Knowledge management is an exciting career field for people who are looking to get into an industry which has a promising future and opportunities for career growth in the future. Knowledge management as a career path has become more popular in the 21st century simply because there is more knowledge to manage in this day and age. The amount of data and information which is swirling around the international data stratosphere is astronomical and needs to be managed in the day to day. Because knowledge management is a burgeoning career, there are many new opportunities which were not available until very recently.

What actually is knowledge management?

Knowledge management is known as the elongated process of curating and maintaining the exploitation of data and information (and the assets they provide). This process is done, and results are achieved for a singular organisation’s sole benefit. A lot of people who are involved in business operations and management processes are knowledge management involved professionals and might not actually realise it. For example, if you have been involved in a business acquisition, the dissemination of crude information, or other processes involving data management; you may be a knowledge management professional already.

Knowledge management is in a similar category to data and content managing careers with one simple but crucial difference; it is a lot more strategy driven. Knowledge management careers treat knowledge, data, and information as an ‘asset’, like you would treat a person, place, or piece of equipment. This important asset is now treated as crucial and something that must be consistently monitored, maintained, and curated for maximum use or benefit. Rebecca Moran, a business writer at Boomessays review and Ukservicesreviews, commented, “Knowledge management is often defined as the constant curation and application of proven methodology used to obtain and maintain knowledge, drive innovative processes, and assist an organisation in driving standards and performance up in tandem.” Without knowledge management, organisations become stale and irrelevant, quickly falling out with public favour and disseminating themselves through ignorance; piece by piece. 

So What Career Options are There in Knowledge Management?

Knowledge Assistant Role

A knowledge assistant role is primarily in charge of developing and maintaining support systems for knowledge management. Their primary responsibility is to develop tools such as training information and data analysis tools to assist knowledge management professionals in their roles and responsibilities. This is a stepping stone on the knowledge management ladder.

Knowledge Management Professional

This is the most senior role for someone in the knowledge management industry, and the normal ‘high point’ in someone’s career who has been pursuing this avenue of business for their whole career. This role involves a lot of people management of those underneath them who are managing the hands on activities of data and information management and curating the exploitation of this information.

Systems Analyst or Manager

This role is more involved in the technical aspect of knowledge and information management and requires more technical skills and prior education. This involves mainly development and maintenance of systems and security in the process.

Chief Knowledge Strategy Manager

This crucial role is solely in charge of the management of functions which surround knowledge management. Though this role involves some people management as well, it mostly concerns itself with data and information management. “This position is crucial in larger businesses because of the depth and breadth of the knowledge management which occurs in larger organisations. The person in this role is responsible for the direction of knowledge management processes in an organisation” says Courtney Sapien, a recruiter at Big Assignments and Academ advisor.

Director of Knowledge Management

The person in this role works at an executive level, usually in larger more spanning organisations involved in data and information management. This role focuses more on the financial and business operation processes which revolve around knowledge management, rather than the crude works of knowledge management and its process specifically. 

Chief Knowledge Officer in Charge

This role is found again in bigger organisations who require multiple people to be involved and in charge of knowledge management, and so this befits a large salary for the span of work it is involved in. This role is dedicated entirely to ensuring knowledge management processes go off without a hitch.

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Knowledge management is a complex model and has the ability to grow and change over periods of extensive stress and adjustment. People in business and company executives should be constantly aware of knowledge management due to the power that it holds in the modern business world. When examining the three-step process of knowledge management; it is important to look at and consider all three steps. The three steps are knowledge accumulation, integration, and finally, reconfiguration. This process is known for its natural ability to promote strategy and practicality over all else; simply because it is oriented around due process. It is also more practical and easier to apply than many other processes of its kind.

These three segments may seem complex if you just look at their names, but they are relatively simple to carry out and understand. This model for managing knowledge reflects a more strategic and practical perspective, as it is process-oriented and most applicable for leading organizations. Knowledge accumulation coupled with integration and reconfiguration ensures that this actually helps companies exchange knowledge to overcome challenging situations in the time of COVID-19. In this specific knowledge management model, organisational knowledge comes first. This is gathered and kept by the creation of fresh knowledge which is in turn collected from ‘intellectual capital’.  It is also collated by acquiring it from outside environments. This process, in turn, can allow those high up in the business to develop and understand the operation of a workplace which is effective. It can be effective in the following ways:

• The company can gather knowledge surrounding fresh products and service in their relevant industry.
• Company performance can be quote on quote ‘benchmarked’ alongside relevant competitors in the industry.
• The gathered feedback can be utilised to improve overall business performance.
• Teams can be used to manage, allocate, and understand resources.
• Training and education courses and programmed can be created and curated throughout this stage.
• Recruitment programmes and career pathways can be curated throughout this.
• Organisational events can be created

If we move to the second point, knowledge can be slowly combined into this process, which enhances the productivity and workings of the process as a whole. Emma Louise, a marketing manager at Draftbeyond and Lastminutewriting, noted that, “Systems within the organisation will improve as this knowledge is integrated internally, and various processes will become more efficient over time.” This process will causes those who are higher up in the business to develop the workplace below them to be effective in the following ways:

• Keeping an eye on organisational knowledge as a whole to keep products and services in line with the relevant regulations.
• The consistent assessment of knowledge within the industries and other requirements to keep up with the industry.
• Connecting shared knowledge within the business to improve other areas in the organisation as a whole.
• Understanding and portraying which areas of the business are crucial knowledge and competence areas, and which are not.
• Working with industry ‘experts’ to understand which areas of the business are working and which areas need work.

Lastly, the previously aforementioned knowledge in organisations must be constantly changed, adjusted, and re-shaped to fit the changing environment around the business. Although it would be nice if everything simply always stayed the same, that is not realistic! Lewis Kirby, a business writer at Writinity and Researchpapersuk, noted that, “The world is changing every day, and the business world more than most. No environment has changed as quickly as COVID-19, making this even more important during this period of time for businesses.” During this stage, the knowledge collected by organisations should be kept within the business and used to improve standing in relation to other competitors. Doing this will assists executive business people in developing their workplaces to be more effective in the below areas:

• Curating knowledgeable and educated partnerships with other members of their industries, in any stage.
• Sharing business goals and ideals with partners outside of the business to curate profitable and ideal partnerships.
• Growing and relating knowledge policies to be more than they are, and increasing them by the day.
• Connecting the systems of sharing knowledge and other shared processes with the relevant partners and people.
• Creating opportunities for connections such as big conferences, shared activities, and other ways for people to share knowledge more informally.

This piece has informally introduced a piece of business knowledge that has always been around but has not become as crucially relevant to business operation until very recently, when COVID-19 hit the world like a rock. Crises like this one change the course of history, and they change the way businesses operate, especially when it comes to the management and procurement of knowledge.

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Companies want their employees to be up-to-date on the going-ons in their businesses. That’s why companies are turning to useful knowledge management software, so that employees can access and acknowledge what’s going on, on a day-to-day basis. Should anything change within the company, employees will know right away.

These days, knowledge management software can come as a self-serve tool that people can use to look up, maintain, and update information, so that others (i.e., customers) can find the right answers at the right times without delay. Thus, companies can focus on productivity, while helping people with inquiries.

With that said, here are 5 great examples of knowledge management tools:

1. Vend

“Vend takes a user-centered design approach when it comes to knowledge management,” says Chyna Sanders, a writer at Write My X and 1Day2Write. “The software shows you the most popular content at the top, while surrounding it with product areas, so that users can easily navigation through it, and user filters to narrow down options. This allows management agents to act as knowledge managers, meaning that they can create and maintain content in the software with Knowledge Centered Service. By maintaining and updating content, agents can meet customer needs and improve in any areas that everyone sees fit.”

2. Amazon

You heard right!

The online retail giant has evolved into providing its own products and services, including knowledge management. The solutions it provides comes from its state-of-the-art customer service and products to make information more accessible to users.

In hindsight, Amazon’s knowledge management solutions can do the following:

• Create accurate shift management
• Evaluate knowledge management processes
• Provide chats/message details
• Project file configuration, etc.

Amazon realizes that competitive markets call for better business analysis and effective strategies. With its solutions in knowledge management, business knowledge and performance are enhanced.

3. Spartan Race

Spartan Race is another knowledge management resource that’s customer-centric, and provides a self-serve format for users. Since there’s no one way to enhance customer relationships, this knowledge base aligns customer needs with true company success. By understanding customer needs, companies get a glimpse of the people and groups that need to served, and how they can go about it to enhance customer relationships.

All of this is possible, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). AI ensures that frequently asked questions are accumulated and archived, so that users can refer back to them in the future. Also, customers can interact with Answer Bot, a live chat bot that not only answers inquiries, but also helps companies improve help center articles while putting customers first.

4. RStudio

“RStudio is a knowledge management program that’s more community-centered than individually-based,” says Bridgette Taylor, a business blogger at PhD Kingdom and Britstudent. “In this case, people in a community can post and answer questions. It also has a database where people can refer to common issues and requests that have previously been posted. As such, this software is about learning resources and training in the knowledge management sphere. From data encryption to backup scheduling to web access and restoration, RStudio is open source in essence, while being a knowledge management tool.”

5. Canva

Finally, Canva takes plating and presenting a creation to a new level. This graphic design platform lets you create an effective knowledge management interface by letting you design your help center. Even if you’re not an avid graphic designer, Canva also has some great tools for novice designers.

You can also make a “Contact us” section that customers can see and interact with in the help center design. Plus, clean graphics from Canva allow for easy implementation of a frequently-asked-questions spot.

Conclusion

Ultimately, companies will rely more and more on knowledge management solutions, so that their customers are satisfied with their experiences when interacting with them. If there’s a concern, then companies must be ready to address it.

While the above 5 examples are just a few, when describing the effects of knowledge management, it’s important to note that this form of company mission is – and should always be – one of the top priorities of all businesses. In other words, by putting customers first, companies are being trusted authorities of a product, niche, service, etc. With the right knowledge, as well as enough of it, customers are more likely to turn to you for more information.

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Knowledge management is the practice of creating, capturing, storing, and making accessible all the information that helps an organization achieve its directives. The resulting knowledge base then becomes a priceless resource to people at every layer in the management structure. At least it will if there’s a disciplined approach. A good approach to knowledge management should be rules-based, so the following is accomplished:

●      Destruction of information silos.

●      New knowledge is propagated across the organization.

●      Processes are maintained and created according to up-to-date information.

●      Your team can relate to customers by using a clear and accurate understanding of their needs.

●      Recently hired, promoted, or transferred employees are onboarded properly.

Ultimately, a variety of people will be using and contributing to your knowledge base. Without some rules, things will become chaotic. Here are the steps you’ll want to follow for creating and maintaining your knowledge management system. Each action item is accompanied by a rule to ensure the step can be executed successfully.

1.   Identify Your Objectives

What is it that you want to accomplish with knowledge management? Imagine that your efforts are flawless, and you get everything that you want. What would the results be? They might include:

●      Ensuring that knowledge stays with the company despite personnel or organizational changes.

●      Empowering customer service agents to quickly provide accurate advice and insights.

●      Reduce turnover due to frustration over poor onboarding and training.

●      Identify inconsistencies in information across the organization.

●      Provide stakeholders with the opportunity to share or request information from all business areas.

●      Improve productivity, reduce errors, and increase efficiencies.

●      Eliminate redundancies.

Rule: All knowledge management changes should directly reflect an established business goal.

2.   Get Management Educated And on Board

An information base is only valuable if it is used, and if the people who have the knowledge are willing to share it. If managers don’t see the value in it or understand how it works, you are sunk. Not only that, but it is the managers who know where the existing information is. You need them to adopt knowledge management and to encourage their team members to do the same.

Rule: Managers must undergo training to ensure they have a full understanding of the knowledge management process and its benefits. They must also facilitate sharing of knowledge from their business area to others.

3.   Audit Your Current Knowledge Base

Even if your company is entirely new to the concept of knowledge management, you likely have something of a knowledge base already. Now that you have management on board, you’ll need to rely on them to conduct a current state analysis. You want to know what information exists, how it’s being used, and whether it’s accurate. Here’s a list of questions you might propose:

●      Where are your user manuals, policies, and other documents located?

●      When were they last modified?

●      Where do you obtain information to assist customers, employees, or other departments?

●      How do you request information from other business areas?

●      Are there roadblocks to getting the information you need?

●      What intrinsic knowledge exists within your department?

●      What are the gaps in understanding you see in other business areas?

Rule: An initial audit is important to understand the current state. However, that will need to be repeated over time to ensure the integrity of knowledge.

4.   Build And Organize The Knowledge Base

You may discover that the initial efforts to put together a knowledge management system are less about creating new repositories of information, and more about centralizing existing ones. Using the information gathered during the audit, it’s time to make some decisions about the design of the knowledge base, how it will be centralized, and the means that people will use to search it for information.

An essential part of this process is ensuring that information is communicated clearly and effectively. Readability is key. Consider the fact that the base understanding of the people who originally create or acquire knowledge may not be the same as that of other departments. Writing quality may not be up to par either. It may be worthwhile to use a business or technical writer from Essay Republic to ensure that all knowledge base documents are accurate and easy to read.

Rule: The way that information is organized, and its accessibility are as important as the information itself. Steps must be taken to assure anyone who needs to access company knowledge is able too easily.

5.   Provide Appropriate Training to Team Members

The purpose of a knowledge base is to create a centralized place where information can be accessed to allow for better problem-solving, customer service, and efficiency. This only works if employees know this exists and how to use it. They must also understand their role in the maintenance of company knowledge.

Rule: Knowledge is a company asset that must be shared by employees. To do this, adequate training must be provided by department heads.

6.   Create a Plan For Adding to And Updating The Knowledge Management System

Knowledge is never stagnant. There is information that is part of a company’s repository of knowledge that will become outdated and incorrect. New knowledge is being constantly acquired from a wide range of sources within the organization. There must be a way to facilitate adding and updating information.

On the other hand, the process for doing this must be disciplined. If not, the potential for disseminating bad or contradicting information is too great. There should be a formal process of submitting new information, along with a clear approval process.

Rule: Everyone within the organization can contribute to the company’s knowledge repository. A formal approval process will ensure that all information is accurate and consistent.

Final Thoughts

There is nothing more important to any organization than its knowledge. This is the information used to make products or deliver services. It ensures that customers are given accurate service and that employees know how to handle the challenges they encounter. With knowledge management, all the different types of understanding within the organization can be appropriately captured, organized, and accessed.

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Search engineers work day and night to improve algorithms with one purpose - providing the most relevant information to searchers easily. It’s not about ranking websites or penalizing spam. Those are important processes, but they are just a part of a large task system active non-stop to offer results in half a second or less.

But your position as a part of the World Wide Web is slightly different. Yes, you want to provide relevant info to target audiences. Yes, you want to offer value for their attention, money, subscription, etc.

However, to get there, you need that ranking. And catering to an engine that doesn’t have the same purpose might be hard. That’s why SEO or search engine optimization was created. And it’s not just inserting a keyword or two in your text on the main page anymore.

The more difficult algorithms become, the harder your SEO team should work to accommodate the changes.

That’s where knowledge management enters the game.

The Importance of Knowledge Management

You know that KM is a complex system of actions and processes aimed at the proper distribution of knowledge throughout a company. Did your marketing team find out an inconsistency in your campaign? How long does it take for the content-makers to get that information?

Is there a database where different departments can find info for their research? How well do your teams communicate?

Ask a business person to answer all these questions honestly, and they will find out whether their teams need more KM adjustments, including:

●      Creation - proper form of knowledge, convenient for different people to comprehend;

●      Sharing - a system or database where every key worker has access to;

●      Using - the ability to ask questions about the info and using it properly for the goal of the department and the company;

●      Management - timely update of the data with notifications.

Digital Knowledge Management and SEO: The Correlation

It’s meaningless to highlight the SEO advantages for business because it’s the most important thing in your online presence. While high-quality content and media are must-dos, without proper optimization they won’t work.

Here are some things to think about when managing SEO knowledge within a company.

What Knowledge Should Be Managed SEO-Wise?

The SEO knowledge isn’t limited to finding keywords and using them properly. Adjusting for voice search and other IoT factors, avoiding blocks of content by large media content on the main page, and many other tips must be included.

The following simple explanations will help you focus on the right track.

1. Backlink Profile

One of the most important factors in SEO is a proper backlink profile. Getting high-quality links should be one of your top priorities. You can get them yourself, but the process requires a lot of time and negotiation. A professional team of the Adsy.com guest posting service can get you top-notch links from UK, USA sources, as well as those from other countries.

Having a pro team backing you up at all times, doing damage control to the backlink profile of your site is a life-changer.

2. Voice Search Optimization

The different SEO tools you have to mention in the base include voice search optimization.

The way people write requests and say them out loud differs. Your company has to be one of the first options on the list in both cases. When asking about the weather, the person needs a clear, concise answer. When doing so about your industry, niche, or company, you need the same result.

3. SEO Inclusivity in All Forms of Online Presence

Proper SEO management needs to be present on:

●      Your main website;

●      All social media accounts;

●      Third-party services that write articles about you;

●      The services that have even brief mentions with backlinks;

●      Google reviews;

●      Yelp reviews;

●      Blogs;

●      Partner websites;

●      Mentions by key team members, etc.

The footprint of the company online may be larger than you think. Knowledge management tools and software will help adjust that.

4. SEO Consistency

Inconsistent data about your company on any source, starting from the official website and finishing with the smallest mention on a third-party source, damage your reputation.

When you don’t update your address, emails, staff information, people see that you lack digital knowledge management. When someone online misspells your name in a backlink and you miss it, the consequences may not be pleasant as well. Don’t allow your company to seem sloppy online. Because being neat on the Internet is as important now as having a clean brand office.

5. Timely SEO Updates in the Knowledge Base

SEO last year and SEO now are two different things. You may have a base with all the knowledge about the last updates in the field. However, updating it regularly and triggering the process of accommodation in all teams of the company is crucial.

Along with proper knowledge base marketing tactics, you’ll achieve the best results in both ways: KM and SEO. Investing time and effort in creating smart snippets for your company, FAQs for visitors to see that you’re a knowledge leader in the market, and other seemingly small adjustments will show results in a very short time.

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