Four Features Insights Teams Need In A Knowledge Sharing Platform

Insights teams have the important task of making sure the information you publish is curated and that key stakeholders can find it. With new research created on a regular basis, traditional knowledge management practices only get you so far. The door is left open for information to get lost in translation, which causes stakeholders to waste their time and energy looking for the materials they need to be successful at their jobs.

If you are using intranet software to distribute insights, you are probably familiar with this problem. Intranet solutions only address knowledge sharing processes at the surface level; people still have to communicate about a specific piece via email, and information silos still exist. Most importantly, resources that help stakeholders make critical business decisions become stale.

Knowledge wasted is money wasted. If key executives can’t find value in what their insights teams are delivering, teams will be expected to do more with less. Insights form the strategic glue for many organizations, and if they aren’t readily available, how do you expect them to influence your corporate strategy? In fact, research shows that only 49 percent of business decisions are made using quantitative information. Imagine the type of innovation and differentiation that could occur if teams had access to the most relevant and up-to-date research.

Insights platforms, the new best friend of insights teams, are on the rise to help improve efficiencies and enable departments who need the information to be available anytime and anywhere. These platforms should have several key knowledge sharing features to help make the transfer of information between departments easy.

Robust Search Functionality

The role of insights teams is to research, collect, organize, and socialize knowledge and data about customer buying trends. Unfortunately, when the distribution happens in ‘old school’ systems, it’s a little easier said than done. A movement to a more modern knowledge sharing strategy allows for knowledge to be searchable by using only a keyword or phrase–saving those who need it time and energy looking for it.

Create and Share in a Single System

Employees spend 14 percent of their time communicating and collaborating internally. It wouldn’t be surprising if the majority of that time is being spent asking where to find the latest report or research article. It is not uncommon for employees to ask this question through email chains, chat, or daily water cooler conversations.

Knowledge sharing removes the redundancy that happens through these channels by giving teams the ability to ask and answer questions and work together in a single platform. Everyone who has access will be able to see the research, questions, and answers shared on the platform, preventing the same question from being asked more than once.

Ability to Access Information Anywhere

Thanks to digital technology (especially Google) we expect answers quickly, no matter our location or the device we’re using. The lag time that occurs when communication channels are unreliable prevents teams from finding valuable information at the moment of need.

Being user-friendly is just one piece of the knowledge sharing puzzle. Today, we are a mobile workforce in every sense of the word – we are constantly on the go, and many prefer to work on portable devices. And depending on your role, being mobile may be part of your job description. A knowledge sharing platform equips your team with the insights they need right away, whether they’re working in an office or on a plane.

In-Depth Analytics

Understanding the what and how are critical when it comes to evaluating knowledge sharing strategies. Many of the tools that exist in an insights tech stack lack the ability to monitor how content is performing and if it’s adding value. Knowledge sharing breaks down the barriers by showing who is contributing, who is viewing, and how frequently. This type of awareness is two-fold – insights teams can upload what matters most, and those on the receiving end don’t have to filter through all that excess noise.

Insights and market research are some of the biggest assets to any organization. By developing a strategy that democratizes information, and lets you cut down or consolidate your current tech stack, you’ll set your team up for success.