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Download WhitepaperMany departments in your organization are frequently asked the same questions over and over. The solution? A dedicated knowledge database where departments can share their knowledge and reduce time spent answering repetitive questions.
After speaking to our clients it became evident that IT departments were often falling victim to a knowledge bottleneck. IT teams are critical for organizations to run smoothly and because they assist all departments, they often field a lot of questions. Although IT departments initially inspired us to write about creating an engaging knowledge database, the concepts discussed can be applied universally to all departments or the organization as a whole.
A knowledge base (KB for short) is a technology used to store information. A knowledge database application is included in out-of-the-box intranet software solutions such as IC’s intranet software.
A knowledge database is a living/breathing resource for your department so it has to be fed relevant information, maintained, and promoted regularly. There are 2 considerations when setting up a knowledge database in your intranet:
Creating a KB for your organization, or department, may seem like a daunting task. The best way to begin is to work from past experience. Include questions you know employees have already asked for example;
Tip: Make set-up a breeze! If you have a pre-existing corporate FAQ, populate your knowledge database immediately by uploading a CSV import to your intranet.
Once you have the necessities, keep the content relevant and fresh! If you’re the owner, or approval admin, add questions received via email immediately or create an online form to collect questions. Turn on comments and ratings to receive feedback on the value and accuracy of content posted.
Tip: Do you have weekly meetings or daily huddles? Turn these into an opportunity to ask employees if they have any questions!
Your content will only be read if it’s easy to find and readily available. Promote your KB to ensure it’s at employees fingertips by adding it to your drop down department site menu bar and adding appropriate tags for searchability. Turn on ‘advertise now’ when posting new content that can be displayed on your homepage news feed!
Tip: Make content engaging by including HTML, images and videos. HTML is easier to read and better for search as it pulls a preview and loads attachments directly from the search results.
Are you interested in created a knowledge database for your company or have you created one using your company intranet? We want to hear from you in the comment section below! See a knowledge database in action by contacting us today.
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