There are generally four operational components that can be integrated into an organization in order to create a well-rounded and fully functional knowledge management system.
1. Content management
One of the first steps of integrating a knowledge management system into a company is to organize the data and information that you want to be available for employees or clients into one location. This could include information such as:
• Content portal
• Results dashboard
• Case studies
• FAQ pages
• Academies and training programs
2. Locating the appropriate expertise
A useful way to acquire new knowledge is to speak directly to people with the specific expertise you are seeking. The challenge for many people is to know who the right expert would be to reach out to for the needed information or problem resolution support. ViiBE integrates this element of knowledge management directly into its system through its expertise call routing feature.
3. Best practices
The third element is to outline best practices based on real experiences. Capturing authentic lessons learned and sharing best practices allows employees to benefit and grow from the experiences and process of their colleagues.
4. Communities of practice
The final component is communities of practice, or groups with mutual passions or specializations, that improve their knowledge through group discussions and interactions. In smaller organizations, this could simply mean learning from your teammates or bosses during meetings or coffee chats. In larger companies, these interactions may take the form of structured groups that have organized meetings to share information around a topic or skill.
These community groups provide colleagues with opportunities to get together and share their experiences or best practices in a positive and engaging way. They are also an effective tool for encouraging the spread of knowledge and learning new ways to optimize operations.