Is ELICIT the solution to your problem? Find out with these three questions
ELICIT performs exceptionally well for specific knowledge challenges. However, this does not apply to every situation or organization. When is ELICIT the right fit for your challenge? These three questions will make it clear.
Question 1: Is your process knowledge in people’s heads or in systems?
This is the most fundamental question. ELICIT solves one specific problem: knowledge that is present in your organization but not accessible to everyone.
Think of the operator who, after 20 years, knows why machine 4 always reacts slightly differently on humid days. The technician who can hear within three seconds whether the setting is correct. The quality specialist who knows exactly which combination of parameters leads to rejection, but has never formally recorded this.
This type of knowledge is called tacit knowledge. It resides in the minds and intuition of experienced experts. It is not in the SOP. And it disappears as soon as the person leaves.
ELICIT is a fit if your knowledge disappears as soon as the expert leaves, and you currently have no way to prevent that.
ELICIT is not a fit if knowledge is already well-documented in procedures and systems that employees actually use. In that case, you have a different problem: adoption, not extraction.
Question 2: Are the experts still there?
ELICIT extracts decision-making knowledge from the minds of experts through interviews. This is done via an average of 110 questions, developed based on 12 years of scientific research. This means one thing: the expert must be present and willing to cooperate.
In practice, there are three situations:
- The expert is still there and has time. This is the ideal situation. A knowledge file takes an average of about 5 interviews, which is manageable for busy specialists.
- The expert is about to leave. This is the most common starting point. There is time pressure, but the knowledge is still there. This is exactly the moment when ELICIT proves its value.
- The expert has already left. In that case, ELICIT is too late for that person. However, it is also the moment to realize that this could happen again, and that you can take action now for those who are still there.
There is also a human aspect. Some experts wonder: if my knowledge is recorded, will I still be needed? Practice shows that the opposite is true. Capturing knowledge provides recognition. It confirms that what they know is worth preserving. Organizations that communicate this well encounter very little resistance.
In short: ELICIT is a good fit if you still have access to the experts whose knowledge you want to capture, and they are willing to cooperate.
Question 3: Is the problem already tangible or still abstract?
Securing knowledge is always smart. But it also comes at a cost: experts’ time, management’s attention, and an implementation process. You don’t do that for a problem that ‘might arise sometime in the future.’
The organizations where ELICIT delivers the most value are those where the lack of knowledge management is already tangible and visible. Organizations where they see these signals:
- Malfunctions last longer when a specific person is not there
- New employees learn their trade primarily by shadowing others, which takes months
- The same problems keep recurring because the solution is not secured
- Your production quality varies depending on who is working
- You are dependent on one or two people for critical decisions
If you recognize several of these signals, the problem is operationally tangible, and ELICIT is immediately financially and operationally attractive.
If these signals are not (yet) present, ELICIT might be premature. Not because it isn’t useful, but because support and urgency are likely still lacking. And those are necessary for a successful start.
So, in short:
| Question | ELICIT is a fit | ELICIT is not (yet) a fit |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge is in heads | ✔ Tacit knowledge, not recorded | ✘ Already well-documented and in use |
| Expert still present | ✔ Available and willing | ✘ Already left or unreachable |
| Problem is tangible | ✔ Signals already visible | ✘ Only as an abstract future risk |
What if you are somewhere in between?
Many organizations are in an intermediate position. The problem is recognizable, but the urgency is not yet at the highest level. Or there is one department where it is clearly an issue, while the rest are not there yet.
In those cases: start small. One workstation, one expert, one ELICIT system. This provides insight into the process, shows what there is to gain, and creates internal support for a broader rollout.
Most managers who start with ELICIT do not do so after a strategic top-down decision. They start because there is one moment when the problem suddenly becomes very concrete. A retirement. A malfunction. A moment when it is clear: we almost lost this knowledge. At that moment, you can immediately discover the value of ELICIT.
Would you like to know what ELICIT can mean in your situation?
Does ELICIT seem suitable after these three questions? Or are you still in doubt? We would be happy to help you find the best solution. Schedule a non-binding consultation, and we will explore together whether we can be of service to you.