What is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge management (KM) is the systematic process of identifying, capturing, organizing, sharing, and applying knowledge to improve organizational performance. Effective knowledge management helps organizations retain critical expertise, accelerate learning, improve decision-making, reduce rework, and ensure employees can access the information and experience they need to perform effectively.

Knowledge management includes both explicit knowledge, such as documents and procedures, and tacit knowledge, such as employee experience, insights, and know-how.

Key Takeways

• Knowledge management helps organizations capture and share critical knowledge.
• Effective KM improves productivity, decision-making, and organizational learning.
• KM includes people, processes, content, technology, and culture.
• Organizations use KM to reduce knowledge loss and accelerate employee effectiveness.
• Successful KM programs align knowledge-sharing activities with business objectives.

How do Organizations Use Knowledge Management?

Organizations use knowledge management to ensure that valuable knowledge is available when and where it is needed.

For example, organizations often implement knowledge management practices to support employee onboarding, improve customer service, preserve expertise during retirements and workforce transitions, accelerate project delivery, and strengthen innovation efforts. Common KM approaches include communities of practice, lessons learned programs, knowledge repositories, expert directories, peer assists, mentoring programs, and knowledge transfer initiatives.

As organizations become more distributed and digital, knowledge management also plays an increasingly important role in helping employees find trusted information quickly and collaborate across functions, business units, and geographic locations.

The most successful KM programs focus not only on technology, but also on creating a culture that encourages learning, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

APQC Knowledge Management Authority

For more than 25 years, APQC has been a recognized leader in knowledge management research, benchmarking, and best practices. APQC’s research demonstrates that successful knowledge management programs align knowledge-sharing activities with business goals, establish repeatable processes, and create environments where employees can easily find, contribute, and apply knowledge.

APQC’s Knowledge Management Strategic Framework provides a practical model for designing, assessing, and improving KM programs. Organizations worldwide use APQC’s research, assessments, training, and best practices to build sustainable knowledge management capabilities.

APQC Related Resources

Getting Started with Knowledge Management

• What Is Knowledge Management?
• Start Your Knowledge Management Program
• Knowledge Management Strategic Framework
• Knowledge Management Fundamentals

Strategy and Program Development

• Develop a KM Strategy and Program
• Assess Your KM Program
• Knowledge Management Maturity and Capability Assessments
• Excellence in Knowledge Management Research

Core KM Approaches

• Communities of Practice
• Knowledge Transfer
• Knowledge Identification and Mapping
• Lessons Learned Programs
• Expertise Location and Knowledge Networks

Training and Certification

• Certified Knowledge Manager
• Knowledge Management Basics Learning Path
• Knowledge Management Courses and Workshops

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is knowledge management important?

Knowledge management helps organizations retain critical expertise, reduce duplication of effort, improve decision-making, and enable employees to learn from existing knowledge and experience rather than repeatedly solving the same problems.

What is the difference between information management and knowledge management?

Information management focuses on organizing and controlling information assets. Knowledge management focuses on helping people create, share, access, and apply knowledge to improve performance and achieve business outcomes.

What are the main components of knowledge management?

Most knowledge management programs include people, processes, content, technology, governance, and culture. Effective KM requires alignment across all of these elements.

How do organizations measure knowledge management success?

Organizations commonly measure KM success through metrics related to knowledge reuse, employee productivity, search effectiveness, participation in knowledge-sharing activities, onboarding speed, innovation outcomes, and business performance improvements.