What is a knowledge base and why you need one
Written by Nathan Turner | 27th March 2024
Knowledge is power. Sometimes, we are so awash with information that it can take time to figure out where to start to get the information you need quickly. Even if you find the correct information, other concerns, such as the source’s reliability and whether the information is up to date, can also be a problem you may encounter in your thirst for knowledge.
This is how a reliable knowledge base can help.
This article will teach you about knowledge bases, what they are, famous examples, and why you need one. So, if you’re ready to gain more knowledge in this area, continue reading to learn more.
What is a knowledge base?
A knowledge base is a centralized online repository that stores and organizes information for easy access and retrieval. It serves as a centralized archive for users to find answers to their questions, troubleshoot issues, and learn about various topics.
A well-built knowledge base translates to a self-service resource hub to access a platform of information to allow users to troubleshoot problems and learn more about various topics.
Overall, a well-designed and maintained Knowledge Base can be a valuable resource for both users and organizations, improving self-service capabilities, reducing support costs, and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing via multiple means, including file storage, messaging apps, or online collaboration tools.
What are the benefits of a knowledge base?
A well-established knowledge base serves the customer and the business if done correctly. It allows customers to find answers to their questions independently, saving companies money on customer support resources.
Why do you need a knowledge base?
As a knowledge base offers an invaluable access point to resources for learning, it has many uses for organizations. Of course, this depends on your organization’s specialization and who can benefit from it.
Here are some ways you can use a knowledge base effectively:
Learning a new skill
While books can be valuable, they can be hard to find, expensive, and time-consuming to see the exact skill or knowledge you need. Many websites offer video tutorials on subjects ranging from photography to software development.
A video platform is a great way to learn something new at your own pace, filter through subjects, and playback the video as often as you need. You can also share your knowledge base with the world. Websites like simpleshow allow you to make learning fun by creating AI-powered animated videos explaining complex topics.
IT companies
Companies can provide a comprehensive knowledge base filled with video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and troubleshooting tips for users to learn different features and functionalities of their program independently.
Users can easily access these resources and troubleshoot basic problems, eliminating the need to contact customer support for basic issues.
Human Resources
Companies can implement a knowledge base to provide resources for employee onboarding, training, policy and procedure management, and employee performance. A KB can also integrate well with the legal team for contract management or other legal processes.
A knowledge base empowers HR departments to operate more efficiently, communicate effectively, and create a more informed and empowered workforce, contributing to a more positive and productive work environment.
Examples of a knowledge base
Now we know what a knowledge base is and why you need one, let’s look at some famous examples to learn more about new skills or topics.
simpleshow
simpleshow is a platform dedicated to helping users create simple and engaging videos using an AI-powered video creator.
The intuitive platform allows users to create engaging and visually appealing explainer videos to accompany complex topics within the knowledge base. These videos can break down complex information clearly and concisely, improve user engagement, and facilitate knowledge retention.
simpleshow focuses on microlearning, so the videos you create are concise, allowing an improved learning experience to learn about topics quickly. You can use simpleshow to create videos for any department or organization, such as:
- Sales and communications
- Learning and development
- Health and Safety
- Project management
And more!
simpleshow lets AI take over to create videos on whatever topic you need. So you and your team can focus on the results you need from this powerful knowledge base platform.
Apple support
Apple’s support website is a shining example of a well-designed and comprehensive knowledge base catering to the needs of its diverse customer base. It is a central information hub, empowering users to troubleshoot issues, access essential resources, and manage their Apple accounts independently.
With Apple’s knowledge base, you get an extensive online library of resources to help you learn more about Apple’s huge product ecosystem. You can discover more about troubleshooting common hardware problems or software issues for Apple Music or iCloud.
Apple’s knowledge base uses multiple content formats (images, screenshots, and embedded videos) and also community forums, where technical specialists are at hand to help you troubleshoot your problems.
Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow is a platform where its knowledge base is built by a community of software developers, data scientists, and system admins who can ask, contribute, build, or solve problems using code.
Stack Overflow boasts a powerful search engine to help users easily find relevant information. Users can search by keywords, specific technical terms, or phrases, making it efficient to navigate the vast amount of information available.
To ensure the quality and reliability of answers, Stack Overflow uses a voting system to upvote the most valuable and accurate answers. It is also accessible to everyone, so whether you’re a beginner in code or an expert, everyone interested in software development will likely have a tab open to this knowledge base.
Notion
Notion is a popular choice for creating and managing internal knowledge bases within organizations due to its flexibility, functionality, and user-friendly interface. Notion is popular for organizations because it offers a blank canvas.
Teams can customize the format and presentation of their knowledge base by creating the following
- In-depth articles
- Databases
- Kanban boards
- Embedded multimedia
Notion fosters collaborative knowledge creation and management. Teams can co-author documents, leave comments, and track changes in real time, ensuring everyone stays on the same page and keeps the knowledge base up-to-date.
Finally, Notion integrates with many popular tools, such as Slack and Figma, making it a valuable and flexible solution for creating a knowledge base.
Why a knowledge base is key in the digital age
Our world demands easy access to information, and a knowledge base can be the best way to provide this solution. This shift towards readily available information unlocks the potential within yourself or your organization, leading to a more productive, collaborative, and ultimately, customer-centric environment.
Author's bio
Nathan Turner is a content writer at Internxt, an encrypted cloud storage service focusing on user privacy.
