A Complete Guide to Knowledge Management Tools
Knowledge management tools are introduced for the purpose of effectively collecting, sharing, and utilizing information such as knowledge, skills, and experience possessed by organizations and individuals. Many companies have released a variety of tools suitable for knowledge management, and many people may be confused about what criteria should be used to select a tool.
In this article, we will explain how to select a knowledge management tool and the key points to utilize the tool after its introduction. Please refer to this article when considering the introduction of a knowledge management tool.
What is Knowledge Management?
Knowledge management (KM) refers to a series of processes in which knowledge, experience, and know-how possessed by individuals in a company or organization are aggregated and shared, and utilized to improve organizational capabilities.
Knowledge possessed by a company or organization can be divided into two types: tacit knowledge, which is acquired by individuals through their work (tacit knowledge), and objective knowledge, which is verbalized and documented so that anyone in the company can understand it and share it with the organization (formal knowledge).
In knowledge management, it is important to convert tacit knowledge into formal knowledge, which can then be shared and utilized.
The SECI Model, a method of knowledge management
The SECI (SECI) Model is a typical framework for knowledge management. It is divided into four major steps.
Socialization: Process of transferring tacit knowledge through shared experiences.
Externalization: Process of verbalizing individual tacit knowledge and sharing it among members.
Combination: Process of creating new knowledge by combining expressed formal knowledge.
Internalization: Process of acquiring new formal knowledge as tacit knowledge
When working on the SECI model, the key to success is to cycle through the four steps.
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Advantages of Implementing Knowledge Management Tools
The two main benefits of implementing a knowledge management tool are to "improve operational efficiency" and "prevent the creation of a workforce that belongs to a particular organization. Communication and knowledge sharing within the organization will be facilitated, which is expected to improve productivity and achieve sustainable growth. Let's review the two benefits below.
Improved operational efficiency
In terms of streamlining knowledge management operations, the following benefits can be achieved
Improved searchability: Access to the database makes it easier to retrieve necessary information and reduces work time.
Avoid duplicate work: It is possible to check if information already exists, thus preventing duplicate registration and updating of information.
Enhance teamwork: Information can be easily shared and collaborated. When multiple members are involved in the same project, immediate sharing of information and exchange of opinions and ideas improves teamwork and enables efficient work execution.
Prevention of impersonalization
The introduction of knowledge management tools enables the sharing of high-level information, such as the wealth of experience and skills possessed by individuals, and provides the following benefits in terms of preventing the creation of a "workforce of one".
Prevention of loss of knowledge: Know-how is not lost in the event of employee transfers or retirements.
Visualization of operations: Tacit knowledge acquired by individuals through their senses is verbalized, and the work flow is clarified, leading to the sharing of knowledge and the development of a management system.
Raising the level of the entire organization: By having other employees learn how veteran employees and excellent employees work, it is possible to raise the level of knowledge and skills of the entire organization.
If the work can be visualized by eliminating the need for individualization, it will also help prevent mistakes and problems in the workplace.
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Types of Knowledge Management Tools
Knowledge management tools aggregate and systematize information such as knowledge, skills, and experience within organizations and individuals to build a database. They can be categorized into the following four main types according to their functions and applications.
Help desk (FAQ) type
This is a type of tool that provides a systematic and easy-to-understand compilation of frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) to self-resolve inquiries from both internal and external users. This type of tool is deployed to quickly access work procedures and related knowledge in an organization, such as customer support and helpdesk team user support.
Document management (file sharing) type
Used to share, organize, and search documents and files within an organization. By implementing a tool that not only allows documents to be uploaded and shared, but also provides management functions such as access restrictions and updated information, information sharing within an organization can be made more efficient.
Mining and search-specific
This type of tool is designed to extract valuable information from large amounts of data and documents for quick retrieval. It utilizes text management and machine learning techniques to help identify patterns in documents and find relevant information. It is used as a search engine for internal use, for example, to gather information.
Knowledge sharing (groupware) type
These tools are used to effectively share knowledge and information possessed by individuals within an organization and promote collaboration. It typically combines groupware functions (group chat, messaging such as bulletin boards, file sharing, task management, etc.) and helps improve team productivity.
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Criteria for Selecting a Knowledge Management Tool
Now that we have reviewed the different types of knowledge management tools, what points should we focus on when considering their introduction? The following seven points are also important, rather than selecting a tool based solely on price or functionality.
1. Clarification of objectives and requirements
Before selecting a tool, it is important to first clarify the purpose of use and requirements. Establish the criteria for selecting the best tool by clarifying what issues the organization wants to solve, for what purpose the tool will be introduced, and what requirements are necessary to meet the objectives.
2. Is the tool user-friendly?
By choosing a tool that is easy for users to use, the knowledge and information possessed by individuals and organizations will be easier to share. Check to see if the interface is intuitive, if it is easy to register, update, and view without specialized knowledge, and if the search function is easy to use. Taking advantage of free trial periods and demonstrations, as well as reviews by existing users, can also be helpful.
3. Customization and expandability
Considering mid- to long-term operation, it is also important to check whether the tool can be customized to meet the needs of the organization and whether it is scalable to add functions. Make sure the tool is flexible and can adapt to your organization's unique processes and workflows.
4. Mobile compatibility and access in offline environments
In today's business environment, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets play an important role in addition to PCs. Make sure your website is mobile device-compatible so that users can check information and perform registration work outside the office, such as when traveling or at home while working remotely. If the tool has a mobile app or responsive design, users can access it anytime, anywhere. Access in offline environments is also important. Make sure that information can be accessed even when not connected to a network.
5. Strong Security
Information collected and shared by knowledge management tools may include confidential information and is an important information asset for the company. It is necessary to hedge against threats such as information leaks due to unauthorized access. Be sure to check the security of the tools you are considering to introduce.
6. Post-implementation support (customer success)
Even after a knowledge management tool is introduced, it is important to provide ongoing support to ensure effective use of the tool. One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a tool is whether the provider offers a customer success (CS) program, which provides support to help companies get the most out of the tool, such as introduction support by CS staff, operation training, periodic updates, and technical support. Make sure that you are getting the most out of the tool. This will promote knowledge sharing and effective communication and collaboration within the organization.
7. Evaluate the cost of use and cost-effectiveness
When selecting a knowledge management tool, it is also important to measure the cost of use and cost-effectiveness. It is a good idea to understand the costs of implementation and operation, including initial costs and usage fees at the time of implementation, additional costs for customization and customer support, and maintenance costs. For evaluating cost-effectiveness, we recommend using the following indicators to measure and compare numerical changes before and after implementation.
Changes in time and resources spent on information sharing and problem solving
Changes in the time it takes to perform a specific task or process
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Points to Consider When Using Knowledge Management Tools
Next, we will take a closer look at points to keep in mind when using knowledge management tools. The following four points will help you make effective use of the tool.
1. Set the purpose of using knowledge management tools
As mentioned in Chapter 4, "Criteria for Selecting a Knowledge Management Tool," the first step is to set the purpose of utilization. This is an important step to clarify what information will be shared among employees and how the tool will be used. The point is to set them from the user's perspective. By setting specific objectives, such as "to improve operational efficiency," "to facilitate the progress of new projects," or "to streamline the training of new employees," it becomes clear how the tool will be used and what information needs to be shared.
2. Clarify the knowledge to be shared
Once the purpose of using the tool is established, the knowledge to be shared will also become clear. For example, technical knowledge, business manuals, internal training materials, market trends, etc., should be determined. Once the knowledge to be shared is determined, "how to share it" is also a key point in its utilization. Specifically, the following three methods can be used.
Summarize in FAQ format
Improve searchability to make it easier to find knowledge
Utilize chat and bulletin boards within the tool
The best method for sharing knowledge varies depending on the purpose of use and the level of employees who use the tool. The best sharing method should be selected while taking into account the opinions of users.
3. Create a mechanism to incorporate knowledge management tools into business operations.
Effective use of tools requires a clear mechanism for incorporating them into daily operations. It is necessary to create a mechanism for sharing and utilizing knowledge by setting a schedule for regular information updates and revisions, conducting in-house training to improve skills in tool use, and incorporating tools step by step according to actual operations.
4. Improvement and streamlining of work flow
By using tools to document workflow and visualize processes, it is possible to identify bottlenecks and find ways to improve efficiency. By utilizing workflow management and task management functions, it will also be possible to make necessary adjustments and prioritize tasks while keeping track of work progress, leading to improved productivity and competitiveness of the entire organization.
In addition, data will be accumulated through the operation of the tool. Practice the "PDCA cycle," in which improvement plans are created from hypotheses built based on the data, and after implementation, the next improvement plan is considered while looking back on what could and could not be improved.
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Make Effective Use of Knowledge Management Tools
This article explains how to select and utilize a knowledge management tool. Ideally, you should choose a tool based on key points, such as clarifying the purpose of introducing the tool to your organization, whether it is easy for anyone who wants to use it to use it, and whether it provides appropriate support so that it will take root after introduction.
We recommend "learningBOX" as one of the best tools for knowledge management. learningBOX, an e-learning system, has a complete set of functions for creating and distributing teaching materials, managing grades, and managing students. We recommend that anyone can easily build a web-based learning environment.
Furthermore, when combined with "learningBOX ON," to which a wide variety of training content can be added, original teaching materials can be designed and the scope of knowledge sharing will be further expanded. For your knowledge management measures, we encourage you to use this convenient service for in-house production of training content creation.
With learningBOX's free plan, you can use up to 10 accounts for free. Please feel free to try it first.
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