Implementing a knowledge management solution: from scattered, individual tools to a shared, fully-stocked workshop

ABSTRACT

Too often the knowledge in the heads of individual support staff can become like a messy, poorly-equipped workshop. Each staff member has a few favorite tools close at hand in a drawer or back pocket and tends to use those few tools to fix a wide range of problems, even if there's a more suitable tool available. Disseminating best practices to all staff members in such a way that the knowledge will be accessed when needed is an ongoing struggle.Knowledge management involves taking an inventory of the existing tools, cleaning them up, discarding the broken ones, adding any needed tools and organizing the tools in a central location. But that's the easy part. The real challenge of knowledge management is to make the new, large selection of tools very easy to access and to encourage staff members to readily use each other's tools and share their own. Otherwise, it's too easy to keep reaching for that old trusted utility knife to do everything from tightening a screw to prying off a lid. In addition, a mechanism is needed to keep the tools up-to-date and "rust-free" and to provide an easy way for colleagues to share any new tools they discover in the course of their work.This paper presents the story of how the "shop" at Duquesne University's computer Help Desk gradually organized and shared knowledge tools through simple methods at first and then implemented a comprehensive knowledge management solution which included commercial knowledge management software. Issues covered include starting with existing knowledge, knowledge capture, knowledge management theory, developing a knowledge-sharing culture, using and customizing knowledge management software, problems and solutions, lessons learned and tips for other shops. The use of commercial software to capture, organize and access knowledge is also discussed.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

General Terms:
Documentation, Management

Keywords:
knowledge database, knowledge management, knowledge sharing, knowledgebase