Me, You, and the Source of Knowledge...

One phenomenon we often encounter concerns content experts' difficulty feeding content into a portal, website, or community.

The activity usually begins with great fanfare: presentations, relevant documents, tips, and other insights are collected to build a content core. At this stage, the expert is still enthusiastic and happily searches for information sources typically found in their folders.

The difficulty emerges later, with phrases like "I don't have new material to add" or "Nothing new is happening in the field..." becoming increasingly common. On the surface, this seems like an implausible situation. Is it possible that in this knowledge era, where we frequently deal with information overload, a content area doesn't update at all?

Assuming this isn't about the content expert's motivation, we must assume it's a genuine predicament. This difficulty may stem from a narrow definition of possible information sources that the expert uses. Naturally, we tend to return to familiar territory, to materials "at hand," however, additional information sources exist. Directing the expert's attention to these sources from the beginning will allow us to avoid a "dry period" and enrich the portal with diverse content.

So where should we look?

• "The Social Network": This solution suggests contacting the expert's peer group in a similar/identical content area. This group can help the expert by providing information sources and reducing the existing workload. The strong message conveyed is "you are not alone in this battle..." It signals to the expert that they are not expected to produce all the information exclusively.

• Professional journals and literature: Sometimes experts "escape" from this source due to copyright issues and the complexity of information requiring more in-depth reading. This is precisely where the relative advantage of this information source should be emphasized (availability and newness of information are just two of them...).

• Internet information sites: "The first law of the internet states that the answer is on the internet, so the question is no longer 'where do we find the answer' but 'how do we phrase the question.'" Proper guidance for content experts on correct search principles and referral to relevant information sites can help them greatly. Many organizations now have an "information specialist" function, and enlisting them can serve as an excellent springboard.

• Site leader: The site leader is typically chosen for their professionalism and extensive experience in the field. An atmosphere of openness and willingness to help can turn them into an excellent information source as the "elder of the tribe."

• "Knowledge junctions": For most of us, an average work week includes one or two meetings, participation in various internal forums, and sometimes attending a conference or course. Numerous information sources can emerge from these daily routines. A lecture you attended at a conference where you can request a copy from the presenter, an interesting presentation prepared by a parallel department during a work meeting, etc. It's important to identify these junctions in each expert's routine work and leverage them for their area of expertise.

These are just some of the possible information sources. The most important thing is to open your eyes and look around: the information will find its way to you!!

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