"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages." - William Shakespeare

Ever wondered who the actors of a PLAY are when you are deploying a successful KM strategy? If you thought that it is only the Leaders who are the producers and who own the budget, then think again!

Today, there are the three categories we can put these ACTORS into:

1) Decision Makers : These are the stakeholders who are accountable and own the change at an enterprise , department, or team level. For example, the Leadership Team and their regional or geographic teams if KM is distributed model.

2) Influencers : These are key experts whose span of influence ensures the KM strategy is aligned to the culture of the firm. They are consulted with and at times responsible for coaching / mentoring the team implementing the change. For example, the HR collaborating with the Users who are early adopters of KM.

3) Implementers : These are the key to executing the change and are custodians of driving the outcomes and always ensuring that they advance those unclear on their KM needs to become believers. For example, the Champions working with the core KM team AND in-turn KM tram working with IT teams.

Past studies would tell you that Knowledge Management is an organizational need and yet it is inherent that most organizations discount how their KM strategy is aligned to the business strategy. One reason that comes to mind is how do we combine the culture + systemic design + user needs and equate it to designing KM systems around our business outcomes.

"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions."
- Leonardo da Vinci

In the beginning of this article, we bucketed our actors into three categories. If you look at the above graphic, what does it call-out? We can further group the characteristics into the below. It tells you that before you build a KM system what becomes vital is to ensure you have agreed on a set-rule based policy of advancing KM within your organization; that encourages only certain behaviours that ensure knowledge is created - shared - used and harvested. It tells you that we also need to ensure we imbibe practices that encourage us to move from our Fixed Mindset to truly contributing to advancing information that is actionable and helpful to those in need of it, which is Knowledge.

Behaviours

• We ensure at an individual level we are clear on the user's unmet needs and ensure our KM team and Champions are working together to even challenge their own 'Fixed Mindset'. We need to provide them with the right budget approvals, empowerment to be decision makers in this journey as entrepreneurs and ensure they are rewarded for the softer aspects that lead to creation & sharing of intellectual capital.
• As leaders, we combine our own ‘Believer's Mindset’ and ensure through sharing of our own failures of adopting KM we encourage exploratory learning within our teams. We define how we want Knowledge Management to truly differentiate us.
• Ensure our teams have a 'Founders mindset' (social construct is not missing) to coach their teams and top-down we ensure workplace collaboration rather than advancing secret mission evangelists who are stand-alone heroes.

Practices

• It is important that workplace policies are aligned, and the HR manage knowledge gain-loss throughout the employee life cycle, including ensuring every event includes knowledge sharing to begin, which slowly encourages other leaders to come forward and avoid high-performance distance within their teams.
• Core KM team has a mix of diversity for ensuring there is no brokerage mindset within the champions and other influencers who are driving KM based on only how they are rewarded.

Knowledge

• Our systems need to be designed around epistemology of practice ensuring the IT team is not only considering the 'New Ways of Working' but ensuring that the right touchpoints are catered to codify the knowledge as it flows through the organization.
• Ensure ICT is at the core so we can ensure that everyone in the organization experience contributes to building an intuitive driven performance management system that advances how knowledge is truly an intangible asset that is a key differentiator.

In summary, we need to ensure we go beyond and ensure all our metrics are based around measuring employee engagement and employee effectiveness where the employee is not necessarily only the end-user consuming the knowledge.

So, let us all sign the petition to ensure we are clear on the critical KM touch points and partner with HR / and others based on the role they are playing for increasing adoption. 

Knowledge is an intangible organizational asset that needs to be managed like any other asset. It needs to be developed, consolidated, retained, shared, adapted, and applied so that workers can make effective decisions and take aligned actions, solving problems based on the experience of the past and new insights into the future. -  - Definition from ISO 30401 : 2018

One of my gurus in KM asked me it is unclear to many what is the difference between KM and KM systems. If we define this Problem Canvas, there can be many who relate it to a need to 'Connect' so there is access to the organizations most critical knowledge. Some say nee to 'Collaborate' where we ensure the knowledge flows from those who have it to those who need it the most.

So is there a need to build a KM system or can KM be driven through People Practices where we celebrate true moments that enables Knowledge Management. Let us just look at 3 examples as below to understand this thought more in principle.

It is important to have a KM strategy aligned to the organizational culture

Are you a leader who is a believer and who demands a sense of urgency from your team to merit knowledge sharing behaviours to ensure KM advances? A good example could be any pre-sales team which has a stand-alone KM system (one separated from the larger organization) which the leader continues to ensure his team makes more contextual to their group behaviours and ensures knowledge capture , reuse, and creation. Think aloud; have you experiences any such stand-alone systems in your organization that is your answer.

How to advance a user basis when tacit knowledge contribution is unclear

In many large organizations there are a few experts who have been given titles such as Technical Member of Staff to name one. These are practice leaders who are domain experts and who ensure that through their knowledge practice the CoE continues to ensure relevant industry practices are followed; aligned to solving some of the most complex business problems. There are also innovators who earn credits through the IP they create, and it is this that helps build or advance many domain systems and models that are differentiators in the market for their firm.

The relevant question we can ask is how many of these leaders have contributed to advancing the larger advanced knowledge systems such as GitHub which is truly a global standard for building world class software. So should we measure external knowledge practices and advance users in their careers as truly it's their personal brand that is helping advance the organization, think again you have the answer.

Users are asking for instant gratification moments

Knowledge must be 'well defined' to be 'well understood'. There is a need to have a KM policy , mission-vision statement, and a unified portal that we spoke about earlier that drives the culture. However, without a Central KM team who interacts and has Conversations with the Leaders, Teams, and the larger Community we would truly fail to recognize moments to ensure KM is 'well-acknowledged.'

So, I leave you with this thought. Get started on your Knowledge Management journey today and let’s ensure we are In Conversation with KM!

In recent years, knowledge management systems have changed business and customer success. And companies who don't want to be left in the dust need to start using new tools that can help them simplify complex data and develop better ways to store and access information to achieve better business outcomes instead of relying on bandaid solutions for an easy fix.

However, cracking the code to a new knowledge management technology is no easy feat, especially for large companies with massive data and endless amounts of information.

There are many software programs out there claiming to be the end-all tool that can help you manage your entire business strategy in a few simple clicks, but it's only half true.

The good news: There are programs that can genuinely help you manage your data and access it in a way that makes sense for your company but only if you know the right questions to ask and the best features that make sense for your company.

In this article, we're going to take a closer look at what knowledge management technology is and what it can do to help you better understand your customers, improve your internal processes, and how to take this technology to your advantage to see real and measurable results.

What is knowledge management technology and how do organizations benefit from it?

A knowledge management system is an IT solution that stores and retrieves information. Creating and developing an efficient KM system aims to enhance comprehension, collaboration, and process alignment to develop better strategies that achieve favorable business outcomes.

Knowledge management can also refer to technologies that allow businesses of all sizes to better organize, share, and capture information in a single platform. Examples include document management systems, content management systems, data warehouses, and customer relationship management (CRM) software.

The benefits of knowledge management technology for businesses can be summed up in three main areas:

• Improved Customer Understanding
• Better Internal Process Alignment
• Measurable Results

Improved Customer Understanding

One of the reasons organizations implement knowledge management systems is to better understand their customers' needs, requirements, and preferences. It also offers companies an in-depth view of how their customers use their products and services. The collected data could then be used to implement necessary adjustments to improve prior offerings or to come up with new ones. Improved customer understanding can also lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Some examples of KM systems that help businesses better understand their customers include:

• Survey software
• Data collection tools for research purposes
• Analytics programs that generate a report of gathered customer data

Better Internal Process Alignment

Another benefit of using knowledge management technology is that it helps improve internal process alignment. This is essential to companies with different departments that need to share critical information easily and conveniently to initiate organizational change or make smarter decisions throughout the entire business process.

For many companies, the primary reason for utilizing such technology is to give managers access to the collective knowledge of data and insights stored in a single platform. While this is true, a KM solution also supports a collaborative learning workplace that enables the easy transition of information across different teams and platforms. In addition, this improved communication also allows for a more streamlined workflow, which leads to increased efficiency and reduced costs.

Some examples of knowledge management solutions that help businesses improve their internal process include project management software, recruitment systems, and training software.

Measurable Results

When different teams can access the right information at the right time, they're better equipped to make quick decisions and avoid unnecessary delays.

A company using a knowledge management system can learn more about their customers and apply those insights to better deliver on customer needs. Consequently, companies can better understand their existing and new customers, improve customer experience, sell more, and ultimately boost their profits.

How can knowledge management technology be used to improve productivity in the workplace?

There are various applications.

As a Research Tool

Employees can use knowledge management technology to increase productivity by using it as a research tool. By having access to all company data and insights in one place, employees can quickly find the information they need without searching through multiple folders or databases across multiple platforms and computers. This also enables managers to create and compile reports more quickly and efficiently.

As a Customer Relationship Management System

Second, employees can use knowledge management solutions by sharing information with each other easily and conveniently. When different teams within an organization have easy access to critical information, they can work more productively together. For example, customer service representatives can leverage this technology to share information with different teams to provide a better customer solution and improve customer success management. Some examples of CRM tools are Microsoft Dynamics 365, Salesforce CRM, and Zoho CRM.

As a Document Management System

When employees have easy access to important company data and insights, they can also identify issues faster, solve problems more easily and mitigate risks before they escalate. As a whole, they do their jobs more effectively without seeking approval or help from other departments. This allows them greater autonomy within the organization so that they can take on more significant projects, which ultimately leads to increased productivity across the board.

As an Intranet

An intranet is a corporate website where employees can access company information, communicate with colleagues, and manage projects. By having a central repository for all critical company data and insights, employees can find the information they need without searching through multiple folders or databases. This saves time and eliminates the risk of losing critical information.

As a Data Warehouse

Data warehouses combine data from various sources into a single, centralized, consistent data repository to aid in data analysis, data mining, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. Extracting information from these repositories allows businesses to extract insights and customer patterns that enable executives to make data-driven decisions.

As a Content Management System

A content management system (CMS) enables businesses to manage digital content creation, editing, publishing, and deletion. A CMS typically provides a user interface and tools that allow non-technical users to create and manage website content without learning how to code. This is beneficial for businesses because it will enable them to update their site without coding skills easily.

As a Collaboration Platform

A collaboration platform allows businesses to easily share information, documents, ideas, and projects with each other online. These platforms are also known as enterprise social networks and enable employees to easily collaborate no matter where they're located or what time zone they live in. For organizations, it provides them the ability to increase employee engagement, retain top talent, and support a hyper-flexible workforce.

As a Decision Support System

A decision support system (DSS) is an interactive computer application that allows users to make better decisions by helping them gather, analyze, and understand data. DSSs are used in various industries, including healthcare, finance, education, and manufacturing. By providing employees with insights and data-driven decision models, businesses can improve their bottom line while reducing risks.

Now that you know more about what KM technology is and what it can do for you, let's understand how to choose the right KM system for your organization.

Building Blocks of a Successful KM Strategy

Before you can even begin to think about choosing a KM system, you need to understand your business goals and objectives clearly. Once you have that in place, you can then start thinking about the specific features and functionality you need to achieve those goals.

With that said, let's take a look at some of the features to consider when evaluating KM systems:

1. Accessibility and Ease of Use:

The interface should be user-friendly and intuitive so that the learning curve is minimal and adoption is quicker. It should also have a cloud storage feature, accessible from any device, whether it's a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Suppose your organization uses a lot of video and PDF files. In that case, you should also make sure that it supports this format or has an option to convert files and documents into searchable text for easier retrieval.

2. Data Integration and Visualization

Ideally, your KM system should have the ability to integrate with your company's existing data sources, including ERP, CRM, and HR systems. This way, you do not need to shell out additional funds for data integration and can get started using the system right away.

The system should also come with built-in reporting and visualization tools to easily see how your company's data is being used and what insights it is providing.

3. Analytics and Reporting

Your KM system should come with built-in analytics and reporting that allow you to see what information is most in demand, which projects are taking up the bulk of your employees' time, and how much money specific departments are spending on outsourced work.

4. Security and Compliance

Make sure that the system you choose has robust security features in place to protect your company's data. It should also be compliant with industry-specific regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR.

5. AI and Machine Learning Capabilities

The development of machine learning capabilities can give your KM system the ability to detect and classify relevant information for you automatically. With machine learning, you can have access to predictive insights and recommendations, which can help you better formulate winning sales and marketing strategies.

In other countries, AI and machine learning are used in the healthcare industry to identify repeat offenders and people with mental health conditions. Over the years, natural language processing (NLP) has also become more accurate, making it the perfect tool for handling unstructured data.

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, believes that AI will be the key to unlocking new opportunities for optimizing business processes, "Much of what we do with machine learning happens beneath the surface. Machine learning drives our algorithms for demand forecasting, product search ranking, product and deals recommendations, merchandising placements, fraud detection, translations, and much more".

Cracking the Code of the Future

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to deciding to invest in a KM system. It depends on your specific business needs and what you hope to achieve with the system. However, by keeping the above features in mind, you'll be well on your way to making an informed decision.

The right KM system will provide business users with the information they need to streamline operations, reduce costs, support faster decision-making, increase employee engagement and productivity while enabling you to adapt quickly in a fast-paced marketplace.  

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In today's knowledge-driven economy, knowledge management is a powerful tool for any business. Knowledge management can help organizations be more efficient and productive by improving their information-sharing practices. However, without the proper tools, implementing this best practice can be inefficient and lead to lower productivity levels.

Knowledge management itself has the potential to benefit organizations in the long run, and it’s only fair that we take a look at the different kinds of technological tools that can help companies acquire and distribute information more effectively across all of their teams.

What is Knowledge Management and How Does it Benefit Businesses?

First off, let’s address the basics of knowledge management. Essentially, it's an organizational process that aims to use information more efficiently by centralizing access to all necessary resources required for success in a digital age where knowledge reigns supreme.

Knowledge management has three main components: sharing knowledge, creating new knowledge, and using existing knowledge effectively. Due to quickly shifting digital and customer landscapes, knowledge management can be difficult for many organizations. However, if you optimize your knowledge management processes, you can improve communication and collaboration among team members, make better decisions faster, and stay ahead of the competition.

Using the right tools is essential for your business to be genuinely effective when implementing new knowledge management strategies.

AI Tools That Advance Knowledge Acquisition and Value

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal when it comes to knowledge management. AI can help you automate knowledge acquisition and make better decisions faster by understanding data and extracting it. It also helps employees avoid mindless, repetitive workflows while relying on automation to expedite processes and improve accuracy. Several different AI tools can be used for this, such as natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and predictive analytics.

Each of these tools has its unique capabilities that can be used to improve knowledge management in businesses.

For example, NLP can help you read and understand the text more effectively. In addition, machine learning can identify patterns in data and predict future outcomes based on past behavior. At the same time, predictive analytics can determine which actions are likely to result in the best outcomes.

When it comes to knowledge management, AI is essential for acquiring and understanding knowledge quickly and efficiently.

Online Visual Tools That Improve Collaboration

Another knowledge management tool that is particularly relevant in today's digital world is online visual tools. Although this knowledge management tool isn't as complicated as AI, it can still improve communication and collaboration among team members by making information more accessible.

There are many different types of online visual tools available. Some examples include:

• Mind mapping software to generate clear, well-organized presentations for key messaging;
• Brainstorming tools like an online whiteboard and sticky note apps that allow team members to collaborate in real-time;
• Diagramming tools that help you to create and share flowcharts, process maps, and network diagrams;
• Photo editing tools that can be used to annotate images with text or symbols to improve communication.

All of these online visual tools are essential for making information more accessible and easy to understand when it comes to knowledge management.

Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing Uses

There are many practical uses for machine learning and NLP in your knowledge management processes. One of the most common examples is using knowledge management to improve customer experiences with chatbots and virtual assistants.

By leveraging machine learning, it's possible to build a more intelligent bot that can understand context, follow up on previous conversations, answer questions accurately without needing too much information upfront, etc. Furthermore, as AI becomes more intelligent over time thanks to machine learning algorithms, your knowledge base will become better at conversing naturally as well.

Using NLP effectively improves knowledge acquisition because the bot doesn't have to ask you repetitive or essential questions. Instead, it can learn from its mistakes and continue improving conversation flow organically over time through trial-and-error. This makes customers happier because they can get the information they need without waiting for a human representative.

In addition to chatbots, machine learning can also be used in other knowledge management processes such as knowledge tagging, data mining, and information retrieval. For example, knowledge tagging can automatically identify and tag important information in documents. Data mining can be used to find trends and insights in large data sets, and information retrieval can help you quickly locate the right piece of information when you need it.

These processes can significantly reduce repetitive tasks and improve knowledge management efficiency.

In Summary

Many different technological tools can be used to improve knowledge management in businesses. Each tool or technology has unique capabilities that can be leveraged to make knowledge acquisition faster, easier, and more accurate.

By incorporating these tools into your knowledge management processes, you can make knowledge acquisition and understanding easier than ever before while continuously supporting the success of your business.

In a rapidly evolving world, we must align with modern digital approaches like VR (Virtual Reality), Big Data, and AI to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. The education sector embraces knowledge management by CoPs (Communities of practice)
to keep abreast with these technological advancements.

Knowledge management is a term that refers to the application of the latest technologies to drive results for organizations like universities. Hence, Communities of Practice proffers an adaptive and evolving avenue for diligent teachers and students to gather together and explore innovative and creative ways to improve the teaching and learning experience.

Systems and Technologies of CoPs

Various technologies and systems are available that assist in Communities of Practice. Non-technological tools are mostly hardware-based, while advanced technologies utilize software systems. Both systems support knowledge collection, processing, and storage. And unite all information into a single piece to share on digital tools that provide and maintain the requirements for networking, communication, collaboration, and socialization.

Various real-time synchronous and interactive tools like web conferencing, audio meetings, instant messaging, chat, instant messaging, and white-boarding provide innovative platforms for communication. Other than synchronous tools, many asynchronous tools like discussion boards, website links, polls, surveys, and group announcements are also available. Both mechanisms gather data and assist in the practice of CoPs in universities.

Knowledge Management and Communities of Practice in Universities

Communities of Practice is a functional knowledge management (KM) practice that aids sharing of valuable knowledge in universities and other educational institutions. Most information in the education sphere is tacit and is tough to enunciate. CoPs act as a carrier for knowledge creation and sharing. The objective of CoP is to develop, extend, and swap useful information among concerned authorities and administration to devise an effective mechanism for educators. 

Due to the compelling and productive outcomes of Communities of Practice in universities, it has become a strategic and expanding tool for crafting the most effective teaching methodologies and learning knowledge. Hence, many academic institutions adopt Communities of Practice to design productive strategies and cope with the technological and diverse changes.

Best Approaches that Capitalize on Communities of Practice

Several tools and technologies are available to expand the scope of CoPs, such as digital platforms and marketplaces that proffer valuable data of both educational institutions and students. Other than digital portals, here are a few best approaches with proven outcomes.

• Analyze information from messaging (email, SMS).
• Gather knowledge from E-learning systems and Teleconferencing facilities.
• Create data charts from social media accounts.
• Automation.
• Survey and Polls.

Employ these approaches to capitalize on KM and Communities of Practice in universities.

Effect of Knowledge Management and CoPs Implementation in Universities

In academic institutions use of Communities of Practice and KM proposes new prospects for teaching methods and learning processes. CoPs furnish powerful and practical models for change and growth in the education sector. KM with a Community of Practice helps in forming a constructive community. It also provides a sense of acceptance, improves cross-discipline, and promotes creativity and innovation. The role of Community of Practice creates a sense of unity among diverse staff and students. Hence, it helps in creating versatile teaching methods and unified classrooms. 

Foundation of CoPs in Universities

Communities of Practice have a foundation of three main components; knowledge, institutions, and practices. The educational sphere consists of schools, colleges, or universities. The psyche comprises inferential and direct information. And CoPs based upon communities, domain, and practice. Altogether these components are interlinked with technology and people, assisting higher education institutions in developing adaptive approaches in diverse classrooms.

The core goal of every education institution around the globe is to utilize KM in designing scalable strategies for improved teaching, administration, well-planned research, and conceptual learning. Therefore, CoPs and KM with modern technologies provide a meaningful platform for every academic institution that supports organizations to adapt and incorporate these frameworks.

The Bottom Line

Educational institutions thrive on KM and Communities of Practice. Personal experiences provide tacit knowledge that represents the staff's values and beliefs. Processing tacit knowledge will give explicit information that facilitates better Communities of Practice through dialogues and social interactions.

It is pertinent to understand that people and technology are the functional aspects of KM and Communities of Practice in universities or any educational setting. Community of Practice and knowledge have undoubtedly specified roles that depict the institutional collaborations such as the teachers, group facilitators/leaders, administrations, and learners. This foundation ensures the knowledge-centered working of the institutions. It is noteworthy that a proper linking of knowledge and CoPs always furnishes profitable results. Therefore, to ensure maximum leverage from these two key players, KM and CoPs employ advanced technologies like Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to gather and process relevant information and craft strategies accordingly. 

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