Knowledge bases – how to work faster, better, and cheaper

In today’s information age, businesses and organizations are faced with the challenge of managing vast amounts of data and information. This is where a knowledge base comes into play, serving as a central repository of knowledge that can be accessed and shared across teams and departments. A knowledge base is essentially a database of information that is organized, searchable, and available to employees, customers, or other stakeholders. Whether you’re a small business owner, a customer service representative, or a software developer, a knowledge base can be an invaluable tool for organizing and sharing knowledge within your organization.

In this article, we will explore the knowledge base concept, its benefits, best practices for creating and maintaining one, and what should be included in it.

What is a technical knowledge base?

A technical knowledge base is a centralized repository of technical documentation, manuals, how-to guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting tips for software, hardware, or particular products. It serves as a comprehensive resource that helps technical teams quickly and easily access information and solve problems.

The importance of having a technical knowledge base cannot be overstated, especially in the field of technology, where products and services are constantly evolving. A well-maintained technical knowledge base can help reduce the workload of technical support teams, improve the efficiency of troubleshooting, and increase the speed of problem resolution.

Advantages of a knowledge base

Knowledge bases have a lot of useful things, thanks to which we can facilitate everyday work, speed up the process of onboarding new employees or even eliminate the need to remember business processes.
Below are the main benefits which a knowledge base can improve your work and organization:

• Improved efficiency – with a centralized knowledge base, individuals can quickly and easily access the information they need to complete tasks, rather than searching for the information or asking for help.
• Streamlined problem-solving – a technical knowledge base can help to streamline the troubleshooting process by providing easy access to solutions for commonly occurring issues. This can save time and improve efficiency.
• Consistency – by documenting processes and procedures in a knowledge base, you can ensure that everyone in your organization is following the same steps and using the same terminology, which can reduce confusion and errors.
• Enhanced customer experience – a well-maintained technical knowledge base can help improve the customer experience by providing quick and accurate solutions to customer issues. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Reduced costs – by reducing the workload of technical support teams and improving the efficiency of troubleshooting, a technical knowledge base can help to reduce costs associated with technical support.
• Reduced dependence on key individuals – when technical knowledge is documented in a knowledge base, organizations are less reliant on a few key individuals who possess that knowledge. This reduces the risk of knowledge loss due to employee turnover or retirement.

In addition, a technical knowledge base can be used to support new employees or those who are not familiar with a particular system or process. By providing detailed information on technical processes and procedures, a knowledge base can help new employees get up to speed quickly, reducing the time and resources needed to train them.

Writing a good knowledge base

When creating a knowledge base, we should remember that it should be easily accessible, logical, transparent and consistent. A well-built knowledge base is easy to navigate even for people who are dealing with it for the first time. Below are the things that will keep our knowledge base well-built and maintained:

1. Organize information – the information in the knowledge base should be organized in a logical and intuitive way, making it easy to find the information needed.
2. Keep content up-to-date – it is important to keep the information in the knowledge base up-to-date to ensure that it remains a reliable resource for technical teams.
3. Encourage feedback – encouraging feedback from technical teams and customers can help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the knowledge base remains relevant.
4. Make it searchable – the knowledge base should be searchable, allowing users to quickly find the information they need.

Examples of well-build knowledge base

In this screenshot we can see an example of a well-built knowledge base in OneNote. It is divided into sections, which create the main division and articles, where we can find information on the topic indicated by sections:

Thanks to this division, navigation is more intuitive, which makes the work easier. The articles should be short but contain the most important information. Remember to maintain the knowledge base in such a way that the information contained therein is as understandable as possible and easily accessible using, for example, keywords.

Programs to build knowledge base

To create a knowledge base, we have a lot of programs that offer many possibilities and will help us create a good knowledge base. The most popular include, among others:

• OneNote,
• Confluence,
• Guru,
• Document360,
• Zendesk,
• Atlassian.

We have a large number of programs at our disposal that will help us create our knowledge base. Among them, everyone will find the one that suits him.

Summary

In conclusion, a technical knowledge base is an essential tool for any organization that offers technical products or services. It provides a centralized location for technical documentation and can help to streamline problem-solving, improve collaboration, enhance customer experience, and reduce costs. By following best practices when creating a knowledge base, organizations can ensure that it remains a reliable and valuable resource for technical teams and customers alike.

Overall, a well-maintained technical knowledge base can be an invaluable resource for individuals and organizations, and can help to improve efficiency, consistency, and customer service.