Submitted by Victor on
Contrary to what logic would have us believe, “knowledge management” is not another word for filing cabinet. Nor does it describe a data retrieval system whereby wires are hooked up to people’s knowledge storage apparatus, aka the brain.
Maybe unsurprisingly, knowledge management is in fact a corporate term that some NGOs have started to use. It is a broad term that describes the systematic handling and processing of information and resources, from gathering and analysing to presenting and using information. Within the NGO world, knowledge management includes the use of databases to store information, sharing examples of best practice in documents or social media, and even relates to employing people with expert knowledge.
The problem with the term, however, becomes evident when, for instance, you request to hold a meeting about knowledge management. What is it that you will be talking about exactly? Will it be your organisation’s internal communications system, or the content of the organisation’s newsletter, or will you be discussing how to improve an aspect of the website?
Knowledge management is such a broad term, which includes its own array of cryptic terminology - such as content mapping, human capital, and communities of practice - that it begs the question: why not just be specific? So the next time you want to discuss an aspect of your organisation's knowledge management, don’t leave your colleagues hanging, and let them know what aspect you intend to talk about.