Take Measured Steps to Manage Knowledge

Listen to two executives’ perspectives on knowledge management best practices.

The growth of big data presents organizations with both challenges and opportunities. Companies that practice effective knowledge management have learned how to extract, store, organize, and maintain knowledge so that their employees can discover and access the information they need to perform their work efficiently.

CTDO  recently asked two knowledge management experts to describe best practices that companies can adopt to improve the flow and application of information in the workplace.

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Liz Herman is the director of knowledge management for Senture. She has practiced knowledge management and program management for more than 25 years in the healthcare and education industries.

She points out that many organizations initially approach knowledge management with great zeal. They explore technology upgrades and brainstorm new processes for documenting and curating institutional information.

But that enthusiasm tends to wane after launch. Herman says it’s essential for organizations to have maintenance procedures and guidelines in place for keeping knowledge up to date and accessible, as well as the proper funding to support knowledge management for the long haul.

Stan Garfield is a knowledge management author, speaker, and community leader. He has worked in the field of knowledge management for 24 years and spent eight years at Deloitte leading communities and enterprise social networking. 

He warns against taking a part-time approach to knowledge management. He notes that many organizations ask someone who already has a primary role elsewhere to tackle knowledge management as an additional responsibility. Although success in this area doesn’t require a large team, Garfield says that at least one person needs to be dedicated full time to manage knowledge management efforts.

Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.

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