What is SaaS Knowledge Management & Documentation?

Knowledge management and documentation in SaaS involve organizing, storing, and sharing critical information within the company. This facilitates convenient access to information, improves customer experience, and enhances overall work efficiency.

There are four main types of knowledge management;

• Explicit Knowledge

This type of knowledge is straightforward to express. It’s the type of information you can read in manuals, guides, or company rules. For instance, clear instructions on using machines or written steps for dealing with customer questions are examples of clear knowledge.

• Implicit Knowledge

Implicit knowledge comes from experience. It’s the type of knowledge that people get from doing, watching, and trying things out. Unlike clear knowledge, implicit knowledge might be difficult to explain or write down. It’s more about feeling and personal knowledge.

• Tacit Knowledge

Tacit knowledge is personal expertise that’s hard to teach to someone else. It’s the type of knowledge people have without knowing it. Tacit knowledge includes ideas, instincts, and skills that people pick up over time from what they do and who they talk to.

• Embedded Knowledge

Embedded knowledge is knowledge that is integrated into organizational routines, processes, and products. It becomes ingrained within an organization’s culture and practices. For example, how a company handles customer complaints or makes products are both types of knowledge that are part of how the company operates.

Document management (DM) involves how a company stores and organizes documents, including invoices, contracts, and reports, to make them easier for employees to use for their work.

On the other hand, knowledge management is more comprehensive than document management. It includes organizing and sharing diverse knowledge, such as individual expertise, practical experiences, and best practices.

Implementing knowledge management involves the following steps:

• Step 1: Identifying your company’s most critical knowledge base areas. This could be things like what customers like or knowing about technical issues
• Step 2: Find Sources: Determine where this knowledge is currently located. It could be in people’s minds, documents, or outside reports.
• Step 3: Identify Gaps: See what information your company lacks. Maybe your team needs to learn something new, or you’re missing important data.
• Step 4: Choose Tools and Practices: Choose the best ways to manage and share knowledge. This could mean creating a knowledge base, conducting training, or using tools for collaboration.
• Step 5: Implement and Monitor: Start using your knowledge plan and watch how it goes. Change things if needed to make sure it helps your company.

Creating a knowledge management roadmap means figuring out how your organization will gather, sort, and use information effectively. Here are some simple guides to do it step by step:

Step 1: Define Goals: 

Consider what you want from managing knowledge.  It could mean making different choices or generating new ideas.

Step 2: Gather Input 

Talk with the people who care about knowledge management to know what they need and what problems they face. You can ask them questions through surveys or interviews.

Step 4: Develop Strategies

Determine how you’ll reach your goals. This could involve using new tools or methods, training, or encouraging everyone to share their knowledge.

Step 5: Allocate Resources

Decide what you’ll need: money, people, and technology to make your plan happen. 

Step 6: Implement 

Implement your strategy by investing in a dedicated knowledge management system. This could mean teaching your team, starting new systems, or changing how things are done now.