In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, effective knowledge management (KM) is crucial for driving innovation, improving efficiency, and enhancing decision-making. At the core of a successful KM strategy is the understanding that not all knowledge is the same. Knowledge within an organization can take many forms, from structured data and documented processes to personal expertise and intuitive insights. To harness the full potential of knowledge, organizations must recognize and manage different types of knowledge effectively.
This guide explores the five key types of knowledge management: explicit, implicit, tacit, declarative, and procedural. Each type plays a distinct role in how knowledge is captured, shared, and utilized across teams and departments. In the following sections, we will dive into each type of knowledge, discuss its significance, and explore practical ways to manage it within your organization.
What Are the Types of Knowledge in Knowledge Management?
In knowledge management, effectively categorizing knowledge is essential for optimizing how information is captured, shared, and applied. Different types of knowledge serve distinct purposes within an organization, influencing decision-making, collaboration, and efficiency. Some knowledge is easy to document and share, while others are deeply ingrained in personal expertise or learned through experience. Without a structured approach to managing these variations, organizations risk losing valuable insights, creating inefficiencies, and limiting innovation.
To address this, knowledge management is typically divided into five key types: explicit, implicit, tacit, declarative, and procedural knowledge. Explicit knowledge is structured and easily documented, while implicit and tacit knowledge emerges from experience and intuition. Declarative knowledge provides factual understanding, whereas procedural knowledge focuses on processes and execution. Recognizing these distinctions helps organizations develop better strategies for capturing and utilizing knowledge effectively. The following sections will explore each type in detail, along with the best ways to manage and visualize them.
Type 1: Explicit Knowledge Management
Explicit knowledge, a foundational element within the types of knowledge management, is straightforwardly documented and shared, making it a key asset for standardizing processes and driving efficiency in organizational functions. From training manuals and procedural guides to extensive databases, explicit knowledge forms the backbone of a company’s operational framework. This type of knowledge is invaluable in ensuring consistent delivery of services and products across diverse environments, thereby minimizing variability and enhancing predictability in outcomes.
A visual collaboration platform like Creately facilitates the seamless organization and retrieval of explicit knowledge. By transforming intricate processes into easily comprehensible visual workflows, organizations create a single source of truth that ensures every team member operates with the most current and accurate information available, boosting productivity and alignment across projects. Templates such as knowledge maps and flowcharts can transform complex information into intuitive visuals, ensuring clarity, alignment, and seamless collaboration.
Knowledge Map
A knowledge map is a visual representation of documented knowledge sources within an organization. It helps structure information, making it easier for employees to locate and retrieve relevant data when needed. Knowledge maps are particularly useful in organizing large repositories of explicit knowledge, such as company policies, research reports, and best practices. Mapping out relationships between different knowledge assets improves knowledge accessibility and reduces redundancy.
Flowcharts
Flowcharts are step-by-step visual representations of structured processes, making them essential for training and knowledge transfer. They help break down complex procedures into clear, sequential steps, ensuring that employees follow standardized workflows. Flowcharts are commonly used in documenting business processes, troubleshooting guides, and operational procedures. With tools like Creately, teams can create dynamic, easy-to-update flowcharts that enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and ensure consistency across various functions.
Type 2: Implicit Knowledge Management
Implicit knowledge, one of the more nuanced categories of knowledge management, refers to the understanding that develops with experience, like a craftsman’s ability to choose the right tool without explicit instruction. This knowledge grows through practical application and becomes an individual’s instinctive expertise. Although implicit knowledge is not as easily documented as explicit, it plays a crucial role in innovation and process refinement within organizations, as it informs decision-making and problem-solving through an experienced lens.
Organizations can harness implicit knowledge by fostering environments that encourage sharing and documenting insights which help capture the unwritten rules that guide effective action. Visual tools like concept maps and process diagrams help organizations capture and transfer implicit knowledge by mapping relationships and illustrating workflows. These diagrams make it easier to document and share experiential knowledge, ensuring that valuable insights are not lost but passed on within teams.
Concept Maps
A concept map visually represents relationships between different ideas, helping to structure and connect implicit knowledge. Since implicit knowledge often involves learned skills and patterns developed over time, concept maps provide a clear framework for understanding how various experiences contribute to expertise. Organizations use concept maps to outline problem-solving strategies, decision-making frameworks, and industry best practices, enabling teams to learn from experienced professionals and improve their own skill sets.
Process Diagrams
Process diagrams illustrate the step-by-step adaptation of skills through observation and practice. These diagrams are particularly useful for onboarding, training, and knowledge transfer, as they break down complex tasks into clear, actionable steps. By mapping out workflows visually, process diagrams help employees grasp nuanced skills faster, reducing the learning curve and enhancing efficiency. With tools like Creately, teams can design and refine process diagrams that capture implicit knowledge, ensuring consistency and continuous skill development across the organization.
Type 3: Tacit Knowledge Management
Tacit knowledge, often difficult to articulate, is deeply rooted in personal experiences, insights, and intuitions. This type of knowledge is critical for fostering innovation and is typically acquired through direct participation and face-to-face interactions. Its contribution to collaborative team dynamics and crisis management cannot be underestimated, as it empowers individuals to act on insights that do not readily translate into written formats.
Visual tools like mind maps and affinity diagrams can help organizations capture and organize tacit knowledge. These diagrams create visual representations of personal experiences and insights, making it easier to share and transfer knowledge between individuals and teams.
Mind Maps
Mind maps are a powerful tool for capturing and visualizing tacit knowledge. They allow individuals to map out their personal experiences, insights, and intuitive understanding of a topic in a non-linear, visual format. Mind maps help clarify complex thoughts, enabling individuals to express knowledge that may otherwise be difficult to articulate. They are particularly useful for brainstorming, idea generation, and mapping out creative concepts. By using mind maps, organizations can capture the valuable, often unspoken expertise of their teams and make it more accessible for others to build on.
Affinity Diagrams
Affinity diagrams are used to organize unstructured tacit knowledge that emerges from brainstorming sessions, team discussions, or expert interviews. These diagrams group ideas, concepts, or observations based on their natural relationships, making it easier to identify patterns, themes, or insights that might not be immediately obvious. Affinity diagrams are essential for organizing thoughts and experiences in a way that fosters collaboration and clarity. They help teams tap into the collective tacit knowledge of an organization, turning informal, unstructured ideas into actionable insights.
Type 4: Declarative Knowledge Management
Classified under the different types of knowledge, declarative knowledge encompasses factual information and educational content, essential for training and ensuring compliance within organizations. This knowledge type includes static information like policies, company values, and historical data that inform broader organizational operations and strategic initiatives.
Effective management of declarative knowledge ensures that relevant stakeholders have access to accurate, up-to-date information, crucial for nurturing a well-informed workforce. Visual tools like Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) and fact-based charts are invaluable for organizing and displaying declarative knowledge. These diagrams help represent complex, structured data in a more digestible format, ensuring that key facts are easy to understand and apply.
Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD)
Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) are used to represent structured factual knowledge, such as databases, company policies, and regulatory frameworks. ERDs map out the relationships between different entities (e.g., employees, customers, products) and their attributes, providing a visual representation of how information is interconnected. They are particularly useful in understanding data structures, system architectures, and organizational hierarchies. By using ERDs, organizations can document complex relationships and ensure that their foundational knowledge is organized and accessible to various stakeholders.
Fact-Based Charts
Fact-based charts, such as tables and infographics, display declarative knowledge in a simple, easy-to-understand format. These charts are ideal for presenting factual information, such as statistical data, regulations, or company performance metrics. By using visuals like bar charts, pie charts, or data tables, organizations can present complex data in a way that is clear and actionable. Fact-based charts make declarative knowledge more accessible to a wider audience, ensuring that everyone in the organization can quickly grasp important information and make informed decisions.
Type 5: Procedural Knowledge Management
Procedural knowledge is the know-how of performing tasks and processes through specific steps, crucial for maintaining operational consistency and quality control. This knowledge type is indispensable in defining how operations are executed, from customer service protocols to complex operational sequences, ensuring uniform excellence and performance across the board.
Visual tools like workflow diagrams and swimlane diagrams are invaluable for documenting and communicating procedural knowledge. These diagrams help break down complex processes into clear, structured steps, making it easier for teams to follow and execute tasks efficiently. This enhances clarity and accessibility, ensuring that teams execute processes efficiently, thus leading to informed, data-driven decision-making.
Workflow Diagrams
Workflow diagrams are used to define and document “how-to” processes, outlining the steps required to complete a specific task or achieve an objective. These diagrams visualize the flow of work, helping to identify dependencies, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement. Workflow diagrams are essential for training, process optimization, and ensuring that tasks are carried out in a standardized way. By using workflow diagrams, organizations can simplify complex procedures, making them easier to follow and execute, while improving consistency and reducing errors.
Swimlane Diagrams
Swimlane diagrams provide an additional layer of clarity by illustrating roles and responsibilities within procedural workflows. In these diagrams, different “lanes” are used to represent individuals, teams, or departments, making it easy to see who is responsible for each step in a process. Swimlane diagrams are particularly useful for cross-functional processes, where multiple departments or stakeholders are involved. They help ensure accountability, clarify handoffs, and highlight potential inefficiencies. By using swimlane diagrams, organizations can optimize workflows, streamline communication, and ensure that everyone is aligned on their roles in a process.
Each type of knowledge serves a distinct purpose in shaping how organizations capture, share, and utilize vital information. By harnessing platforms like Creately for visual representation and management, businesses can optimize the use of these knowledge types, ultimately driving innovation and efficiency across their operations.
Helpful Resources
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Discover how to do effective process documentation to help carry out a business process process.
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Conclusion: Types of Knowledge Management for Organizational Success
Effective knowledge management is the cornerstone of organizational success, enabling businesses to leverage their collective expertise and drive innovation. By understanding the five types of knowledge—explicit, implicit, tacit, declarative, and procedural—organizations can develop tailored strategies to capture, organize, and apply knowledge more efficiently. Each type serves a unique purpose, from the structured and documented insights of explicit knowledge to the personal, experience-driven expertise found in tacit knowledge.
As businesses continue to grow and evolve, the ability to manage these diverse knowledge types will become increasingly important. By utilizing the right visual documentation tool like Creately and strategies—such as knowledge maps, flowcharts, mind maps, and workflow diagrams—organizations can ensure that their knowledge base is accessible, actionable, and aligned with organizational goals. Whether it’s enhancing decision-making, improving processes, or fostering collaboration, effective knowledge management lays the foundation for a thriving, innovative workplace.
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Resources:
Maier, R. and Hadrich, T. (2011). Knowledge Management Systems. Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management, Second Edition, pp.779–790. doi:https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59904-931-1.ch076.
Pan, S.L., Newell, S., Huang, J. and Galliers, R.D. (2007a). Overcoming knowledge management challenges during ERP implementation: The need to integrate and share different types of knowledge. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, [online] 58(3), pp.404–419. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20523.
