‍Modern knowledge management is about shifting mindsets and reshaping corporate culture. Organizations must prepare their people to embrace change before new systems can unlock their full potential.

The previous blog post discussed how corporate knowledge management has changed over the decades, from paper-based chaos to rudimentary document management methods to modern, artificial intelligence-supported, complex yet user-friendly systems. We have also mentioned the many advantages of using the most modern KM systems possible: the experience gained by individual professionals and departments, technical and business documentation, meeting notes, and countless other bits of knowledge can be managed and organized in a single system, making it accessible to anyone and easy to search can give the company a concrete competitive advantage.

However, reforming knowledge management is not just a technological task. Naturally, it is necessary to consider what software developments will be required, what hardware changes will need to be made, which supplier and solution will be most beneficial for the company, and then how to migrate it to existing systems – but all this is only one stage of the transformation. The other stage is not so much a technological issue as a human one, involving psychological and process organization issues, with education and awareness playing a significant role. This article will discuss the cultural aspects of introducing and operating new KM systems.

Is it sure we need this? The most common reactions and the best responses

For as long as we can remember, moving away from familiar methods towards new approaches has always been difficult. The saying goes, "never leave the beaten track for the unknown", but sometimes it's misinterpreted. It's natural to be comfortable and safe with tried and tested ways of working, because they are the comfortable way we operate day in, day out. We know the processes and what tools we can use to achieve what we want. If we have to move away from this, we immediately feel uncomfortable, fearful, and uncertain - so the first reaction to any change tends to be negative.

So the first step –  or even the one before that – in the introduction of new knowledge management solutions is the creation and implementation of a new corporate culture, so that concrete improvements can be made in an environment that understands and appreciates how it works, understands the positive effects it creates, and fundamentally prevents unnecessary fears.

"Why change what has been working well?" The correct answer is to make it transparent to everyone how the new KM system will improve at every level. In addition to highlighting the benefits for the company as a whole, it is worth mentioning any points that will make the work of staff easier and faster. Give examples of how much easier it is to look up the answers to a problem in the company's knowledge base rather than reinventing the wheel from scratch. In addition, generative AI in a modern KM solution also helps us to ask these questions in everyday, understandable language, rather than in some difficult, technological language. 

"Do we already have a sales offer for our new product line in 2025?" "Which warehouse has the oldest stock?" "How are the revenue numbers this year compared to last year's plans?" - questions like these don't require any special expertise to formulate. Yet, the system can interpret them and retrieve the correct answers from the organization’s archive. In addition, introducing a company wiki or the automatic archiving of meeting notes also helps individuals or other departments easily access the correct information without sending separate emails or contacting people by phone.

"Will my job change, or will I be obsolete because of the new system?" The concern is unfounded and is also best communicated by examples and precise definitions of job roles and entitlements. It is worth explaining in detail in the training sessions, the preparatory talks, and the proposed fresh job descriptions that all colleagues are still needed, their job role and especially their expertise are essential for the company's operation, and the new system is only intended to facilitate and speed up processes and to increase the transparency of the organization.

Feedback and continuous improvement: the key points of transformation

Although most corporate transformations result from a senior management decision, the reorganization projects that work well are built from the bottom up. This is not surprising, as it is the departments and the people working in them that generate the revenue and ensure the organization’s development. This requires them to be able to work in the best possible working environment, have access to all relevant information, and collaborate with other departments, drawing on all their expertise.

This is why one of the most essential pillars of the renewal of knowledge management is to assess their needs and consider their operational feedback. Work will be more efficient, more comfortable, and faster for staff if the following conditions are met:

• All the necessary information is available in the knowledge management system.
• Searching for information is a convenient and quick process, which can be initiated with simple questions, even in one's native language, and they receive clear, well-formulated, detailed answers.
• The knowledge they have accumulated is also easily, even automatically, entered into the system, so the process of documenting and archiving everything does not increase their workload.
• Direct links can be built between individual departments, work phases, and specializations, making the entire process easier.

Atlassian: where everything is in place to renew corporate culture

When a decision maker already knows that one of the ways to increase the company's efficiency and competitiveness is to implement a new knowledge management solution, and based on the above, he sees the needs of the employees, the main gaps in the workflow and the directions for improvement, he will naturally want to find the best possible service.

At this level, it is not only the price or some technological criterion that is important when making a decision, but also the solution that fits best into the overall corporate culture and working practices. So yes, it is necessary and important to look at the exact technical background and range of features of the knowledge management systems that are available, but this is only the beginning. The following features are just as important:

• Community and collaboration
• Automation of knowledge base creation and retrieval
• Content ingestion and suggested answers
• AI or cognitive services
• Generative knowledge creation
• Easy administration
• Scalability

In a recently published survey, Forrester analyzed in detail the key vendors in the knowledge management field, including Atlassian, Guru, KNS Lighthouse, eGain, Verint, Shelf, Upland Software, USU, Grazitti Interactive, Evalueserve, and Stack Overflow. The analysis ranks these solution providers based on the strength of their offering and the strength of their strategy. A detailed table also shows the elements of the offering and the long-term strategy, indicating which competitors are considered strong or lagging in which areas.

In addition to the specific functionalities of the services, the analysis will also cover several features that will help to ensure that the knowledge management solution is a real solution and not just another mandatory innovation. The Forrester Wave: Knowledge Management Solutions, Q4 2024 ranked Atlassian at the top of the range. Still, it is important to note that it also ranked Atlassian at the top in the areas of corporate culture and usability discussed in this article. 

To view the complete survey, click here - and to learn more about how a KM solution can help your business grow, streamline processes, increase efficiency, and improve employee satisfaction, don't hesitate to contact us!