In our first post on the changing habits of information consumers and the changing role of information professionals as part of the knowledge supply chain, we shared examples of increasing complexity, underpinned by technology and changes in personal preference. In this post, let’s take a look at the third paradigm (KM 3.0) and see what it means for the sustainability and relevance of knowledge managers and special librarians.
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Best Practice Knowledge Management is Content Plus Connection, Part Two
Topics: Knowledge Management, Enterprise Social Networks, Strategy
Best Practice Knowledge Management is Content Plus Connection, Part One
After one of Stan Garfield’s successful KM webinars, an audience member asked a question about Enterprise Social Networks and their value. It makes one think about the ways in which information consumption is changing and has changed over time—and how our personal habits are a key driver of this change.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Enterprise Social Networks, Strategy
In his piece for KMWorld, What is KM? Knowledge Management Explained, Dr. Michael Koenig provides an excellent overview of the origins, goals and fundamentals of knowledge management. The article is useful for those new to KM, and also reminds seasoned practitioners of the discipline’s principles, stages of development and current status.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Knowledge Management Software
Too much focus on technology when implementing a KM program is a common problem. But you will still need to use software applications, so it’s important to understand them and leverage them in an optimal way. Suggestions for doing so include finding a “killer KM app”. Please read on for my thoughts on this topic, drawn from my book, Proven Practices for Promoting a Knowledge Management Program.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Enterprise Social Networks, Knowledge Management Software
In their interesting blog post, 10 Tips for Creating a Knowledge Ecosystem in your Organization, a group of Wiley publication editors shared their insights on effective KM practices. As a result of seeking a “better understanding of how knowledge is constructed and how it is connected to prior learning”, they compiled a list of ten knowledge ecosystem elements.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, User Engagement
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
Increasing User Adoption of Knowledge Management Tools and Technology
In Neil Olonoff’s excellent post “Knowledge Management Tools That Aren’t Tools,” he takes us back to the basic purpose and definition of a tool: something that is supposed to make work easier. It’s easy to agree with that, yet there are so many knowledge management tools that seem to complicate matters, and make work harder. And there in a nutshell is the biggest barrier to user adoption.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Technology
There are many ways to nurture an organizational culture change in a knowledge-sharing environment, including embracing “Working Out Loud”. Bryce Williams defines Working Out Loud (WOL) as Observable Work (creating, modifying, and storing your work in places where others can see it, follow it, and contribute to it in process) + Narrating Your Work (writing about what you are doing in an open way for those interested to find and follow).
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
In his research on promoting KM initiatives within the corporate world, author and KM expert Stan Garfield identified a number of useful knowledge management methodologies that enable colleagues to take advantage of proven practices while assessing needs and/or demonstrating the value of knowledge management within an organization.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, KM
10 Guidelines for Leveraging Push Communication to Promote KM Initiatives
Timely communication is critical to successfully introduce and promote KM initiatives and keep the organization informed of progress. Develop a plan for the communications vehicles you will use and be sure to include “push” channels.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
The results are in! Guest blogger Stan Garfield’s KM blog posts have strong readership, but we’re no slouches ourselves! We noticed enthusiasm for three in particular (well, OK, 2 of them from Stan), demonstrating readers’ interest in learning about the strategic and tactical basics of knowledge management. They’re worthy of a reprise, and just in case there’s anyone out there who missed them the first time… please read on!
Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, KM
At Lucidea we work on KM projects with clients around the globe, in almost every industry. One question that we hear again and again is “But isn’t SharePoint a KM application?” We love this question and we hate this question, because the answer is “it depends.” It depends on what you mean by an application, and what that implies. This post covers some of the challenges of using SharePoint for knowledge management.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Systems, KM
The biggest mistake people make when selecting a KM system is to choose a platform instead of an application. The business case is dazzlingly simple—yet many organizations overlook it.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM Software
Selling is like a journey—there is no finish line. Remember that getting buy-in to KM is an ongoing, permanent process. You are selling all the time!
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
Timely communication is critical to successfully introducing a new KM initiative and keeping the organization informed of implementation progress. Complete and effective documentation supports training, communications, and user assistance. It is a good way to demonstrate knowledge sharing and reuse, and allows users to learn about all elements of a KM program.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
During a “KM Conversation” with well-known enterprise social network expert, author and consultant Euan Semple on the topic of “The New Knowledge Ecosystem: Content and Connection,” Euan shared valuable insights on what it means—and what it takes—to be a thought leader in today’s networked business environment.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM
There are many ways to build a positive reputation for knowledge management within your organization. Making content easier to find is a big win. Last week I focused on user interface elements and channels, and introduced the idea of curated content and answers. Please read on for more about the content itself and how it can be organized for better findability.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy
There are many ways to build a positive reputation for knowledge management within your organization. One big and very popular user-focused improvement is to make content easier to find. To do so, provide content in multiple ways and through multiple channels. Read on for some specific suggestions.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, Strategy