What is Knowledge Management?
- The Tettra definition of knowledge management: Knowledge management is the process of gathering and structuring all the disparate knowledge within the organization so that it can be used, shared, and maximized fully. Compare top knowledge management tools.
- The IBM definition of knowledge management: “Knowledge management (KM) is the process of identifying, organizing, storing and disseminating information within an organization.”
- Garnter definition of knowledge management: “Knowledge management is a discipline that promotes an integrated approach to identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing all of an enterprise’s information assets. These assets may include databases, documents, policies, procedures, and previously un-captured expertise and experience in individual workers.”
What are examples of knowledge management systems?
Once the knowledge to be collected has been defined and pinpointed, the next challenge is collection.
1. Internal Knowledge Base
There are two types of knowledge bases: internal and external. Knowledge bases serve as repositories for structured information, such as FAQs, best practices, troubleshooting guides, and how-to articles.
Users can access this knowledge to find solutions, answers to common questions, and guidance on various topics. AI-powered knowledge bases, like the one from Tettra, can help your team find instant answers and cut down on the shoulder tapping from your team.
Teams benefit from reduced support requests, faster problem resolution, and improved customer satisfaction. Here’s more on setting up your internal knowledge base. They’re necessary especially for customer support teams looking for more efficient ticket rates.
2. External Knowledge Base
An external knowledge base merges the digital efficiency of a 24/7 accessible information hub with the engaging, user-focused approach of modern customer support. Imagine a well-organized online repository, rich with FAQs, how-to guides, and articles, all tailored for easy navigation and quick problem-solving.
This tool not only empowers customers to independently find answers but also showcases a commitment to transparency and efficiency. It enhances the user experience, fosters self-help, and significantly reduces support workload, reflecting a smart blend of resourcefulness and customer care. External knowledge bases are a must-have for customer service.
3. Document Management Systems (DMS)
A document management system gives organizations to capture, store, and manage various types of documents in a centralized location. Users can easily search, retrieve, and share documents, ensuring that relevant information is readily available. Teams benefit from improved collaboration, streamlined workflows, and reduced duplication of efforts.
4. Content Management Systems (CMS)
CMS enables organizations to create, edit, organize, and publish digital content such as articles, web pages, and multimedia files. Users can easily update and maintain content, ensuring accuracy and consistency. Teams benefit from efficient content creation, version control, and enhanced content delivery to users.
5. Collaboration Platforms
Collaboration platforms facilitate communication and knowledge sharing among team members, regardless of their location. Features like file sharing, real-time editing, task management, and discussion forums promote teamwork, knowledge exchange, and collective decision-making. Users and teams benefit from increased productivity, improved communication, and better project coordination. Compare team management platforms and tools.
6. Intranets or Enterprise Social Networks (ESN)
These platforms provide social networking features within organizations, allowing employees to connect, share ideas, and collaborate in a more informal manner. Users can create communities, join interest groups, and participate in discussions, fostering knowledge sharing, innovation, and cross-departmental collaboration with team or company announcements built in. Teams benefit from enhanced employee engagement, knowledge discovery, and the development of a collaborative culture.
7. Learning Management Systems (LMS)
LMS platforms facilitate the creation, delivery, and tracking of training and educational content. Users can access online courses, tutorials, assessments, and certifications, enabling continuous learning and professional development. Teams benefit from upskilling and knowledge transfer, leading to improved performance, employee retention, and organizational growth.
8. Expert Systems
Expert systems leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to capture and emulate the expertise of subject matter experts. Users can interact with these systems to receive expert advice, make informed decisions, and solve complex problems. Teams benefit from improved decision-making, reduced reliance on scarce experts, and faster problem resolution.
Why knowledge management software?
Knowledge management software provides numerous benefits to users and teams, including improved access to information, enhanced collaboration, reduced duplication of efforts, faster problem-solving, increased productivity, informed decision-making, and better customer satisfaction. They enable organizations to embrace the full knowledge management process: discover, capture, index, assess and distribute knowledge effectively, leading to improved performance, innovation, and competitiveness
What are great examples of knowledge management at companies?
Google: The Google search engine and Google Knowledge Graph are outstanding examples of knowledge management at prodigious level. It leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to gather information from various sources and present it in a structured manner. Users can obtain detailed and accurate answers to their queries, facilitating knowledge acquisition and problem-solving.
Airbnb: Airbnb utilizes an internal knowledge management system called Airbnb Knowledge. It serves as a centralized repository for hosting-related information, guidelines, and best practices. Hosts can access this knowledge to enhance their hosting experience, leading to improved customer satisfaction and quality of service.
Here’s how their engineering team described the project:
The Knowledge Repo houses a large variety of content. The bulk of the work consists of deep-dives aimed at answering non-trivial questions, but examinations of experiment results not covered by our experiment reporter are also common. Other posts are written purely to broaden the base of people who do data analysis, including writeups of a new methodology, example of a tool or package, and tutorials on SQL and Spark.
–Airbnb engineering team
General Electric: General Electric has implemented a knowledge management system called GE Power Digital Solutions. It combines data analytics, machine learning, and industrial expertise to optimize power plant operations and maintenance. The system captures and analyzes data from power plants, providing insights and recommendations for improved efficiency and performance.
Amazon Web Services: Amazon employs an advanced knowledge management system known as Repost to provide critical answers for Amazon Web Service customers. There is training materials, documentation, and best practices across various departments and functions.
Siemens: Siemens utilizes a knowledge management system called Siemens PLM Teamcenter. It serves as a centralized platform for product lifecycle management, offering document management, collaboration, and version control features. Teams can efficiently manage product-related information, collaborate on designs, and streamline the product development process.
Implement Your Own Knowledge Management System
You don’t have to be a Fortune 50 company to have your own effective knowledge management system.
In fact, thousands of teams of all sizes use Tettra to capture and share organizational knowledge.
Tettra is an AI-powered knowledge management system that helps you curate important company information into a knowledge base, use it to answer repetitive questions in Slack and MS Teams and keep it up-to-date, organized, and complete with automation.
This ends repetitive questions and helps onboard new employees faster.
Tettra is a knowledge management tool with a full suite of features. With Tettra, you’ll get:
- Q&A workflow to capture questions
- AI-powered knowledge base software with Kai for instant answers and auto-tagging
- Knowledge management features to keep content up to date.
- Integrations with Slack, MS Teams, Google Docs, Github and Zapier to help your team answer and capture knowledge quickly