NKM objectives

Template:Consolidation stage,

Definition

NKM objectives are a set of business goals in a nuclear organization that can be facilitated by knowledge management

Summary

The objectives pursued by managing nuclear knowledge reach much further than the initial ageing workforce problem, and match with general high-level principles on the use of nuclear energy. The significant contributions which KM offers to the basic principles of nuclear energy are described.

Description 1

while much of the content here is useful, it only indirectly addresses the topic of "nkm objectives". I think some specific additional and focused discussion is needed to differentiate nuclear KM from just KM.

The high level principles are good and show that NKM supports them but in themselves are insufficient to describe clearly the purpose of Nuclear KM. I would suggest something like the following:

The purpose of Nuclear KM

Many nuclear organizations, in particular licensed nuclear facilities, are dependent on the ongoing availability and maintenance of the advanced and specialized engineering and scientific knowledge that is required for the safe and economic design, construction, licensing, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of nuclear technology-based energy systems.

• For these organizations to operate successfully and safely, they must understand the vital link between nuclear knowledge and safety.
• However, specific and high levels of knowledge are typically needed to achieve and maintain safety while operating economically. Appropriate technical expertise and experience must be developed and be available throughout the nuclear technology life-cycle.

The primary objective of NKM

• The primary objective of Nuclear KM is to ensure that the required technical knowledge base is established and maintained, such that an adequate understanding of the potential safety consequences of all decisions and actions related to the application and use of nuclear technology and systems exists, and the risks that safety will be compromised can be kept to acceptably low levels.
• To ensure safety and economics over the entire life-cycle of nuclear facilities, including during design, licensing, procurement, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, refurbishment, and decommissioning, decision-making at all levels of the organization needs to be risk-informed and knowledge-driven.
• Nuclear technology is complex and brings with it inherent high-consequence hazards that must be managed to acceptably low levels of risk.
• Further, nuclear facilities may have very long life-cycles with changing operational conditions. The ability of nuclear operating organizations to take safe decisions and actions is continually being threatened by the risk of knowledge loss.

The primary objective of NKM

• To ensure safety, licensed nuclear facilities have a responsibility not only to establish adequate technical knowledge and experience in their nuclear organizations, but also to maintain it. This is the primary objective of nuclear knowledge management and why it is important.

Description 2

The initial spark for the nuclear community to engage in Knowledge Management (KM) came in the 1990's from realizing that the ageing workforce, with its threat of losing the nuclear knowledge accumulated in many decades, presented a high-priority issue, to which KM was expected to offer solutions. However, this problem tended to overshadow the much broader impact of KM in pursuing the general objectives of nuclear KM. In the meantime, it has been realized that the objectives pursued by managing nuclear knowledge reach much further than the initial ageing workforce problem, and match with general high-level principles on the use of nuclear energy described in [1]. KM offers significant contributions to the basic principles of nuclear energy:

Basic Principle: Benefits

Objective: Nuclear knowledge management strategies are formulated, adopted and implemented at a level aimed at enhancing the benefits of nuclear power systems to society at large.

Because nuclear energy is a high technology endeavour, it requires a solid scientific and technical knowledge base to provide energy to society in a clean and affordable way. In this respect a well formulated and focused knowledge management strategy, aimed at maximizing the return on intellectual and informational resources, can ensure that the full benefits from using nuclear energy are assured and maintained through succeeding workforce lifetimes [2, 6].

Basic Principle: Transparency

Objective: Knowledge management programmes provide for the use of nuclear knowledge in a transparent way and also for its social acceptance.

Knowledge management programmes in nuclear organizations will provide for a better understanding of the implications of nuclear activities on the part of society, as well as communicating the scientific and technical knowledge base of nuclear development [2, 6].

Basic Principle: Protection of people and the environment

Objective: Dedicated knowledge management programmes are applied, which are aimed at enhancing the safety of nuclear installations and the protection of people and the environment.

Safety is critical to the successful operation of nuclear power plants as well as other nuclear installations. Sustained management of knowledge and skills are necessary for achieving the highest possible level of safety and environmental protection [2, 5, 7].

Basic Principle: Security

Objective: Knowledge management programmes are designed and implemented to exclude information thefts and other malicious acts affecting nuclear installations and materials, and with the aim of enhancing security.

Proper knowledge management programmes and their application will provide for the stewardship of sensitive information and contribute to enhancing the security of nuclear installations [2, 6].

Basic Principle: Non-proliferation

Objective: Knowledge management programmes identify and protect confidential and classified knowledge and information and ensure that their use is in accordance with international obligations in relation to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and ensures continuity of safeguards information.

Knowledge management programmes will take into consideration all aspects of non-proliferation related issues in scientific research and development. While knowledge sharing is a stimulus for innovation and development, knowledge protection in some specific areas is also an important element of the overall knowledge management strategy [2].

Basic Principle: Long term commitment

Objective: Knowledge management systems maximize the flow of nuclear knowledge from one generation to the next, and attract, maintain and further develop a dedicated body of highly competent professional staff, in order to sustain nuclear competence over the entire lifetime of nuclear installations.

Implementing a nuclear energy programme is a long term commitment, involving repeated intergenerational transfer of accumulated knowledge and skills. This is achieved by means of a long term knowledge management strategy, which needs periodic updating [2–4, 6].

Basic Principle: Resource efficiency

Objective: Nuclear knowledge is managed as a basic economic resource, and includes three fundamental components: personnel, processes and technology, for all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Like other resources, knowledge requires a systematic and integrated management system approach in order to achieve the most efficient use and expected results from its implementation. For this reason, the design and implementation of a nuclear knowledge management strategy will always be dependent on economic efficiency and the best use of intellectual capital in the nuclear field [2].

Basic Principle: Continual improvement

Objective: Knowledge management is applied as a key driver for continuous improvement.

Knowledge management is a component of the scientific and technological developments in the nuclear field. This knowledge will be used in a continual improvement strategy, and continuous improvement is a key element of any knowledge management strategy [2, 6].

Pursuing the basic principles poses challenges depending on the different types of organizations as well as on the KM maturity level of the particular organization.

References

• [1] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Nuclear Energy Basic Principles, IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NE-BP, IAEA, Vienna (2008).
• [2] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Introduction to the Use of the INPRO Methodology in a NESA, IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NP-T-1.12, IAEA, Vienna (2010).
• [3] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Nuclear Energy Development in the 21st Century: Global Scenarios and Regional Trends, IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NP-T-1.8, IAEA, Vienna (2010).
• [4] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, IAEA Tools and Methodologies for Energy System Planning and Nuclear Energy System Assessment, brochure, IAEA, Vienna (2009).
• [5] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Legal and Governmental Infrastructure for Nuclear, Radiation, Radioactive Waste and Transport Safety Requirements, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-R-1, IAEA, Vienna (2000).
• [6] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, The Management System for Facilities and Activities, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-R-3, IAEA, Vienna (2006).
• [7] EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION, OECD NUCLEAR ENERGY AGTENCY, PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION, UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, Fundamental Safety Principles, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SF-1, IAEA, Vienna (2006).

Related articles

Knowledge

Nuclear knowledge

Knowledge management

Nuclear knowledge management

Integrated management system

Challenge