropdown menus. Enter your timeframe
for mitigation. For silos using knowledge transfer as the mitigation plan, list the proposed expert or mentor and apprentice(s) if known.

Silo/Individual at Risk Risk Justification and Impact of Risk Mitigation Plan Priority Mitigation Timeframe KT Expert/Apprentice(s) Mitigation Plan Notes Status

© The Steve Trautman Co. 723338304.xlsx