Access to knowledge is one of the most critical factors in a well-functioning organization. Companies realize that by storing information in internal “knowledge bases,” they can use this knowledge capital in new and effective ways.
At the same time, knowledge-sharing platforms are also on the horizon. These allow employees to inspire each other by learning from one another.
Chances are, you’ve heard of both of these platforms but never considered what sets them apart.
The differences between knowledge-sharing and knowledge-base platforms
Although both terms seem similar, they have essential differences in how they help organizations collect, store, and use information.
Knowledge sharing tool
A knowledge-sharing platform is a virtual space that enables people to share their knowledge, skills, and experience. It is a shared bulletin board where various bits of knowledge are made available to other community members.
The key objective of this platform is to share knowledge, which leads to collective development by acquiring new perspectives, information, and skills.
Suppose you work in a technology company as part of a development team. Team members can create posts describing their findings and ideas from recent projects on a knowledge-sharing platform.
Other team members can discuss, comment, and ask for details, creating an interactive knowledge exchange. Someone can bring a new perspective on a problem, and others can learn from their experience.
Knowledge base software
On the other hand, knowledge base software is like a virtual library in which various information, procedures, facts, and data collected by the organization are stored.
A key element of such a tool is the ability to manage knowledge, such as organizing, collecting, and sharing information, to make it easily accessible to all interested parties.
Let's look at the same example but using a knowledge base. You work in a development team. This team's base may contain ready-made solutions to common problems, project documentation with instructions and guidelines, and coding standards that ensure consistency in application development.
Developers who encounter difficulty while developing code can refer to the knowledge base. There, they will find solutions already documented by other team members. This avoids reinventing the wheel and wasting time solving problems that someone else has already converted into knowledge.
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Criteria for choosing good knowledge-sharing platforms
When selecting a knowledge-sharing platform, it is worth looking at a few key features to help identify the best tool for your organization.
Personalization and adaptation to the needs of the company
When you choose a powerful knowledge-sharing tool, you want it to be as relevant to your organization as possible. This is why personalization is so important. The platform can be tailored to your company's work and needs.
You can customize it to fit how you want to share information, identify knowledge gaps, and manage what is essential in projects.
Ease of use and intuitive interface
The knowledge-sharing platform must be easy to use. This means that it should have a simple and understandable design and interface. You should be able to find information or knowledge easily when you enter the forum.
This is to help you in knowledge management, even if you are not a technology expert.
Scalability and flexibility
Your business will grow, so it is vital that the knowledge-sharing platform can grow with it. So, the platform should be scalable. The knowledge-sharing tool should be ready to handle more information and more people.
Alongside this, flexibility is crucial because you need a tool that can adapt to the changing needs of projects and knowledge management.
Integrations with other tools and systems
Many companies use different tools and systems to help in project management. Therefore, the knowledge-sharing platforms must integrate with those tools.
Data and information can flow freely between them, making project management more effortless.
Analyzing data and generating knowledge from the analysis
A good knowledge-sharing platform not only helps to store information but can also analyze the data collected on the platform and extract meaningful information from it. This can help identify knowledge gaps, uncover trends, and generate new knowledge from these analyses.
Security and data protection
Your data and knowledge are valuable, so secure the knowledge-sharing platform. Security is an essential element, especially if you are storing sensitive data related to projects, knowledge management, or critical features of your organization.
The best knowledge-sharing platforms in 2023
Let's look at the top knowledge-sharing tools in 2023 and their key features.
Nimbus Platform
Nimbus is a cloud-based knowledge-sharing platform designed to help teams collaborate and share information effectively. It offers a range of key features to make it easier to collect, arrange, and disseminate internal knowledge across the organization.
Key features:
- Creation of a centralized knowledge repository.
- Organizing content in a structured way, including blocks of code.
- Integration with business tools such as Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
- Advanced security features such as roles with permission-based access.
Confluence
Confluence (developed by Atlassian) allows you to build, organize, and collaborate with teams, regardless of their location. It will enable you to manage your content in one place so everyone on your team can easily access answers and updates.
Key features:
- Build, organize, and collaborate with teams in one place.
- Powerful search functions and page tree views.
- Individual page views for each user.
- Ability to share meeting notes, project plans, and company announcements.
Guru
Guru is a knowledge-sharing tool with an intuitive interface that helps organizations gather knowledge and training materials, create documentation, and share them within a team. It is distinguished by artificial intelligence-based features such as a chatbot and a browser-based extension.
Key features:
- Intuitive interface and AI-based chatbot.
- Browser extension and mobile app for easy access to knowledge.
- Collaboration with popular tools such as Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams.
- Tools for content verification and content creation performance analysis.
Notion
Notion is a customizable workspace that allows teams to create linked pages, lists, databases, tables, calendars, and more. It's a tool ideal for both project management and knowledge sharing.
Key features:
- Create linked pages, lists, databases, and other types of content.
- Interface customization for projects, notes, and collaboration.
- Ability to manage page permissions on the site.
- Integration is both an internal and external tool.
KnowledgeOwl
KnowledgeOwl is a platform for creating and managing knowledge bases internally and externally. It offers an intuitive interface and support for different file types, making creating and managing content easy.
Key features:
- Create and publish articles, FAQs, and other content.
- Intuitive interface and support for different file types.
- Content analytics and support for source code.
- Support for multilingualism, useful for global businesses.
Google Workplace
Google Workplace (formerly GSuite) is a collaboration tool that integrates to create a comprehensive information ecosystem.
Key features:
- The ecosystem of work and collaboration tools.
- Store and organize documents and files in Google Drive.
- Collaborate, share, and access content from different devices.
- Integrations with other Google tools.
Nuclino
Nuclino is a cloud-based tool for simple and fast knowledge sharing and real-time collaboration. It allows you to create, share, organize, and manage knowledge from one central location.
Key features:
- Simple text editor and the ability to add multimedia content.
- Quick search and access to content.
- Integration with external applications.
- Real-time collaboration, user comments, and mentions.
The benefits of knowledge-sharing platforms
Introducing new tools, such as knowledge-sharing platforms, has many benefits.
- Increasing innovation and adaptation to change
Sharing knowledge through platforms stimulates creativity and innovation in an organization. All employees can share their ideas and perspectives on reality, leading to new solutions and adaptation to a changing environment.
- More effective collaboration between departments and employees
Knowledge-sharing platforms eliminate communication barriers between different departments and employees. Information does not get stuck inside specific groups or individuals but is available to all who need it.
This promotes better coordination of projects and the sharing of best practices. And it also allows access to the expert's knowledge in a particular area.
- Reducing training time and increasing competence
With knowledge-sharing platforms, the training process for new employees can be more condensed and focused on practical knowledge.
New team members can review documentation, tutorials, and solutions to problems independently, allowing them to integrate more quickly into the team and start bringing value to the organization.
Put knowledge to work
Knowledge base software for lightning-fast customer support and effortless self-service.
Trusted by 2,500+ companies
Conclusion
Introducing knowledge-sharing platforms is critical for organizations seeking to manage information efficiently and grow effectively.
These tools enable innovation by exchanging ideas and improving collaboration between departments. They also reduce training time, allowing employees to acquire competencies quickly.
Ultimately, they make knowledge accessible to all, contributing to the all-around success of the organization.
