Learn how to build a knowledge base that makes your projects and your company more successful. We show you what you need to pay attention to when setting up a knowledge base. How to successfully place knowledge management in your company and who will help you doing so.
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How to built a knowledge base that leads you to success.
What is a knowledge base or knowledge database?
A knowledge database, also called a knowledge base, is a digital collection of knowledge. In terms of content, the knowledge base focuses on a concrete topic, a specific project or a company. The knowledge is stored electronically, usually in written form. However, you can also feed your knowledge base with video or audio files. You are supported by the right knowledge management software.
Building a knowledge base: Why a knowledge base is worthwhile for companies and projects
A knowledge base is the cornerstone for successful knowledge management and thus for securing knowledge. This brings a multitude of advantages for your company, your team or your project.
Knowledge base: Set your goals
Set clear goals for your project before you start your knowledge base. It is best to define these goals together with your team. You can only build a good knowledge base if everyone pulls together. Use the following questions as a guide:
What do we want to achieve?
The goal of knowledge management is to make your personal and external knowledge usable. Use your knowledge base for example:
to preserve creative ideas, valuable impulses from outside and experiential knowledge from the minds of the employees and to make them usable for all users.
to be automatically up to date and to check all content for quality and relevance.
to summarise your knowledge for others, structure it thematically and to find it again quickly at any time.
to reference and store knowledge and make it available to your team, your department or your company in a targeted way.
to train new employees in a digital, modern and relaxed way.
This is an important strategic decision that should be shared by all users. Would you like to learn how to turn knowledge into a productive force? Then take a look at our white paper.
Which knowledge fits your project?
Think carefully about what knowledge you want to store before you build your knowledge base. It should be in the context of your project. Make sure that the knowledge you store is trustworthy and the content is of high quality. This way you avoid data waste and information overflow for the users. Otherwise you can directly create the next impenetrable archive folder.
How will you store the knowledge?
Create a structure for your filing system. Summarise relevant knowledge in a thematically meaningful way. For example, use reference books that provide an overview of several topics. Make sure that your knowledge base is easy to navigate. Enable users to find answers to their questions as quickly as possible. Search functions and glossaries with explanations of terms are useful for this.
In addition to structure, it is helpful to include content that is varied and easy to absorb. Besides text articles and PDFs, you can include presentations, pictures, tables, videos, (construction) drawings, ideas, discussion contributions or even audio files. When choosing a suitable knowledge base software, pay attention to these possibilities.
5 tips for a successful knowledge base
Don't forget the experience!
Most knowledge bases only map so-called "explicit knowledge". This is documented knowledge, such as legal texts, technical books and articles, protocols, reports or even entire websites. But what about the experiential knowledge of employees?
Create the possibility to include " implicit knowledge", i.e. experiences, opinions and ideas, in your knowledge base. This way you can achieve your business goals faster, make your projects more successful and your employees more satisfied in the long run. It also ensures the continuity of the company through continuous development and creates trust among employees, who then want to work with the knowledge management system voluntarily.
Summarize the complex knowledge
If you want to build a good knowledge base, it is inevitable to store complex tasks and documents. Especially when it comes to innovation projects or customer projects. It costs you and your employees a lot of time to sift through them.
Summarise texts and make relevant information available to your team. This way you and your team save valuable resources. Instead of duplicating work that does not add value, you have more time for the content of the project.
All knowledge has an owner
Not all content in your knowledge base is for everyone's eyes. Protect sensitive data from unauthorised access. Give users the ability to determine who can see their knowledge. Allow them to make knowledge completely private. For example, for personal notes or unfinished content.
Share knowledge at different levels. Make the sensitive financial report available only to management and accounting. Make the excerpt from the Supply Chain Act visible to everyone so that your entire team is well informed.
Regular maintenance
Don't let the knowledge in your knowledge base gather dust. Maintain and update the knowledge base regularly. The best way to do this is through links, which are automatically up-to-date, or by permanently working in the system and keeping the data up to date. Check the data for relevance and quality before you store it. This way you get the most up-to-date, informative and highest quality database.
An editorial process offers you further possibilities to keep the knowledge database free of data rubbish and false information. The responsible editors check the content before it is released. This is how you ensure that the knowledge complies with the defined standards. Good knowledge management tools simplify and support this process.
With AI to success
What sounds like futuristic robots or complicated IT jargon makes your knowledge work easier, more efficient and more effective. All you need is the right software. With AI-supported searches and semantic networks, you are guaranteed to find the right answers to your questions.
Knowledge base: It's better together!
To make a knowledge base successful, everyone in your team has to work together. So far, so clear. How about involving even more people and their knowledge? Work together with your customers, suppliers and consultants on a common knowledge base. This way you will benefit from a faster knowledge transfer, a broad experience and new impulses for your project.
When choosing your knowledge management tool, make sure that your knowledge database can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The best solution is an intelligent cloud solution such as CBA Compendio. This way you can work on your project with your colleagues wherever you are.
If you start your knowledge base from scratch, the task may seem overwhelming. Get external help for your project: External consultants, trained knowledge managers or universities. They will help you create a structured foundation for your knowledge base. Then develop it further with your project team.
Conclusion: How to build the perfect knowledge base
Define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your knowledge base?
️Make the knowledge usable. Decide strategically how you can achieve this.
Integrate the experiences and ideas of your staff and partners.
Summarise complex content in an understandable way. Concentrate on the points that are relevant to your goal.
Protect confidential information with a sharing policy.
Pay attention to the quality and relevance of your saved knowledge. An editorial process and the right software support you.
Find a good knowledge management system that works cross-company and in the cloud.
Let the experts help you with your project.
Do you want your own knowledge base and are still looking for the right software? We consult you on your knowledge management project and show you how to make your knowledge usable. Arrange a free consultation now:
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