What is a Knowledge Base?
Bill Gates called it more than 10 years ago: "Digital Nervous System". And he was referring to him saying: "Companies will have a digital nervous system that transforms their internal operating processes, in order to adapt to the constant change imposed by the demands of customers and the competition."
There are many ways to develop and implement a Business Knowledge Base. From a simple MSExcel sheet, or a Joomla-type CMS, WordPress to programs or software developed in the Visual!
The following are some of the best steps to do it !!!
Step 1: Planning
Planning helps us establish the design and implementation time of a BC. In this way, the objective is fulfilled in the established time, in this way, effectiveness and efficiency are effectively fulfilled.
Step 2: Digitally organize the relevant information to be published.
They can be documents, files, images, either by sections or folders and by departments and / or priorities.
After organizing the information, you should:
- Unify criteria, with respect to the objective that the knowledge base will meet, especially with middle managers. Create the ideal processes that will allow achieving that objective. Appoint one and a maximum of two administrators of the Knowledge Base, in charge of updating and maintaining the information at the day.
Step 3: After organizing the information and organizing your human team, you should:
- Designate a computer (Hardware) to store the information, which will allow users to share the information on the network. Either internally in the company (intranet) or externally (extranet). Establish the platform or medium that the BC will use, to display the info. Which of course is indifferent for the user, but not for the administrator. This can be a web server, a management software like MS Sharepoint or another similar one. Establish the design format that can be done in different types such as PDF, Office (Excel, Word, PP, etc.), web (HTML) or Programming (PHP), as well as Content Managers or CMS.
Step 4: Design
This step is very important and can be done at the beginning, at the end or in the middle of the implementation process, but what we cannot skip is to base the design on the brand; since we must take into account both marketing and brand management. Maintaining the company logo and colors, in the best case scenario apply a corporate manual, so as not to depart from the standards established by the company.
Step 5: Implementation
At the end of the Knowledge Base design, it must be published, either on our Server or in an external Hosting.
Step 6: When implementing it, we must make sure that it can be read on all the computers where it must be deployed
From the Internet browser, as the programs necessary to review the information, they should be installed on all related machines.
Step 7: Training
Staff must be trained, both in the processes and in the information published in the knowledge base. Make clear the guidelines and update and administration processes, so as not to make mistakes in the moment of truth. Here it is key to maintain an ideal communication between middle managers, for the corresponding feedback and continuous improvement.
Step 8: Start-up.
The key here is to develop user “expertise” to efficiently use the Knowledge Base.
In this, monitoring and control prevail, to meet the objective of a Knowledge Base, which is:
- Keep the information up to date. Fully Updated. Keep the information in one place. Centralized Info. Best Customer Service. Fast training and Self-training. Process management effectively. Process reengineering.
And most importantly, saving time and money!
“The Network makes it possible for large companies to function as if they were small and more flexible; and that the small ones cover the same as if they were much bigger ”. Bill Gates.
Author: Xavier Méndez T. E-mail: [email protected]
On-line course:
Website: www.xmendez.com/Blog
