KNOWvember - Learning from Failure—Before It Happens

We all know the value of learning from past mistakes—but what if we could learn from failures before they occur?"  [Extract from one of Luke's slides]

In this final post of our KNOWvember webinar extract series, we revisit Luke Spencer from the Knowledge & Information Management Unit at the UK Home Office. His focus is on the Catastrophise (or pre-mortem) technique—a powerful approach that helps teams anticipate potential pitfalls and plan proactively.

This technique encourages teams to explore everything that could go wrong in a safe, structured environment. With a skilled facilitator guiding the discussion, participants identify risks, share insights, and develop actionable strategies. Unlike traditional risk assessments, the Catastrophise method often sparks deeper engagement and welcomes diverse perspectives—including those who naturally take a more cautious or critical view. Their input can make a significant positive impact.

You can watch the full webinar extract (9 minutes 40 seconds) on the GIG News Page via the CILIP website (CILIP members only).

Wrapping Up KNOWvember 2025

This concludes the Government Information Group KNOWvember series for 2025. We hope you’ve enjoyed the sessions, found them useful, and feel inspired to put these ideas into practice!

We’d love to hear your experiences with knowledge management across government, agencies, and arm’s-length bodies. Share your thoughts or feedback by emailing us at secretary.gig@cilip.org.uk. Your involvement and contributions are always welcome.

Keep on learning!

Don’t forget—there’s plenty more webinar content on our News page, including:

• Storytelling Pyramid in Action: Karen Thwaites-Hughes’ journey into KM
• KM and Culture: Insights from Dr Derek Shaw (UK Defence Equipment and Support)
• Taxonomies Explained: An introduction by Helen Challinor (Department for Education)