Keeping What the Business Knows, Even When People Leave
In the sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Trigger proudly accepts an award for keeping the same broom for 20 years—though it’s had 17 new heads and 14 new handles. The joke’s not far from a philosophical thought experiment: if you replace every part of something, is it still the same?
That’s what happens in organisations. People come and go. Roles shift. But the organisation has to carry on. So what’s left when the people change?
The answer is knowledge. Or at least, it should be.
In ITIL Knowledge Management is the practice of capturing, structuring, sharing, and using knowledge so that your organisation doesn’t forget what it knows. It ensures staff don’t waste time solving the same problems, reinventing the same processes, or repeating the same mistakes.
Done well, Knowledge Management turns insight into action. It helps frontline teams resolve issues faster, gives managers better information to make decisions, and builds resilience across your IT services.
“If HP knew what HP knows, we’d be three times more productive.” – Lew Platt, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard
Contents
What is Knowledge Management?
Knowledge Management in ITIL 4 is about more than storing documents. It’s a structured approach to:
- Capturing what your organisation knows
- Turning that into reusable knowledge (like articles, guides, and solutions)
- Making it easy to find and use
- Continuously improving it
The aim is simple: the right people get the right information at the right time—to do their job well.
Why Knowledge Management Matters
Knowledge is an asset—but only if it’s shared. ITIL 4 treats Knowledge Management as a core practice because without it, organisations repeat the same mistakes, lose time to poor documentation, and rely too heavily on individuals to “just know how things work.”
What’s the Purpose?
The goal of Knowledge Management is to make useful knowledge available when and where it’s needed—so people can make better decisions, fix things faster, and stop reinventing the wheel.
Done properly, it:
- Improves efficiency – Less time spent solving already-solved problems
- Enhances service quality – More consistent, accurate responses
- Enables innovation – Shared knowledge creates a stronger foundation for new ideas
- Preserves expertise – People may leave, but their knowledge doesn’t have to
- Supports agility – Teams adapt faster when they have access to insights
This isn’t about hoarding knowledge in wikis or document libraries. It’s about making that knowledge accessible, usable, and trustworthy.
The Building Blocks: From Data to Wisdom
You can’t talk about Knowledge Management without mentioning the DIKW Pyramid:
- Data – Raw facts (e.g. error logs, user IDs)
- Information – Data given context (e.g. error + time + user = a failed login attempt)
- Knowledge – Insight into what that information means (e.g. common cause of login failures)
- Wisdom – Applying that knowledge to take effective action (e.g. improve user onboarding process)
Effective Knowledge Management helps teams move up that ladder—from collecting data to making smart, informed decisions.
The Engine Room: Knowledge Articles
At the heart of Knowledge Management are knowledge articles—bite-sized, structured chunks of information that help people solve problems or complete tasks.
They come in different forms:
- How-to guides – Step-by-step instructions
- Troubleshooting steps – For resolving common incidents
- FAQs – Answers to frequent questions
- Known error solutions – Documented workarounds
Good knowledge articles are:
- Focused on one topic
- Easy to scan (use headings, bullets, short paragraphs)
- Written in plain language
- Regularly reviewed and updated
- Tagged and categorised so they can be found
Tips for Better Knowledge Articles
- Use clear, searchable titles
- Avoid duplicates—one article per issue
- Link related articles
- Add visuals where it helps
- Keep the structure consistent across all articles
- Add anchor links for long content
- Don’t over-engineer—simplicity wins
A good article answers the question as fast as possible, for as many people as possible.
How Knowledge Management Happens: Six Core Stages
ITIL 4 doesn’t prescribe a rigid process, but successful Knowledge Management tends to follow six natural stages. Here’s how they look in real organisations.
1. Capture
You can’t manage what you haven’t captured. The first step is collecting valuable knowledge from a variety of sources:
- Incidents – What was the root cause? How was it resolved?
- Problems – What patterns emerged? What permanent fixes were applied?
- Changes – What worked? What failed? What should we remember next time?
- People – What do our subject matter experts know that others don’t?
Capturing knowledge means more than writing up a ticket. It means documenting what was learned—clearly, concisely, and in a way others can use.
Tacit knowledge (what’s in people’s heads) is often the most valuable—and the most at risk of being lost.
2. Share
If knowledge is captured but never shared, it’s wasted.
You need systems and culture that support sharing:
- Shared platforms (e.g. Confluence, SharePoint)
- Informal knowledge cafés or lunch-and-learn sessions
- Mentoring and coaching
- Open Slack or Teams channels for questions and answers
- Recognition for people who document and share solutions
Encourage people to stop hoarding knowledge as a source of job security—it slows everyone down.
3. Validate
Bad knowledge is worse than none. If people lose trust in your knowledge base, they’ll stop using it.
Validation includes:
- Peer review before publishing
- SME sign-off for specialist content
- Testing and verification (e.g. follow the steps—do they work?)
- Review dates and version control
Your knowledge base must be accurate, relevant, and reviewed regularly to stay useful.
4. Store
Even the best knowledge is useless if it’s hard to find.
Store it in a way that’s:
- Structured – Clear categories, intuitive navigation
- Searchable – Use tags, titles, and summaries that match what people actually search for
- Accessible – Don’t lock it behind unnecessary permissions
- Centralised – Avoid multiple disconnected knowledge bases across teams
Avoid starting “new” knowledge bases just because the old one’s messy—clean it up instead.
5. Maintain
Knowledge degrades. Processes change. Tools change. If your knowledge base isn’t maintained, people will stop trusting it.
Put a maintenance plan in place:
- Schedule regular content reviews
- Archive outdated articles (don’t just delete them)
- Monitor for duplicates
- Track usage to see what needs improving
- Assign owners to high-value content
Think of your knowledge base like a garden—if you ignore it, weeds take over.
6. Measure
“What gets measured gets managed.” Tracking the right metrics shows what’s working and where to improve.
Examples include:
- Article usage and search success
- Time saved on incident resolution
- User feedback on helpfulness
- Repeat incident reduction
- Contributions by team or individual
- Review and validation rates
Metrics help you prove the value of Knowledge Management—and make the case for improving it.
How Knowledge Management Supports Other ITIL Practices
Knowledge Management doesn’t operate in a vacuum—it strengthens nearly every other ITIL practice by making useful information available, when and where it’s needed.
Here’s how it integrates with some of the most common ITIL v4 practices:
Incident Management
Goal: Restore service quickly
How knowledge helps:
- Provides access to known error articles, workarounds, and fix steps
- Reduces time to resolve common issues
- Improves consistency in responses across support teams
Example: A first-line analyst resolves a printer error using a documented fix, rather than escalating it again.
Problem Management
Goal: Find and fix root causes
How knowledge helps:
- Stores findings from root cause analysis
- Documents known errors and permanent solutions
- Helps prevent recurrence of the same issues
Example: A recurring VPN failure is stopped because someone documented the underlying misconfiguration after the last incident.
Change Enablement
Goal: Manage changes with minimal risk
How knowledge helps:
- Documents lessons learned from previous changes
- Stores rollback procedures and implementation guides
- Helps teams plan safer, more predictable changes
Example: Before deploying a patch, a team reads how a similar rollout failed due to missing dependencies.
Service Desk
Goal: Be a single point of contact for users
How knowledge helps:
- Gives agents fast access to answers
- Powers self-service portals
- Reduces escalations and handling time
Example: A user resets their own password using a self-help article instead of calling the service desk.
Service Request Management
Goal: Deliver standard services efficiently
How knowledge helps:
- Offers pre-written guides and instructions
- Supports automation of routine requests
- Speeds up fulfilment and improves customer satisfaction
Example: A laptop request form includes links to setup guides and policies, reducing questions post-delivery.
In short: when knowledge is captured and shared effectively, every other practice works better.
Who’s Involved in Knowledge Management?
You don’t need a massive team to run Knowledge Management well—but you do need clarity on who’s responsible for what. Here are the key roles and what they typically do.
Knowledge Manager
Main job: Own the strategy
- Develops and maintains the knowledge management approach
- Defines standards for capturing, reviewing, and publishing knowledge
- Tracks performance, usage, and improvement opportunities
- Works across teams to keep the practice aligned with business goals
Think of this role as the editor-in-chief of your organisation’s collective brain.
Knowledge Analysts or Coordinators
Main job: Keep the engine running
- Help document, structure, and publish knowledge
- Organise content into categories and formats users can understand
- Work with subject matter experts to ensure accuracy
- Support ongoing improvements based on feedback and usage data
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
Main job: Provide the insight
- Share specialist knowledge that others rely on
- Review and validate content in their area
- Help spot knowledge gaps based on real-world experience
SMEs don’t need to write every article—but their input keeps the content relevant and reliable.
Service Desk & Support Analysts
Main job: Use and contribute
- Use the knowledge base to resolve incidents and requests
- Flag outdated, missing, or unclear content
- Create or suggest new articles after resolving issues
- Encourage users to self-serve when appropriate
End Users
Main job: Learn and share
- Use the knowledge base to resolve simple issues
- Provide feedback on content quality and usefulness
- Occasionally contribute tips or improvements—especially in internal-facing teams
In smaller organisations, these roles might be shared—or even combined into one. That’s fine, as long as ownership is clear and knowledge doesn’t fall through the cracks.
KPIs and Metrics for Knowledge Management
To know whether Knowledge Management is actually helping, you need to track more than just article counts. The best metrics show whether knowledge is being used, trusted, and making a difference.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s worth measuring.
Knowledge Creation & Coverage
What to track:
- Number of new articles created
- Time taken to publish after an issue is resolved
- Knowledge coverage (e.g. % of common issues with an article)
Why it matters:
A healthy knowledge base grows over time—but not just in size. It should reflect the issues people are actually facing. Tracking coverage helps identify gaps.
Quality & Accuracy
What to track:
- Article validation rates
- Number of errors or corrections
- Peer/Specialist review completion
- User ratings or thumbs-up/down
Why it matters:
Poor content erodes trust. If people think the knowledge base is full of guesswork or out-of-date answers, they’ll stop using it.
Usage & Access
What to track:
- Page views or downloads
- Top search terms (and their success rates)
- Average time spent on articles
- Self-service success rate (tickets avoided)
Why it matters:
These metrics show whether people are using the content—and whether it’s helping them find what they need.
Contribution & Collaboration
What to track:
- Who’s writing and editing content
- Participation in knowledge-sharing sessions
- Number of suggested improvements from teams
- Reuse of content across teams or departments
Why it matters:
A healthy knowledge culture encourages contributions from across the business—not just from the “knowledge team.”
Business Impact
What to track:
- Reduced resolution time
- Fewer repeat incidents
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Cost savings from deflected tickets
- ROI on time spent managing knowledge
Why it matters:
Ultimately, Knowledge Management should reduce costs, improve service quality, and support faster, better decisions.
A few tools and dashboards can make tracking all of this easier—but even basic usage reports and surveys can give you useful signals.
Tools That Support Knowledge Management
The best Knowledge Management tools don’t just store content—they make it easy to create, share, find, and maintain it. Here’s a breakdown of three commonly used platforms, plus some collaboration tools that support knowledge-sharing across teams.
Confluence
Best for: Teams that want a purpose-built, flexible wiki
Confluence is widely used for good reason. It’s designed for structured content, with great search, strong version control, and easy cross-linking. It integrates well with Jira and other Atlassian tools, making it ideal if you’re already using that ecosystem.
Pros
- Clean editing interface
- Good for documentation at scale
- Team collaboration features (comments, editing history)
- Smart search with tagging and labelling
Cons
- Can overwhelm new users
- Costs can rise with scale
- Needs structure—can get messy if left unmanaged
SharePoint
Best for: Microsoft 365 users who want tight integration
If your organisation already uses Microsoft 365, SharePoint might be the natural choice. It’s great for document libraries, and it works seamlessly with Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive.
Pros
- Already included in many Microsoft 365 licences
- Supports document co-authoring, workflows, and permissions
- Integrates with Teams and Power Automate
Cons
- Can be complex to configure
- User experience isn’t as clean or intuitive
- Requires clear governance to avoid content sprawl
Guru
Best for: Fast-moving teams who need answers in the flow of work
Guru is designed for simplicity and speed. Its browser extension and Slack/Teams integrations make it easy for users to find answers without leaving their workflow.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Good browser and chat integrations
- Encourages quick knowledge capture and reuse
Cons
- Less customisation and structure
- Limited enterprise features
- May not scale well for large, regulated environments
Summary Comparison
| Feature | Confluence | SharePoint | Guru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Moderate | Moderate | High |
| Collaboration Tools | Strong | Strong | Moderate |
| Integration | Strong (Atlassian) | Strong (Microsoft) | Moderate |
| Search Functionality | Good | Good | Good |
| Customisation | High | High | Low/Moderate |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ideal Use Case | Structured IT knowledge base | Office 365 ecosystem | Embedded help in flow of work |
Collaboration Tools
Knowledge Management isn’t just about repositories. Real collaboration happens in the flow of conversation. That’s where tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams come in.
Slack
- Great for fast Q&A and informal knowledge sharing
- Supports integrations with knowledge tools (e.g. Guru, Confluence bots)
- Channels help group conversation by topic or team
Microsoft Teams
- Ideal if you’re already using Office 365
- Deep integration with SharePoint and OneDrive
- Built-in video calls, chat, and file sharing
Both tools support working across time zones and departments. They’re not knowledge bases—but they’re crucial for spreading knowledge day-to-day.
Key Advice for Making Knowledge Management Work
Knowledge Management doesn’t succeed because of the tool you pick—it succeeds because people use it, trust it, and see value in it. Here’s how to build a practice that sticks.
1. Know What Problem You’re Trying to Solve
Before setting up a knowledge base, ask: What do we need this to do?
Are you trying to reduce call volumes? Preserve specialist knowledge? Speed up onboarding? Knowing your objective shapes everything—from structure to metrics.
2. Focus on Culture, Not Just Tools
You can’t buy a knowledge-sharing culture. It takes leadership, reinforcement, and trust.
Make it normal (and valued) to share knowledge. Reward contributors. Avoid hoarding. Create space for learning and sharing, not just doing.
3. Keep It Simple and Searchable
A messy knowledge base is worse than none. Use plain language. Categorise content clearly.
Invest in good search tagging. If users can’t find what they need in 30 seconds, they’ll stop trying.
4. Start Small—but Be Consistent
You don’t need 500 articles to launch. Start with the top 10 issues support teams handle every week.
Keep quality high. Build momentum by updating regularly and showing impact.
5. Let Data Guide You
Use usage stats, feedback, and repeat incident trends to see what’s working and where to improve.
Don’t rely on gut feel—see what content people are using, ignoring, or requesting.
6. Don’t Let It Go Stale
Stale knowledge erodes trust. Build in review cycles. Retire content that’s out of date.
Assign ownership so someone is always accountable for accuracy.
7. One Knowledge Base is Better Than Three
Avoid the trap of every team spinning up their own tool or wiki.
Centralise where you can. Separate knowledge bases lead to duplication, inconsistency, and frustration.
FAQs
How do I get staff to actually use the knowledge base?
People use what they trust and can find easily. To boost adoption:
– Make content relevant and searchable
– Ensure articles are clear, accurate, and up to date
– Integrate knowledge into their tools (e.g. ITSM platforms, chatbots)
– Show the benefit—like faster ticket handling or fewer escalations
– Audit and report back contributions as part of their objectives
Also: lead by example. If managers and senior staff use it, others follow.
Who should be allowed to create and edit knowledge articles?
That depends on your maturity—but generally:
– Anyone should be able to suggest content (e.g. from tickets or insights)
– Knowledge coordinators or analysts should help shape and structure it
– Subject matter experts (SMEs) should review and validate before it goes live
Avoid bottlenecks by enabling contribution while maintaining editorial standards. It’s a balance between openness and quality control.
How often should knowledge articles be reviewed?
It depends on the content type and how fast things change. A typical approach:
– Every 6–12 months for standard operational content
– Quarterly for high-impact or frequently used content
– Immediately after a major incident or change
Use review dates and ownership tags so it’s clear who’s responsible. And monitor usage—low engagement may mean it’s out of date or irrelevant.
What’s the best format for writing knowledge articles?
Keep it simple and repeatable. A typical structure includes:
– Title: clear and searchable
– Issue or purpose: what this article helps with
– Step-by-step instructions: numbered or bulleted
– Expected outcome: what success looks like
– Related links or articles
Use plain language, short paragraphs, and headings. One issue per article. Avoid jargon. And always write like the reader’s in a hurry—because they are.
What’s the difference between tacit and explicit knowledge—and why does it matter?
Explicit knowledge is written down: documents, guides, procedures.
Tacit knowledge lives in people’s heads—things they’ve learned through experience but haven’t documented.
Tacit knowledge is easy to lose when people leave. The goal of Knowledge Management is to turn tacit into explicit—by encouraging staff to share what they know, documenting fixes, lessons learned, and unwritten know-how.
If it’s not captured, it walks out the door with them.
Final Thought & Further Reading
Knowledge Management is what keeps your organisation smart as it scales, adapts, and changes. It’s not about documents—it’s about enabling people to work smarter, solve problems faster, and build on what’s already known.
To get the full lowdown on ITIL knowledge management, then I suggest looking at Axelos’ guide here.
