5 Knowledge Delivery Trends That Business Leaders Must Watch

After three tumultuous years, the way we work has permanently changed. And as a result, the way we search for, share, and use information has changed too.

Knowledge still remains your organization’s most strategic resource, but simply documenting and storing information is no longer enough. As technology evolves and human behavior adjusts, your company’s ability to innovate, retain top talent, and grow your customer base hinges on knowledge delivery.

In other words, to survive and thrive in the years ahead, your workforce must be able to rapidly capture, organize, find, and share knowledge without process bottlenecks or data silos. And businesses that fail to update their knowledge management platform and practices to align with modern demands will struggle to stay afloat.

Fortunately, keeping up with advancements isn’t as challenging as it sounds. To help you prepare for 2023 and the years beyond, we’re sharing the five knowledge delivery trends every business leader needs to know.

Bite-Sized Video Content

Gen Z has officially entered the professional world, and by 2025, they’ll make up nearly a third of the global workforce, according to the World Economic Forum. To help future-proof your business, it’s crucial your knowledge delivery strategy reflects the needs and expectations of this massive generation—including their preference for short, snackable video content.

Gathering information via bite-sized videos has become so popular that, according to data shared by TechCrunch, almost 40% of Gen Z prefer TikTok over Google for online searches. While older generations are accustomed to a text-heavy list of links in their search results, younger internet users overwhelmingly choose more immersive experiences.

One way to leverage this trend is to convert your most popular text knowledge assets into short, easy-to-consume videos. And if you don’t have the resources for professional-quality video production, don’t worry—Gen Z (and millennials) prefer authenticity over buttoned-up corporate communications.

Curated Content

From Netflix to Spotify, Instagram to Amazon, nearly every media and e-commerce platform tailors experiences to its users’ interests and behaviors. These brands know that anticipating and fulfilling individuals’ needs (before they even ask) will keep users engaged and ensure they continue returning for more. And, in spaces with an overwhelming amount of content to choose from, targeted recommendations reduce the risk of decision fatigue and provide a relevant starting point.

Now curated content is so prevalent that audiences expect it everywhere—including when engaging with knowledge management (KM) solutions. Fortunately, meeting these demands by tailoring content feeds to users’ search habits or roles will streamline their experience, help eliminate information overload, and quickly connect them with the information they need. And the less friction employees encounter when interacting with KM software, the more they’ll use it.

To make things easier, Bloomfire content curation allows admins to set up curated feeds on a wide range of criteria. For example, you might create a feed of frequently asked customer questions for the support team or curate the latest reports and insights for the marketing team. Additionally, users can set up their own feeds with the content and resources they feel provide them the most value.

Human-Centered User Interfaces

When it comes to KM user interface design trends, intentional minimalism has become the new North Star. And it’s about more than aesthetics. A simple, clean, and easy-to-navigate UI will help teams solve problems faster (especially if it includes reliable and accurate search functionality).

On the flip side, deploying your knowledge management strategy without providing employees with an intuitive KM user interface is like asking someone to assemble furniture without instructions. Sure, they might get the task done eventually—but it won’t be efficient and will likely cause unnecessary headaches.

When choosing a KM solution to support your organization into the future, opt for one with a modern, clutter-free, human-centered UI. This way, users can pick it up without a significant learning curve and quickly access the information they need without pausing their workflow.

Asynchronous Knowledge-Sharing

Widespread remote work is one pandemic-era policy that’s here to stay. According to data from McKinsey, 58% of Americans reported having the option to work from home at least once a week, while 35% can work from home every day.

For the most part, employees have found the flexibility of work-from-anywhere setups far outweighs the drawbacks, while employers benefit from less overhead and a wider talent pool free of geographic constraints. But, remote work isn’t without a few challenges—including when it comes to communication and knowledge delivery. For example, back-to-back video calls wreak havoc on productivity and contribute to employee burnout, while the expectation to immediately respond to messages interrupts vital deep work time.

Instead of trying to fit traditional communication practices into flex work environments, it’s time to embrace asynchronous collaboration—a method of exchanging knowledge and ideas at each employee’s convenience rather than in real time. Knowledge management platforms can support asynchronous communication by ensuring all employees have access to the most up-to-date information, reducing the need for interruptions.

Access to Knowledge Without Context-Switching

Context switching (toggling between multiple tasks and tools) can consume a hefty portion of your workday. A 2021 study found that it takes nearly 10 minutes to get back on track after switching between apps, and context switching leads to fatigue and reduced cognitive function. The more tools someone has to interact with, the harder it becomes to get anything done—a serious challenge in the era of ever-growing tech stacks.

But, while some context-switching will always exist, selecting knowledge delivery systems that don’t require users to jump between apps can help them reclaim their time. For example, Bloomfire integrates with apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zendesk, and Salesforce Lightning, so employees can search and share knowledge inside the tools they’re already using.

Looking ahead, it’s clear we’ve entered a new era in the world of work. With a new generation entering the workforce, technology shifting our expectations, and remote work becoming a permanent norm, your knowledge delivery practices must keep up. By staying up-to-date on these trends and adopting a knowledge management solution designed for the future, you can ensure your organization will be well-supported.