Naturally, vast amounts of knowledge are scattered around the organization: in people's heads; in private reference materials; in documents and various systems. Retaining organizational resources for requires documenting meaningful knowledge before it forever lost. This is why organizations encourage workers to document and write in the organizational knowledge system.
Much effort and resources are invested in knowledge capturing processes on behalf of the organization. Indeed, the amount of knowledge stored in the system is increasingly growing yet this itself makes the system overloaded and clumsy. Workers often face difficulties when searching for the desired knowledge.
Previously, workers searched for a solution to a problem they encountered. Nowadays, a new problem has been created: navigating through this ocean of knowledge, especially if they aren't experienced in search methodologies and feel that they are searching for a needle in a haystack.
What is the solution?
Organizations interested in improving their workers' search orientation can offer them active search supporting utilities that will support the information system's content organization. The search engine can be added with recommendations containing tips and efficient methods for finding the sought-after information. We can present the user with information on word combinations to receive better results, present the organization's Knowledge management methodology, lay out the system's content worlds, etc.
Despite the current exclusive popularity of the search engine, the good old navigation through a well-structured content tree is an alternative that should possibly be suggested to users. Finally, if the organization decides to aptly invest resources, we give users the option to use the services of an information specialist. When a question is uploaded to the system, the expert will direct the worker regarding how they can scan the information system professionally and find the sought-after knowledge item.
In conclusion, instead of investing all resources in the information system, basic funding towards enhancing the workers' search literacy skills can prove profitable for the organization.
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