My Journey into the Defence Sector

My journey into defence isn’t what you would call typical, nor was it a straightforward and planned journey. If a year ago you had told me I would be project manager within a Portfolio Management Office (PMO) helping to develop processes, methodologies and analysis that would guide information system services technology from idea to reality, while also being part of a team of three to research, design and build a comprehensive and agile knowledge management system for thousands to use, I would have been surprised to say the least.

Author: Michael Luke Digital Project Manager

I started my career in retail during my university studies. After finishing my degree I moved to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) / Accountancy company that specialised in Sage software. During my time working on Sage I worked as an Account Manager and Business Analyst. I worked directly with the company owner and lead Sales Director which provided me with the breadth of experience and responsibility that came very early in my career. After a couple of other roles blending project management, business development and customer engagement I took a decision to develop my project management skills and work for a small, specialist and dynamic project management consultancy called i3Works.

So what attracted me to i3Works and the defence sector? Simply put, I was looking for a new challenge – particularly in a more professional working environment that valued growth and success while challenging the individual on a day-to-day basis. After originally looking to work within a larger company, the draw of a smaller company with a more open and supportive working culture that rewarded personal responsibility, professional development, drive and determination was the key reason for me accepting the role. I also relished the opportunity to have a direct impact on the future direction and growth of the company, including the opportunity to work alongside the company Directors.

Although my time at i3Works has just begun, I have already been thrown into the deep end on multiple occasions. The highlight of my time at i3Works to date has been working to build a Knowledge Management System for the Ministry Of Defence (MOD) PMO to use.

i3Works have done a lot of work studying lessons learned systems and methodologies and the Army has a solution that is demonstrably one of the best in class, aimed at harvesting, packaging and making the lessons learned from military operations accessible. I had the opportunity to visit the team and understand the rationale for their solution, the benefits that it delivers for them and some of their challenges. It was truly fascinating and provided a number of important insights and nuances that I wouldn’t otherwise have obtained. For example, the team leader explained that you can have two identical situations, with identical, plans, resources, etc etc, and yet wildly different outcomes can occur, from one being successful to the other being a failure – but why does this happen? And when it does happen how are the lessons learned transferred from one person to the next? From this discussion alongside our own research, it was evident that knowledge management system (KMS) requires four key aspects:

1. Valuable Content: Ensuring content is of high-quality, managing and maintaining the content is obvious, but what really makes a KMS works is “pointing out” valuable content (especially on the front page) as this encourages users to check frequently and delve deeper into the site.
2. Locate Content Quickly: Making the KMS easy to search and locate key content quickly, while also providing the opportunity to delve into related content keeps the users interested and informed – encouraging users to read around and discuss content.
3. Discussion Gamification: Related content presented correctly will entice interest. Adding rating options to pages encourages users to investigate and explore further while encouraging discussion and sharing.
4. Encourage Interest and Further Reading: Information and gamification on discussions and users will show that discussions are involving Subject Matter Exerts, not just opinions.

It’s evident that recent developments in technology and data management have the potential to transform how knowledge is managed across government. Not just in terms of accessing intellectual property but also learning lessons from others. Having seen a number of lessons learned systems that are box ticking solutions rather than a means of embedding lessons, it’s clear that the quest is not an easy one. But working in a small company means that we can work with agility and reach out to specialists in the industry and form a team tailored for the application. It’s a great opportunity to apply myself, develop some new skills and really make a difference.

My journey into the Defence sector has been both interesting and unpredictable, testing me at every turn. From starting out as a Business Analyst, to helping dig trenches as a hands-on Project Manager, I believe that my journey has taught me many valuable skills, helping me to think around the challenge and act with ingenuity and efficiency – but more importantly it’s been a fun chapter.