Make Everyone an Expert with an IT Knowledge Base

Many IT departments have it rough. Most companies rely heavily on technology, everything from personal computers to virtual conference software, to run smoothly. So when something isn’t working correctly or breaks, productivity grinds to a halt until the problem can be fixed. This can put tremendous strain on IT departments, particularly at large companies, because IT only do so much.

Plus not all problems are equally urgent: an employee forgetting a password just isn’t as important as a lagging server. While the IT professional will likely need to focus on the server, the employee with the forgotten password can’t get to work until the issue is resolved.

One solution is an IT knowledge base: a centralized repository, almost like an encyclopedia of relevant, organized content built to be used internally.

Building a robust, thriving IT knowledge base helps free up the IT department to focus on larger issues. Including articles on issues like password protocols, obtaining software licenses, and instructions for wifi access for guests empowers employees to be manage simpler problems. Some basic best practices will ensure the IT knowledge base is working properly:

• Write simply. Though the articles should be written by subject matter experts, the people reading them likely won’t be. Use simple language, include images when possible, and define jargon.
• Include the right articles. As many IT professionals know, employees will have many, many different technical support needs. While it isn’t possible to address all of them, it is possible to measure which simple requests are being submitted the most often, and write knowledge base articles that help solve those issues.
• Knowledge bases don’t live in a vacuum. A good IT knowledge base will integrate with other business systems, like IT monitoring, internal social networks, and ticketing systems. This way everything is tracked in a centralized location.
• Encourage participation. The more people who write and comment on articles, the richer the experience will be.