Effective Virtual Online Communication It is so obvious, and yet I never thought about it. When we discuss effective virtual online communication, we should distinguish between synchronous and asynchronous communication. Although effective communication in these two channels may share some attributes, many principles, and tools are relevant only to one of them rather than to the other. So, what are my top 5 for each? Synchronous Communication: Time matters! Make sure to be punctual. Take some time for interpersonal relations; it may seem distracting but it leads to efficiency. Even though synchronous, enable multi-modal channels, encouraging every person to be active and share their ideas most conveniently. Asking questions is a great way to communicate, improving understanding, being on the same page, and fostering non-linear thinking. Provide a secure place to share unbaked thoughts, even mistakes. Please don't take it for granted. Asynchronous Communication: Think smart: choose the proper channels for communication after understanding the needs and analyzing the advantages and convenience of each solution. Be clear! It's easy to be misunderstood when you're asynchronous, especially when people have different cultural codes. From time to time, stop to summarize, bringing everyone back to the same page. Use gestures! They are efficient, require less energy than typing, and can help support the message and make everyone feel better. Only write short messages; people have lives! Previous Item Next Item

Virtual Reality and Tacit Knowledge- can they be connected? Today, during our Knowledge Management Global Network course on Leveraging Tacit Knowledge for Value Creation, Tracy Cosgrove shared her inspiring story about using Virtual Reality (VR) in hospitality services. Key Takeaways on how VR can leverage value creation of tacit knowledge: Tacit Knowledge Transfer: Amplifying Nonaka's Principle, tacit knowledge can be transferred without converting it to explicit knowledge. VR beautifully amplifies this idea. Thank you, Sven Rinke, PhD, for the insight. Sensory: Stimulating sensory engagement, VR immerses experts in virtual environments that stimulate their senses, enabling them to tap into their unconscious and tacit knowledge. Contextual Understanding: VR allows experts to view the world from different personas' perspectives, enhancing their understanding of various contexts and situations. This leads to creating both tacit and explicit knowledge relevant to business needs. Enriched Learning: Blending VR with real-world scenarios enriches our learning experiences, making them more exciting and engaging, thus stimulating our imagination and knowledge creation. Questions: Everyone acts as avatars in VR environments, providing a sense of anonymity and protection. This encourages more questions, which helps listeners leverage their tacit knowledge and understanding (internalization) and enables experts to deepen their understanding while answering these questions. Tracy emphasized that you can use VR technologies without being a technological expert. So, for those hesitating, there are few excuses left for delaying their adoption. Previous Item Next Item

Facilitation - More Essential Than Expected; More Complex Than We Would Wish A facilitator is one who plans, guides, and manages the dynamics of people's contributions to generate value, make decisions, and achieve required objectives. We naturally understand a facilitator's role in specific conditions where leadership is a formal part of the structure of the event. However, facilitation, as noticed by Tami Dubi, is a basic KM requirement, taking place in almost every context and condition. Arthur Shelley led us today in Knowledge Management Global Network's Collaboration course, facilitating us through the journey of deepening our understanding of this topic. Facilitation may seem like a simple task, but unfortunately, it is just the opposite! It is all about balancing the roles of socialization and control. A low level of control can lead to chaos and no results; a low level of socialization may lead to decisions but to decreased results and decreased levels of belonging. The facilitator must strive for such a balance by creating conversation, questions, contributions, creative fiction, mind flex, and... flow. Socialization actions may include: Welcoming, guiding, motivating, encouraging, engaging, asking, empowering, connecting, enabling, listening, clarifying, highlighting, praising, adapting, navigating, coaching, participating, questioning, respecting, remoting, partnering, reflecting, communicating. Controlling actions may include: Planning, preparing, directing, delegating, resolving, "reading" the room, managing (time/resources), challenging, capturing, documenting, summarizing, task-mastering. As much as it sounds impossible and an "art," it can be taught, experienced, and improved. Try it; you won't regret it. Previous Item Next Item

KM AI Agents Series – Post #1: Capturing Tacit Knowledge – Smart, Fast, and Practical When people hear about KM AI agents, they often think of one thing: Take a knowledge base Build a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) Let people search it better with GenAI. Of course, this is valuable — and should be done. But if KMers are only mediating business users' simple requests to IT, asking for better search, who needs knowledge managers at all? Real Knowledge Management goes far beyond that. Real Knowledge Management is about enabling smarter—access, capturing and retaining critical—knowledge, driving lessons—learned, supporting change, and — yes — surfacing the deep tacit insights that fuel real expertise. How many times have you looked at a finalized ROCK (Retention of Critical Knowledge) article…and found only documented processes, with no best practices inside? Processes are important, but as Polanyi taught us, the real gold lies in tacit knowledge: How to look at a new problem How to judge a situation based on experience How to balance needs and make the best decision This is precisely where KM AI Agent #1: KiSure—Capturing—Tacit—Knowledge steps in. It guides a structured, smart conversation with an expert — and in just 60–90 minutes, the real insights start surfacing; not instead of us- with us. magic. Just great KM practices, embedded into a smart AI agent. Curious? Explore ROM Global’s current set of KM AI agents here Interested in piloting the software and bringing real KM power to your organization? Let’s talk. It’s not magic – but it sure feels like it. Previous Item Next Item

The New KnowledgeWork - Post 2: DecisionMaking GenerativeAI opens new opportunities for enhancing many aspects of knowledge work. When we began our work in the KMAI coalition, decision-making was quickly prioritized as a key area for improvement. We formed a team led by Kristina Mirchuk, including Dragan Petrov, Larriza Thurler, Alex Bennet (Alex & David Bennet), Israel Fischer, Susan Montgomery, May Rubinstein, Maya Shaked, and myself. Our findings were fascinating: Some decisions are made very quickly and easily, and we likely want to maintain that efficiency. As we learned from Daniel Kahneman in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, there's a good reason we don’t meticulously analyze every decision but rather respond almost intuitively (System 1 vs. System 2). We sought a process to help us make the comprehensive decisions. We quickly realized that AI knowledge-driven agents could be the solution for such processes. GPTs, like those in the GPT store, can serve as coaches, leading us through best-methodology-based decision-making processes. By enabling web browsing, these agents can also act as assistants, providing additional knowledge and information relevant to the decision at hand. For defined processes, one might develop specific AI knowledgedriven agents. However, for the sake of this coalition, we decided to develop a general-purpose AI knowledge-driven agent capable of addressing any comprehensive decision process. Practically, we developed two agents (Dragan and Moria), trained them repeatedly, and conducted experiments and pilots in various organizations, situations, and contexts. The results were astonishing, pushing us towards commercial usage (ROM Global, QME) and a research paper (Larriza, Moria). Where does this take us? We strongly advocate for organizations to embrace the use of AI Knowledge-Driven Agents in their decision-making processes, whether developed internally or by trusted partners like ROM Global and QME. This Shift can make the decision-making process faster, more systematic, and better managed, leading to more profound decisions. For years, decision-making has been crucial yet not systematically managed. We are now in a new era where this can change, and it’s in our hands to make it happen. Previous Item Next Item

Knowledge Creation- the Symphony of KM When we talk about knowledge creation, we’re actually referring to a variety of Knowledge Management (KM) solutions, each focusing on a different kind of learning and creation process. Lessons Learned / Debriefing sessions Where insights from action are distilled into good practices, usually tactical, helping teams refine what already works. Tacit Knowledge Capture Sensitive conversations with subject matter experts, revealing hidden approaches, methods, and tools. These can range from strategic frameworks to very hands-on techniques. Collaborative Learning Structured series that combine conceptualizing, capturing, organizing, sharing, and documenting knowledge on a defined topic, from shaping a new policy to structuring a professional doctrine to addressing risks and challenges together. Innovation Focused ideation processes that create new products, services, or work methods, turning creativity into structured output. Game-Changing Transformation Where knowledge creation becomes re-creation, proposing new value or a radically different way to fulfill existing needs. In each of these, we, the knowledge managers, are not the ones playing the instruments, but rather the conductors of the orchestra, guiding others to create, connect, and compose new harmonized knowledge together. Previous Item Next Item

Why Knowledge Management? Rudolf DSouza, as always, hits the nail on the head by starting with the most critical question. Simon Sinek has taught us to START WITH WHY. Here’s my quick checklist of typical "whys" for KM, because sometimes it’s easier to start with a guide rather than a blank page: Effectiveness & Efficiency Encouraging knowledge sharing and applying existing knowledge in everyday tasks, problem-solving, and process improvement. Future Capabilities & Innovation Fostering knowledge creation and driving innovation. The key to staying ahead of the curve. Onboarding Improving learning curves and shortening the integration process for new hires and trusted suppliers. An essential part of welcoming talent into the fold. Business Continuity Capturing both tacit and explicit knowledge from experts and key roles, ensures the company mitigates risks when people move on. Safeguarding our intellectual capital. Safety Promoting knowledge learning, sharing, accessibility, and application to prevent accidents and ensure a safe environment. Knowledge can save lives. Knowledge is not just about documentation—it's about dealing with business needs, thus helping them improve performance and growth. Let’s always remember the power of asking WHY and keep pushing forward to unlock the true potential of KM in our organizations. Previous Item Next Item

AI is shaking the foundations of Knowledge Management It’s flooding us with unprecedented amounts of information and documented knowledge — and while knowledge will remain crucial for organizations, that doesn’t automatically mean they will appoint someone to manage it. After all, knowledge is everyone’s responsibility. While some of our current KM tasks will change — and some may even disappear — we also see new KM-based roles emerging: Leader of Strategic Knowledge – guiding how organizations identify, capture, acquire and integrate new knowledge. Leader of Knowledge Curation & Quality – ensuring knowledge is trusted, relevant, and methodologically sound. Leader of Knowledge-Driven Innovation – guiding how to catalyze turning insights into creative solutions and breakthroughs. Leader of Knowledge Risk Management – protecting against the loss of critical expertise and safeguarding organizational knowledge assets. These roles will only exist if we define them, model them, and show their impact. If enough of us step forward, others will follow. Meanwhile, there’s still much to do with today’s KM solutions to deliver business value more efficiently and effectively. (But that’s for another post ) We must start NOW — shaping both the near and distant future. It’s in our hands. It’s our responsibility. Previous Item Next Item

The Value of Tacit Knowledge: A Balanced Perspective YES—Tacit Knowledge is important. NO—Its tacit nature isn’t what makes it valuable. Why do we get so excited when discussing tacit knowledge and its significance? Here are a few reasons: Knowledge creation always starts with tacit knowledge—so yes, it’s important. Experts in our organizations possess undocumented, unshared knowledge that is crucial for problem-solving and decision-making. This tacit knowledge is not only important but vital to business performance. Tacit knowledge was neglected for many years in KM programs because managing explicit knowledge was easier. This gap elevates the importance of tacit knowledge. These are indeed good and important reasons. However: Not all tacit knowledge is equal. While some represent deep, critical knowledge, other portions may be less significant or even shallow. Capturing tacit knowledge and turning it explicit doesn’t diminish its value. Even if some of it remains tacit, successfully codifying 80% of it is a win! So, what’s my suggestion? YES: Aim to handle tacit knowledge by: Fostering interactions and encouraging experts to share their knowledge. Creating new knowledge through various KM activities. Capturing tacit knowledge and turning it explicit. NO: Don’t treat all tacit knowledge equally—it depends on its depth and specific value. Don’t neglect the knowledge we’ve turned explicit; its value is priceless. We’re on the right track by embracing tacit knowledge. Let’s take it a step further by being smarter about how we treat both tacit and explicit knowledge. Previous Item Next Item

Digital Transformation: Praise or Daze? Isn't it true that we often get carried away by tech buzzwords that promise revolutionary changes but often fail to deliver? "Digital transformation" is one such buzzword we're grappling with. Yesterday, I had the privilege of leading a round table discussion as part of our Knowledge Management Global Network roundtable series. Our goal? To decode digital transformation, scrutinize the hype, and explore the role of knowledge managers in this realm. The session kicked off with an insightful definition from Cheng Gong and Vincent Ribiere: "Digital transformation is a fundamental change process enabled by the innovative use of digital technologies. It leverages key resources and capabilities, aiming to radically improve an entity and redefine its value proposition for its stakeholders." (Note: An entity could be an organization, a business network, an industry, or society.) Alongside esteemed panelists Annie Green, Art Murray, Ron Young, and Yesha Sivan, we dove into the promising depths of digital transformation, especially in the exciting era of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). Thank you, Yesha, for opening our eyes to the impact of the AGI Here are some key takeaways: Business needs should guide our digital transformation journey. Technology-oriented only is an aimless approach that won't get us far. We should put only some eggs in the technology basket; human expertise matters. This is an essential part of our role as KMers, bringing in, again and again, human knowledge. Remember, digital transformation is not a one-off project; it's a perpetual 'Plan-Do-Learn' cycle. Learning through systematic KM-based debriefing makes the process more effective. Never underestimate the power of change management. We all should commit to ongoing learning about new digital technologies and empower our knowledge workers to do the same. A true transformation combines digital, data, knowledge, and collaboration transformations. We must ensure responsible AI and digital transformation implementation. Last but not least, we should embrace Generative AI! It's a golden opportunity to supercharge KM and digital transformation. Previous Item Next Item

KM is Dead? Again? Think Twice 15 years ago, the media was filled with headlines declaring the “death of Knowledge Management.” I still remember the R.I.P. images with KM written underneath. I hated it. For me, KM was alive, kicking—and a not-so-bad source of income. Those who wrote such pieces? Mostly chasing attention. Jump to 2025. The media landscape may have changed, but the narrative is here again. Some are once again whispering about KM’s end. NO. We are not at the end—we are at a wake-up call for KMers: To recognize the change will be profound. To redevelop our skills for the KM+AI era. To redesign our value proposition—without letting organizations fall back into the old trap of “technology will solve everything.” Burying our heads in the sand with slogans like “KM is human-centric, so it will survive” is not the solution. The way forward? Move boldly towards a bright new future for KM. Fear? Yes. Excitement? Even more. Previous Item Next Item

Walmart leads, also in the way it approaches AI Today’s opening keynote at hashtag#KMWorld2025 set the tone for another insightful day. Seema Swamy, Ph.D., from Walmart delivered a thought-provoking session on Enterprise Intelligence: Human & AI Optimization & Action, sharing perspectives that resonate far beyond the retail world. Key takeaways we should all pay attention to: 1. The gap is growing. While many organizations are starting to adopt AI, those who are truly leading are leading hard. The distance between early movers and everyone else is accelerating fast — strategically, culturally, and operationally. 2. Human AI collaboration must remain human-led. We, the humans, carry the responsibility for: Training AI in meaningful ways, Explaining its outcomes, Ensuring responsible and sustainable use. This leadership cannot be delegated to the machine. 3. We must guard against emotional and cognitive atrophy. AI can make life easier, but it can also make us passive. Staying curious, reasoning deeply, and maintaining emotional judgment are essential human strengths in the age of automation. 4. AI is not only about efficiency. It also elevates the experience: personalization, relevance, and smoother journeys. AI’s real value shines when it supports people, not only processes. 5. Yes, the hype exists. Expectations need calibration. Real impact comes from grounded strategy, not buzzwords. A thought to carry forward: The real advantage is not AI itself but the organizations mature enough to shape it with purpose, discipline, and human intelligence. Previous Item Next Item