How do you use technology to support and enhance knowledge transfer methods?

Extending on the point raised by Rory and Chris Collisons quote: KM is 20% about Tech and 80% about people. I see a role in technology taking away or lowering the barriers to knowledge sharing. Those barriers are (Borgatti, Cross, Parker & Prusak) - Knowledge - Access - Engagement - Safety Technology can definitely give you better insight in who has the knowledge and can ease the accessibility between people. Though Engagement and Safety are more interpersonal aspects as far as I see it.

In a contemporary museum digitisation project, technology significantly enhanced our knowledge transfer methods. We used cloud platforms to store and share digitised artefacts, facilitating remote collaboration and reducing knowledge loss. Video conferencing tools enabled real-time discussions between curators and historians, ensuring seamless communication.

I don't think technology improves the quality of knowledge, or the impact of turnover or retirement on knowledge transfer. KM practices do in general though. Chris Collison famously said KM is 20% about technology and 80% about people. In the coming years this may shift with new AI tools augmenting our ability to curate knowledge.

Technology can ABSOLUTELY benefit knowledge transfer practices. When I was an officer in the Army, we maintained a "Left seat, right seat" book. It was a binder that contained mission information, inventory, platoon knowledge, and ranges. The goal was to keep it updated so that when the we changed positions, our predecessors didn't have to "start from scratch". Today, we have digital repositories that can not only hold knowledge about our most recent predecessors, but from everyone who has ever held that position in that company. Pair that with intelligent search and you have saved time, money, and increased productivity x10!

In a global corporation, implementing a collaborative platform facilitated knowledge transfer. Teams across different continents accessed centralized databases, enhancing knowledge reach and accessibility. Real-time communication tools reduced response time, fostering quicker information exchange. The platform's structured storage improved knowledge consistency, minimizing the impact of turnover. As a result, product development cycles shortened, cost savings were realized, and knowledge continuity was maintained even with workforce changes. This example showcases how technology, when strategically applied, optimizes knowledge transfer, especially in geographically dispersed organizations.

In a project at a financial institution, using various tech platforms led to info overload and confusion among employees. Additionally, important contextual knowledge was often missed, and some staff were resistant to new tech-based methods, preferring traditional approaches. Lessons learned: streamline platforms to avoid overload, maintain human elements in knowledge transfer, provide comprehensive training, and ensure tech solutions are user-friendly and contextually relevant.

Traditional methods often overlook the expert's needs, leading to information overload. A smart tech solution should balance this load effectively. To me, that's key for any knowledge-sharing tool. Think about it: if you shoot a question out to hundreds of people, like in a forum or tag-based system, the odds of the right expert seeing it are slim. They might miss that crucial notification amid the noise. A smarter approach would pick just 3-4 experts who are most likely to provide a solid answer right now, ensuring they're not swamped with queries.

The resistant to technology and unwillingness to learn is the only drawback to technology in the area of Knowledge Management. Technical issues belong to the CTO, not the CKO.

Over-reliance on technology can lead to information overload, technical barriers for some users, and potential security risks. For example, complex digital platforms may discourage less tech-savvy employees from actively participating in knowledge sharing activities.

I have often noticed in large organizations multiple, competing KM technologies or tools hardening the silos most knowledge managers often aim to break. While I do agree that teams need autonomy in choosing how they share or host knowledge, a governance model for not just choosing a platform but also for maintenance and future-proofing it must be created. This will give KM teams some guidance on technologically enabling themselves and seeking out new features for the existing system. The longer organizations delay this, the costlier undoing KM mistakes will be.

Tori, I love the perspective, but I would like to take it a step further. Without the end user integration we are literally just a component level security. I would say not just keep your "user" in mind, but keep your "end-user" in mind. For Cybersecurity to be cybersecurity, it needs the full combination/integration of the end-user through activities to securely the technology. I really don't care if my technicians understand how to securely use the tech (ok I really do) but from an enterprise environmental stance, the technicians only use the technology a small percentage of the time. It's the receptionist, the accountant, and the CXO that use tech the most.

Here are some best practices for using technology for knowledge transfer: -People first. You have to keep the user in mind. - Include the Chief Technology Officer. In this case, KM and tool should work closely together - Automations. The foundation for any app is data source, user interface, and automations. Automate as much as possible.

In a museum digitisation project, we used cloud platforms for storing and sharing artefacts, ensuring easy access and collaboration. Integrating these tools with existing workflows kept efficiency high. We provided training and support to encourage adoption and conducted regular evaluations to ensure tech met our needs. Lessons learned: Align tech with goals, integrate seamlessly, train users well, and regularly evaluate impact.

In the context of corporate knowledge transfer, harnessing the power of familiar technological platforms can be invaluable. The ubiquity of social media functionalities in our daily lives, for example, provides a unique opportunity for businesses. In our organization we've strategically integrated a podcasting station (Gautrain Talks), ensuring its compatibility with major platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google, and others. This deliberate alignment not only facilitates seamless access for our employees but also streamlines the consumption process, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

In the knowledge management software system that we designed, we have used the following new tools and approaches to transfer knowledge, and we will add some of these items soon: - Mobile application of knowledge management software - Ability to share audio knowledge - The possibility of sharing visual knowledge - Connecting artificial intelligence similar to chatgpt to the software - Use of augmented reality and virtual reality technology - Using text mining - Using qrcode to identify equipment and retrieve related knowledge content

In today's world, it's key to blend Documentation and Collaboration. With a tool like Starmind, you automatically find out who excels at what—no manual work needed. When a user has a question, the tech pinpoints the right expert for them, and the resulting answer gets stored for others to use later. With this approach, a lot of tacit knowledge can be turned into documented information that can be reused. And with the help of Generative AI (StarGPT) employees can query that continuously growing repository easily while being able to get the right expert into the conversation whenever something is not yet written down.

Semantic wikis can be used as knowledge transfer tools better then regular wikis. With Semantic MediaWiki you can build structure data and query it within your wiki. You enrich entries in the wiki with metadata from your business, like processes or business vocabulary. You can also implement blog functionality.

In a museum digitisation project, we used wikis like the gears of a clock, capturing detailed processes. Blogs were the storytellers, sharing unique insights. Podcasts acted like tour guides, providing rich, on-the-go knowledge. Webinars were live workshops, facilitating expert-led learning. We learned to align tools with specific needs and maintain user engagement.

Just about any collaborative tool for knowledge transfer will work if you "work it". Today, the best too/platform will have some type of AI function that can make sense out of big data.. in order to turn data into information and then ultimately into knowledge.

Utilize tools like knowledge bases (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint), collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack), learning management systems (e.g., Moodle, Canvas), virtual classrooms (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet), and content creation tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe Spark) to facilitate knowledge transfer.

Traditional Knowledge Management (KM) often felt like herding cats—getting people to document their expertise was a chore, and keeping it updated? Forget about it. That's why it didn't really work. Modern KM is different. It's not about stockpiling info; it's about knowing who's good at what and linking them with those who have questions. This interaction gets saved, so if someone else has the same question later, the answer's ready to go. You're basically building a knowledge base in real-time, as and when you need it.

Using technology to support and enhance knowledge transfer methods is like hosting a quirky, lively dinner party! Picture this: wikis are the recipes pinned to the fridge, ensuring no one forgets how to make Grandma’s secret sauce. Blogs are the hilarious stories shared around the table, each one juicier than the last. Podcasts? They're the funky background tunes, setting the mood and keeping everyone grooving. And webinars? They're the impromptu cooking demos by that one uncle who swears he’s a master chef. The lesson? Just like a great dinner party, knowledge transfer thrives on variety, fun, and a dash of chaos! :)

In my experience, Knowledge Management (KM), technology has traditionally stood alongside people and process as a cornerstone of successful implementation. However, as we transition into the contemporary workspace—characterized by remote roles, hybrid models, and varying commuting patterns—technology's role is accentuated. Consequently, for organizations navigating this new work paradigm, making informed and strategic investments in technology is not just beneficial, but imperative.

Explore emerging technologies like AI-powered chatbots for instant knowledge retrieval, virtual reality for immersive training experiences, and blockchain for secure knowledge sharing across organizations. Regularly assess the effectiveness of technology-enabled knowledge transfer methods through analytics and user feedback to make continuous improvements. Tailor technology choices to match the organization's culture, goals, and workforce demographics for optimal impact.