Knowledge management is the systematic process of gathering, organising and sharing an organisation’s information and expertise for easy access. Technical resources, instructional documentation, FAQ pages etc. are examples of knowledge that should be made available through knowledge management.
Knowledge management is the systematic process of gathering, organising and sharing an organisation’s information and expertise for easy access. Technical resources, instructional documentation, FAQ pages etc. are examples of knowledge that should be made available through knowledge management.
We learn from experience. As we encounter new challenges, our successes and failures improve our ability to face similar challenges in the future. Unfortunately, progress by experience has traditionally been limited to the individual: We learn from our own experience, and others are forced to do the same. However, knowledge management (KM) has the capacity to change all of this, by making essential information, insights and answers easily available to those authorised users who depend on it.
Knowledge management brings the experience and expertise of the entire organisation together, so that everyone can benefit.
A company’s knowledge can take many forms, and each plays an essential role in shaping an organisation’s capabilities and informing its strategies. Defining these different knowledge types is a crucial first step towards achieving effective knowledge management:
- Tacit knowledge
Tacit knowledge is highly personal and difficult to articulate or codify. It resides in an individual’s mind and is based on their experiences, intuition and insights. Examples include skills, expertise and the ‘know-how’ that employees bring to their roles. Sharing tacit knowledge often requires direct interaction and collaboration. - Implicit knowledge
Implicit knowledge is closely related to tacit knowledge, but is slightly more formalised. It involves knowledge that individuals possess, but may not consciously recognise or communicate. Implicit knowledge can be uncovered through observation and dialogue, making it valuable for organisational learning. - Explicit knowledge
Explicit knowledge is tangible and codified information that can be easily documented, shared and transferred – documents, manuals, databases, written procedures etc. This type of knowledge is accessible to others without the need for personal interpretation. - Declarative knowledge
Declarative knowledge consists of facts, concepts and principles that individuals can confidently state or declare. It represents what someone knows about a given area of subject matter and can be communicated through language or symbols. Declarative knowledge is often found in textbooks and reference materials. - Procedural knowledge
Procedural knowledge focuses on the ‘how’ of doing things. It includes step-by-step instructions and processes for performing specific tasks. This knowledge is crucial for standardising operations and ensuring consistency in workflows. - A posteriori knowledge
A posteriori (Latin for ‘from what is later’ or ‘from what comes after’) knowledge is gained through empirical observation or evidence based on real-world data. This is closely tied to experience-based learning. - A priori knowledge
A priori (Latin for ‘from what is earlier’ or ‘from what comes before’) knowledge exists independently of experience and is instead derived through reasoning, deduction or intuition. Philosophical principles, mathematical axioms and logical truths are examples of a priori knowledge.
By creating a single IT system capable of storing and retrieving the collective knowledge and experience of an organisation’s workforce, knowledge management shares expertise among employees. This allows for increased efficiency, improved decision-making capacity and faster, more accurate issue resolution.
Additionally, knowledge management helps to foster innovation. With easy access to shared ideas, experiences and up-to-date information, employees have the resources they need to think outside the box and make important cultural changes to adapt their organisation to better address evolving business needs.
Knowledge management may also help to decrease employee turnover, by giving employees advanced insight into how to do their jobs more effectively.
But perhaps most importantly, knowledge management allows businesses to remain competitive. By sharing experience and information through easy-to-use tools, businesses become more flexible and intelligent, better prepared to spot issues more easily and innovate more quickly.
Considered as a whole, the goal of knowledge management is straightforward: To facilitate organisational learning and adaptation to optimise decision making and improve customer satisfaction.
Although effective knowledge management may provide significant returns for essentially any organisation, the need for such a system often goes unrecognised until necessitated by a specific event or events. This may include:
- Mergers or acquisitions that prompt the need for codified knowledge and encourage teams to share their expertise.
- Key employees who are set to retire or leave their position, which brings about the opportunity to capture their knowledge to pass on.
Upcoming recruitment assists in the training of new employees.
Although there is no standardised procedure for establishing a working knowledge management system, the following steps describe the most common knowledge management process.
Organisations can use employee self-service (ESS) systems to create, schedule and share important content to departments and employees through multiple channels. This includes mass emails, announcements, links and other content for distribution throughout the workforce. Recipients can be filtered based on a variety of criteria, such as job title and location.
Structuring involves creating using a template or form, helping to keep the knowledge base consistent and easy for users to access.
For knowledge management to have any kind of positive impact, users must be aware that it is available. Knowledge articles and resources should be shared freely over the channels that team members are familiar with, and any open questions that can be addressed with relevant knowledge should be referred to the KM.
It is not enough to simply create a knowledge base and then leave it alone. Once the articles and other resources are in place, regularly review which ones are being used, which ones are not, and whether there are any knowledge gaps that still need to be filled.
Education should be a group effort. Questions that other users have already asked are made available to everyone, including any solutions that may have been found that effectively resolve the issue. Employees and managers can easily see open requests, review past requests and check up on the status of specific and current requests, all from a single page.
Users regularly review the knowledge as they continue to research articles, providing feedback and allowing possible improvements for future iterations.
Employees are more likely to remain at their company and remain happy when they have access to insights and opportunities to share their knowledge and improve their coworkers’ experience. This allows for increased collaboration, faster decision making and more efficiency within the organisation.
Better onboarding experiences increase retention rates and productivity. Knowledge management is a quick and easy way to improve onboarding and employee knowledge sharing, which helps new employees develop a clear idea of what is expected of them, learn how to best complete assignments and determine who can help them accomplish what they need to do. A knowledge base speeds up onboarding with a comprehensive tour of systems and run-through of procedures, which simplifies the process.
The employee journey encompasses every step that an employee takes as part of their employment with an organisation, from the moment that an employee applies for a job through to the time when they move on to other employment. It identifies moments that matter, which help with the improvement of the journey. Important moments include their first day at the company, their first performance review, or any promotions that they might receive. Knowledge management anticipates the information that employees will need at each stage, reducing friction and helping to keep them motivated and engaged.
An effective KM system not only highlights the areas of expertise present in an organisation; it also shines a light on areas where knowledge may be lacking. By identifying gaps in core competencies, company leadership can take steps to address these needs – through increased training, hiring of new talent, building new organisational structures etc.
Knowledge management systems provide controlled access, version control and encryption features, safeguarding any knowledge that represents proprietary data. This not only mitigates the risk of unauthorised access, but also helps organisations to comply with data protection regulations and maintain the trust of stakeholders.
Organisations accumulate valuable institutional knowledge over time. Knowledge management systems act as repositories, preserving this institutional memory even as employees come and go. This continuity ensures that critical information, processes and best practices are retained, preventing the loss of vital knowledge and promoting long-term organisational stability.
Knowledge management systems may take many forms; common examples of knowledge management systems include the following:
This provides easy access to important company documents. Acting as a centralised repository for files, handbooks etc., document management systems are designed to make locating and retrieving files as simple as possible. Document management is essentially a digital filing cabinet: It provides storage and accessibility solutions, but will not automatically capture or analyse data on its own.
Content management systems take document management a step further. In addition to storing and retrieving essential documents, these systems also encompass additional media, such as audio, video and more.
Using a database, businesses have the opportunity to capture, store, interact with and analyse data. Databases are usually indexed for increased information accessibility. Often, databases are designed with added security measures to protect the data stored within, but can be costly to design and implement, and may require an increased level of IT experience to use and maintain.
Data warehouses turn the magnifying glass back on the organisation itself, locating and storing important data from throughout the business for reporting and analysis. To do this effectively, they must be thoroughly integrated into all relevant business systems, which makes them a higher-maintenance option than many other forms of knowledge management.
Taking their cues from Facebook and other successful social-networking sites, these options provide users with the opportunity to connect with others, contribute information, join groups and discuss issues of interest.
Wikis are collaboration tools that take the form of online, open-source encyclopaedias, and allow essentially anyone with authorised access to edit and improve upon the knowledge base articles contained within. Wikis are effective for handling business document maintenance and product catalogues, but may incur difficulties when it comes to ensuring accuracy.
Effective knowledge management relies on strategic implementation and adherence to best practices. By incorporating the following guidelines, organisations can optimise their approach to KM, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation:
There’s no need for anonymity in knowledge management: Give credit where it’s due by attaching employee names to the knowledge documents and other resources that they provide. This places the spotlight on valuable contributors, while also giving other users an expert whom they can follow up with if they have further questions.
Establish clear guidelines and policies for knowledge exchange. Define the expectations for sharing, updating and accessing information. A formal policy provides structure, promotes consistency and helps to prevent knowledge silos. It also contributes to data security by outlining permissions and access controls.
Encourage knowledge sharing by recognising and rewarding those who take the time to contribute. Attaching bonuses to knowledge base participation helps to ensure that knowledge is shared freely.
Implementing a KM system is no small task. Plan the roll-out in phases, starting with a pilot project to gather feedback and make the necessary adjustments. Gradual integration allows employees to acclimate to new processes and gives organisations a chance to offer employee training throughout, thus ensuring a smoother transition.
Successful KM solutions are those that can be integrated with the way in which employees work and share information. Choose something that matches the skill levels of the users, so that they can get the most out of the KM without extensive training.
A reliable KM system can be used wherever and whenever an employee, customer or contractor needs more information. That said, knowledge management is particularly effective in the following areas:
KM streamlines the onboarding process by providing a centralised repository of essential information. New hires can access comprehensive guides, procedures and organisational insights, accelerating their acclimation to company culture and workflows. A knowledge base facilitates a smoother transition, ensuring that employees quickly understand their roles and responsibilities and know how to find the resources that are available to them.
In the daily hustle of business operations, employees often encounter challenges that require quick and accurate solutions. KM systems empower employees to efficiently address routine tasks by offering easily accessible information and guides. Whether employees need to resolve technical issues, navigate internal processes or access relevant documentation, KM supports them in their day-to-day responsibilities.
KM extends its benefits beyond internal operations to enhance customer experiences. By creating a well-organised knowledge base, businesses enable customers to find answers to common queries on their own. This self-service approach improves customer satisfaction, while also reducing the workload on customer support teams. Customers appreciate the convenience of quickly accessing information, leading to increased trust and loyalty.
The inefficient tools of yesterday cannot keep up with the needs of modern business organisations. Email, spreadsheets, documents and other disparate information formats end up scattered across company infrastructure, making information retrieval a frustrating and time-consuming task. ServiceNow brings all the relevant information and knowledge sources together, with powerful Case and Knowledge Management.
Standardise documentation across your organisation. Improve the employee experience and accelerate service delivery with a complete service catalogue. Incorporate advanced automated workflows and AI-backed predictive intelligence to prefilter relevant content and ensure that the right people are getting the right information, at the right time. ServiceNow Case and Knowledge Management has all you need to manage your organisation’s knowledge and help your employees to enjoy their experience, while expanding their expertise and company understanding. With ServiceNow, relevant, accurate and consistent information is only a click away.