Category: Learning events

In the modern workplace knowledge can define a company’s unique proposition and is a key source of business value.

Source (not working): http://towardsmaturity.org/article/2017/02/14/press-capturing-and-sharing-company-know-how/

In the modern workplace knowledge can define a company’s unique proposition and is a key source of business value.

98% of organisations want to increase the on-going sharing of good practice through the use of technology-enabled learning, however, only 1 in 5 are achieving this goal – with the finance and IT and telecoms sectors being amongst the most proactive.

Data from 600 L&D leaders and 5,000 workers has been examined in this new research led by Towards Maturity and sponsored by Crossknowledge to identify the tools and tactics of those successful in capturing and sharing company know-how and the impact this is having on their staff and business goals.

Those successful in capturing and sharing company know-how are twice as likely to report that the capability of their organisation to solve problems has increased and that they have doubled the drive in business innovation.

Jason Hathaway, Director of Content and Learning Solutions, Crossknowledge, says:

‘Organisations today tick and prosper thanks to the breadth and depth of their employees’ combined knowledge and expertise. Retiring senior workers are leaving behind massive gaps in expertise so how organisations capture this critical knowledge and know-how before they disappear is crucial.’

Tools are critical to facilitate sharing and those that actively encourage learners to collaborate in building knowledge resources use tools such as wikis, forums, podcasts and videos.

As well as the tactics and tools used to encourage sharing, the new research identifies the behaviours of the employee. One in five staff members are proactively sharing what they know with peers, one in five are not willing to share what they know, and the rest need to be provided with an opportunity to share and help getting started.

Sharers are three times more likely to involve classroom trainers and twice as likely to have content curation strategies in place to help staff make sense of the resources available to them.

Indeed creating a culture where staff feel safe to share and contribute knowledge plays a crucial role.In organisations that share knowledge managers are four times more likely to encourage their staff to make time for social and informal learning and in sharing organisations people are twice as likely to contribute their own learning resources to share with others.

Commenting on the report, Laura Overton, Founder and CEO of Towards Maturity said:

‘Organisations and individuals are facing rapid change. Everyone is looking to encourage the sharing of good practice but fewer than a third are using tools that will help staff share and access knowledge and less than a quarter have the skills they need to facilitate social learning.

This report shows that the successful will not be holding on to their knowledge but actively sharing it with their peers. Modern people professionals have a critical role to play, having high hopes is not enough, they need to harness new tools and build new skills.’

GatherContent webinar: Content Strategy for Agencies masterclass

Engagement phase

  • Kick-off questions
    • Do you know how much content you have on your current site?
    • Have you (or will you) audit the content on your current site?
    • Are you archiving old and poor quality content on your current site?
    • Do you know who is going to (re)write all the content for the new site?
    • Does someone have overall responsibility for content quality during the project and beyond?
    • Do you know (roughly) how many hours per week will be dedicated to maintaining content on the new site?
    • Does the current site’s content have dedicated (subject matter expert) owners?
    • Do you know if any content is syndicated from other systems?
    • Will or do you have a (digital) content style guide?
  • Content audits: why bother?
    • what content types currently exist (and will continue existing) ?
    • what state is the content in?
      • will it need lots of work?
    • where is content feeding in from?
      • e.g. social, RSS, APIs, CMS
    • is some content out of control and are there constraints aroud its accuracy, format, availability?
    • how much content will the new navigation need to handle?
    • has the existing team been able to maintain what they already have?
    • what content is or has been popular / unpopular?
      • what analytics is available?
  • Content audits: how to…
    • Assign an auditor who will be involved throughout the project
      • often this is best for someone within the organisation
      • not a job to “chuck to the intern”
        • but someone who understands digital communication
    • Download your content inventory template sheet (GDoc)
      • C0lumns include: content owner; functionality and forms; files and media; statistics; key messages; accuracy/relevance; content quality; archive / migration readiness; RED FLAG for immediate attention; Notes
    • OR use an automated tool
      • e.g. www.content-insight.com
    • Capture a skeleton of the site
    • Perform a detailed audit of the site
  • Content audits: Estimating
    • look for a sitemap (footer / ./sitemap.html / XML sitemap)
    • Google: site:www.client-site.com + advanced search
    • gauge repetitive content – no need for qualitative analysis of staff profiles/news items
    • Create spreadsheet to estimate time required
      •  Client input required
  • Content ecosystems
    • e.g. university site might have website, international student site; facebook; twitter; alumni site; intranet; prospectus; handbook …
    • run a session with a client
    • use post-its and pens to capture sources of content
    • turn into a diagram or spreadsheet
    • note sources client has direct control over
    • annotate interesting content types
    • included in your discovery report
    • share insights with wider project team
  • Competitor landscape analysis
  • Design and build phase
    • design with proto-content
      • e.g. current site’s content
      • e.g. competitor content
      • write your own throw-away content
      • use draft content
      • commission sample content
      • Use typical and edge-case proto-content
        • e.g. push the design
        • multi-date events + best format
        • events that have started but haven’t finished
  • Content production planning and prioritisation
    • Content “hats”
      • the writers (similar template for videographers, …)
        • skills
          • writing for the web
          • ability to apply style guide
          • domain knowledge (ideally)
        • responsibilities
          • research and consult subject experts
          • draft and revise content
          • source relevant media
      • the senior editor