Video Clips and Knowledge Management - The Perfect Blend!
1 November 2013
Moran Maravi
The world of social media offers numerous opportunities to share and exchange information and knowledge with people around the globe. One of the possibilities that has become highly significant in recent years is sharing video clips. Today, it is possible to watch video clips anytime and anywhere thanks to the internet, available to us - whether through a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
The video clips available on the Internet today can be classified into several categories: documentary videos, marketing videos, family videos, instructional videos, and more.
There are many options for watching videos on the internet through video-sharing sites. Some sites are open to the general public, and viewing and uploading videos on them is free. The most prominent ones are - YouTube, Blip TV, and Flix. The significant advantage of video clips on the internet is the expansion of existing learning opportunities and the possibility of distance learning. One of the sites that provides this opportunity is Lynda.com. The site contains nearly 2,000 professional videos, where you can learn a variety of training courses and develop different skills. Another site called Ted.com is a site for sharing ideas through video, but not only - it serve as a platform for disseminating knowledge from thinkers. The videos on the Ted site are characterized by a certain length that allows them to be downloaded and watched even when there is no internet connection. Additionally, the videos are structured in a way that is easy for viewers to digest.
So far, we have described current trends and tendencies in video in social media.
So, what about video clips and knowledge management?
A lot! Where shall we start? First, incorporating video clips as a complementary tool for knowledge management processes in an organization can help increase the effectiveness of using organizational knowledge. For example, incorporating short video clips of employees sharing their experiences using the insights managed in the repository can add a personal touch and help both understand the need for the insight and create motivation to adopt it. Additionally, such videos can contribute significantly to the lessons learned process in the organization, as the observational channel provides additional information beyond the written one. Another possibility is using videos to transfer knowledge to employees scattered across the country. This method is faster and easier for the employee compared to reading a new procedure or attending in-person training (saving time and money resources and increasing the chances of embedding the information).
What about the process of preserving knowledge from retirees? A significant amount of knowledge is "transferred" from the retiring source through written documentation. Is preserving some of that knowledge through video clips possible and desirable? Absolutely. Technical knowledge, sometimes challenging to maintain in written form, can be relatively easily documented through a video clip. Moreover, from the user's perspective, procedural knowledge is easier to understand through a visual channel that allows for imitation of behavior rather than a verbal channel that requires translating the content into the required behavior. This means that the employee using the information later will be able to retrieve it and get the most out of it compared to reading the specific knowledge.
Why is it worth incorporating video clips in knowledge management?
Our media consumer culture is moving more and more towards visual media. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article - knowledge has become much more accessible to all of us through social media. Employees in the organization who are familiar with this channel from their personal lives relatively quickly adopt it in the workplace. Additionally, incorporating video clips allows for both cost savings for the organization and better implementation of the knowledge required to achieve the organization's business goals -- for example, recorded training sessions instead of courses allow for repeated use in different course cycles and enable employees to watch them again to refresh their memory or clarify questions that arise over time. At the same time, a short video can serve as a substitute for writing and reading a procedure that takes a longer time and is sometimes (depending on the type of knowledge) more challenging to understand.
However, it is essential to consider whether incorporating video clips is appropriate, as sometimes the cost may outweigh the benefit. For example, if it is a concise procedure, publishing it in writing is better than producing a video clip.
You've decided to produce video clips - where do you start?
Decision stage: ensure that the knowledge you want to document in the video clip is necessary enough and is such that it can save your organization or business time and money.
Writing a script: detail step by step what you want to see in the video on a document. Be as detailed as possible -- as you will need to use the script for filming and editing afterward.
Filming: Ensure a noise-free environment with proper lighting. If employees are participating in the filming, ensure that they are familiar with their part in the script beforehand so that the filming can be carried out as smoothly as possible.
Editing the film: After completing the filming, you need to edit what you have just filmed. Editing is critical, as this is the final product that your customers or employees will watch, and it is essential to do it well and professionally.
In summary, we are in the midst of a revolution in social media - video clips are taking a very central place in the daily operations of organizations and companies - from instructional videos on organizational portals to advertising and marketing videos on the internet. Proper incorporation of video clips in the knowledge management processes of an organization can significantly assist in making knowledge accessible to employees in a way that is familiar to them from everyday life. And now... action!
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_sharing_websites http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media
