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What are the fundamentals of knowledge management?

by | Feb 27, 2020

Knowledge in an organization is more important than ever because it connects directly to how employees communicate and get work done. Yet, how do you manage knowledge in your workplace?

The use of technology matters in bringing smart knowledge management to the forefront of your company. Technology, like artificial intelligence, plays a big role in the kind of fundamentals you can utilize to make knowledge management more efficient.

To get to the heart of knowledge management fundamentals, you have to look at the tools you have available. You may have to invest in new technology if the tools you already have are not helping your team do their best work.

Modern tools can range from AI-powered chatbots to more intelligent databases built from the ground up on machine learning. Thanks to advancements in AI, these tools can help you work more efficiently.First, let’s look at how you can begin to improve knowledge management through one particular source: Creating a knowledge base.

How does a knowledge base work?

A knowledge base in your company is like a reservoir of information new and established employees can turn to when needed. Knowledge isn’t always in one place and can rely on multiple sources. But, having one platform organizing everything for individual purposes is a new essential.

With the use of AI, the technology consumes information acquired during interactions with employees and customers. This works best through chatbots that use machine learning. As the AI continues to learn from textual conversations, it becomes smarter and understands how to answer questions from employees and customers.The knowledge is organized and stored in your company knowledge base forever. When a new hire needs to get a question answered, the knowledge base is there to provide an educated response.

Allowing the AI to provide answers to repetitive questions frees up your human employees, who may be too busy to answer. Plus, it allows them to focus on tasks that require higher level thinking.

How do you access more expansive knowledge?

Not all knowledge has to come from chatbots. Your employees should be able to access information on complex subjects through any type of software they’re using.

Making this easier is our CoPilot Console. It works on multiple levels, with the main purpose being that anyone can get a question answered through artificial intelligence.

You can start by using CoPilot for inbound queries coming from new employees, seasoned employees, customers and prospects. All the knowledge stored is in the dialogue itself, so it works like chatting with a real, knowledgeable subject matter expert in any department. That knowledge can still exist, no matter if the person who held this knowledge no longer works for you.

Even better, the CoPilot technology works by continually updating knowledge as it happens. Complex regulation changes are continuously updated through this method, improving knowledge management tenfold each ensuing year.

How do you guide conversations?

Refining this form of knowledge management further is the ability to guide a conversation to the right source. Here you can see where AI has true value as a mastermind assistant to human employees, rather than being a replacement. Your employees should have peace of mind about this alone.

Guidance means AI is intelligent enough to know when it can’t properly answer a question. In some situations, the knowledge base perhaps isn’t quite complete yet, despite becoming more comprehensive as it accrues more information.

When it can’t answer thoroughly enough, the use of Human-in-the-Loop technology helps tremendously. It steers someone to a real human being. For knowledge management, this is another crucial element within the mix.

To truly share knowledge, the human element should never be overlooked. The ability for humans to share something the digital world doesn’t know is one of the best aspects of knowledge management.

How do you enhance communication on critical messages?

Knowledge management isn’t really possible without making sure you have proper communication outlets. Sending out broadcast messages to employees is another way to get the knowledge to them if you want to impart it yourself.

Co-Pilot allows you to record messages to key employees and schedule when they’re sent. Much like newsletters or blogs, specialized messages are sent to the right departments at the right time.

Having this gives you another important component to managing how knowledge gets shared. No more having to send group emails to employees and hope they read them. Technical failures can also happen when using older methods, which means some employees may never get the messages you intended.

Your employees also get smart notifications about any changes made to the information you give them. For something like a helpdesk, this is critical to ensuring they always impart accurate information when talking to new hires or clients.

How do you prep for better knowledge management?

Before you invest in the use of AI to improve knowledge management, analyze your company again on how well you’re currently sharing knowledge. Are you able to share knowledge quickly? Do you have a technology already in place? How updated is the technology you are using?

If you are still using standard email or even paper memos to send information to employees, you truly are falling behind on a digital transformation. Just remember that transforming your company to digital isn’t as complicated as it once was.

At Capacity, we’ve made it easy to use our AI-powered tools to help you share knowledge at will. Our platform is also simple to integrate with many of the top business apps available today. Being able to do this makes integration easier and reduces needless learning curves.