Solution Overviews » Management » Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management

Author: TechShortcut Staff | Article updated: December 10, 2008

1. Overview

The focus of knowledge management is to collect and share information, like best practices and lessons learned that would help your company operate more efficiently or effectively. The knowledge may represent some of your intellectual capital.

Considerations

How you go about collecting, analyzing and distributing the data depends on your needs. Knowledge management is typically thought of as an internal database, but the knowledgebases can also be shared with customers, suppliers or other parties if it will benefit the business. Because knowledge management is open to interpretation, it can be difficult to distinguish knowledge management from other collaboration applications.

Features

Collect
Capture information that may help the business.
Share
Share the information with anyone that is in a position to help make the company more efficient or effective.
Content & Document Management
Store, track and share content and document files.

Based on the generality of the features above, knowledge management could include a single document, web pages, wikis, blogs, content management applications, document management applications and databases. Two of the relatively new types of applications are described below.

Blog
The term "blog" comes from combining the words "web" and "log". Blogs are usually written by one person and provide expert commentary on whatever subject or focus the writer chooses. Blogs targeted at customers may serve as both knowledge management and marketing because they can boost credibility.
Wiki
You have probably heard of Wikipedia. A wiki is a collaborative website that allows easy updating by anyone with access. The emphasis is on quick collaboration that can be loosely structured.

Implementation Options

1. In-House Knowledge Management	2. Internet Knowledge Management Service
Install the knowledge management server in-house or on your web server. Some applications require client software be installed in addition to server software. You will also need to decide whether you would like to allow users to be able to access the groupware through the Internet to provide anytime anywhere access.	An Internet-based application that requires no installation.

2. Option Comparison

	1. In-House Knowledge Management Software	2. Internet Knowledge Management Service
Requirements	None	Internet connection—preferably DSL, T1 or cable.
Cost Factors	Hardware
	A server	None
	Software
	Knowledge management server software and possibly client software	None
	Labor
	Install, configure & upgrade	Configure
	Services
	None	Usually a monthly fee per user from $5 per month and up
Anywhere Access Show/Hide details Will you need to provide access for users in more than one location?	Possibly, it depends on the software	Yes
Electronic Backup & Archiving Included	No	Yes

3. Next Steps

	1. In-House Knowledge Management Software	2. Internet Knowledge Management Service
Recommendations	Use when you have the desire and resources to administer the knowledge management solution or when Internet access is not a priority.	Use when collaboration and mobility is key.
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Examples of Products and Services These are not endorsements, simply some product or service names we encountered in our research to get you started finding your best fit.	General IBM Lotus Quickr Microsoft Sharepoint Blog WordPress¹ Wiki MediaWiki¹ ¹ Offers a free version	General BrainKeeper Google Sites¹ HyperOffice¹ Microsoft Sharepoint Online Blog Google Blogger Six Apart Vox¹ Type Pad WordPress Wiki PBwiki¹ Wikispaces¹ Zoho Wiki¹ ¹ Offers a free version