The Forgetting Machine - Why Your Organization Knows More Than It Can Remember

Presented at KPMG Group Digital Technology Days 2026 in Zurich, Switzerland.

The presentation breakdown, including additional resources, is available at https://blog.marceloancelmo.com/the-forgetting-machine

The problem isn't collecting information. The problem is converting information into something people can understand and reuse. Knowledge is the experience, the decision, the reasoning, and the context that exists around the information.

In this 30-minute presentation, we explore how modern enterprises act as an unintentional "Forgetting Machine," mapping out the critical leap from hoarding fragmented repositories to engineering organizational memory.

If you enjoyed these slides, please let me know at https://marceloancelmo.com.

Transcript

1. The ForgettingMachine Why YourOrganizationKnows More ThanIt Can Remember Marcelo Sousa Ancelmo KPMG Group Digital Technology Days 2026 Photo by Alexandar Todov on Unsplash KPMG. Make the Difference. [September 2026]
2. KPMG. Make the Difference. SomeoneHasAlready SolvedYourProblem Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite Youjust don'tknowwho that person is © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 2
3. KPMG. Make the Difference. So WeDo It Again Problem Forget Search Document Nothing Reinvent © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 3
4. KPMG. Make the Difference. Meet the Forgetting Machine Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 4
5. KPMG. Make the Difference. Information isEverywhere! So whydoesfindingan answer still feelso hard? WHAT WE MEASURE WHAT WE ACTUALLY NEED • Documents • Understanding • Repositories • Experience • Storage • Context • Pages • Decisions • Records • Lessons • Files • Answers Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16049033 © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 5
6. KPMG. Make the Difference. A Repository IsNot Memory Photo by Nana Smirnova on Unsplash © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 6
7. KPMG. Make the Difference. Without Context, WeLose More ThanInformation Source: AI Generated using M365 Copilot © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 7
8. KPMG. Make the Difference. Data -> Information -> Knowledge -> Wisdom Source: https://www.jeffwinterinsights.com/insights/dikw-pyramid © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 8
9. KPMG. Make the Difference. The Information-to-Knowledge Gap © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite Document Classification: KPMG Public 9
10. KPMG. Make the Difference. IsTrapped in People's Heads This Person is the repository! Source: https://imgflip.com/i/b0plfi © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 10
11. KPMG. Make the Difference. The Fundamental Unit Isn'tthe Information A DOCUMENT, EMAIL OR A PRESENTATION IS NOT THE UNIT OF KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge is the Experience, the Decision, the Reasoning, and the Context That exists around the Information © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 11
12. KPMG. Make the Difference. The Question Changes Instead of "How do we store what we know?" Ask "How do we make the organization remember what it has learned?" Photo by Road Ahead on Unsplash © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 12
13. KPMG. Make the Difference. What IfWeCouldRemember? Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite What should we do differently this time? © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 13
14. KPMG. Make the Difference. Break the Machine–StopBuilding newSilos of Information Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite START BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY! © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 14
15. KPMG. Make the Difference. How Can an Organization BecomeWiser? Do not capture content only! You need to capture as well: • Experience • Knowledge • Decisions • Outcomes • Experiments • Learnings • etc Source: AI Generated using Nano Banana 2 Lite © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 15
16. KPMG. Make the Difference. © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public 16
17. Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities. kpmg.com/ch © 2026 KPMG AG, a Swiss corporation, is a group company of KPMG Holding LLP, which is a member of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Document Classification: KPMG Public