Adopting a knowledge management platform is a tremendous undertaking for your organisation. But it’s a worthwhile endeavour: the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that social, searchable knowledge tools could raise knowledge workers’ productivity by 20 to 25%.对于企业而言，采用知识管理平台是一项艰巨的任务，但却非常值得：麦肯锡全球研究院估计，社交化、可搜索的知识工具可以将知识工作者的生产力提高20%至25%。

When it’s time to collect, consolidate, and organise your data in an accessible way, it can feel daunting to document everything properly. How can you best organise your information so it’s accessible to the right team members?当需要以易于访问的方式收集、整合和组织数据时，将一切妥善记录下来可能会让人感到畏惧。你该如何最有效地组织信息，以便合适的团队成员能够获取它们？

First things first: You need to understand the types of knowledge that already exist in your organisation. Design your knowledge management solution for long-term success by learning about the three types of knowledge and how to capture each in your organisation. The distinction matters most when someone leaves, because each type moves differently: our knowledge transfer plan template sorts an expert’s knowledge by type before choosing a transfer method.首先，你需要了解组织中已有的知识类型。通过了解这三种知识类型以及如何在组织中捕获每种知识，为你的知识管理解决方案设计长期成功的基础。当人员离职时，这种区分尤为重要，因为每种知识的转移方式各不相同：我们的知识转移计划模板会在选择转移方法之前，先按类型对专家的知识进行分类。

The 3 types of knowledge三种知识类型

In the field of knowledge management, we characterize an organisation’s knowledge in three ways. Ideally, you want to make all three types of information as accessible as possible so your team saves more time and stays productive. Let’s discuss each type of knowledge and how to integrate them into your knowledge management strategy.在知识管理领域，我们将组织的知识分为三种。理想情况下，你应当尽可能让这三种信息变得易于获取，从而帮助团队节省时间并保持高效。让我们来探讨每种知识类型，以及如何将它们整合到你的知识管理策略中。

1. Explicit knowledge1. 显性知识 (Explicit knowledge)

You likely already have a repository of explicit knowledge in your organisation. Explicit knowledge is information in its most basic form, which is documented and shared with your team. This is the easiest type of knowledge to explain, share, and understand. Explicit knowledge includes information like:你的组织中可能已经拥有一个显性知识库。显性知识是以最基础形式存在的信息，它们已被记录并与团队共享。这是最容易解释、分享和理解的知识类型。显性知识包括以下信息：

SOPs标准作业程序 (SOP)
Instruction manuals说明手册
Guides指南
White papers白皮书
Datasheets数据表
Product specifications产品规格书
Case studies案例研究
Formal documentation正式文档

Explicit knowledge is helpful because it’s absolute: It’s black-and-white information that doesn’t leave room for interpretation. Best of all, it’s already prepared and ready for your knowledge management system.显性知识之所以有用，是因为它是绝对的：它是非黑即白的信息，没有解读的空间。最棒的是，它已经准备就绪，可以随时纳入你的知识管理系统。

Explicit knowledge is best used for training new employees on your processes. It’s also helpful to give step-by-step guides or context on your business processes.显性知识最适合用于培训新员工掌握流程。提供分步指南或关于业务流程的背景信息也非常有帮助。

The biggest challenge with explicit knowledge is finding a way to efficiently store it in your knowledge management platform. Fortunately, Elium makes your explicit information accessible to the right employees at the right time with a system that keeps your explicit knowledge trustworthy and up-to-date.显性知识面临的最大挑战是找到一种在知识管理平台中高效存储的方法。幸运的是，Elium 通过一套系统，确保你的显性知识可信且保持最新，从而让合适的员工能在合适的时间获取到这些显性信息。

2. Implicit knowledge2. 隐性知识 (Implicit knowledge)

Implicit knowledge builds upon your existing explicit knowledge. It’s the way your team _applies _their explicit knowledge. This includes the skills and best practices your employees bring from previous jobs. Implicit knowledge includes data gleaned from:隐性知识建立在现有显性知识的基础上。它是团队应用显性知识的方式。这包括员工从以往工作中带来的技能和最佳实践。隐性知识包括从以下渠道收集的数据：

SkypeSkype
Email电子邮件
Intranet内网
Meeting notes会议纪要

Because implicit knowledge is based on practice and skills, it differs from person to person. For example, if you ask your data team to pull a report, they’re likely going to take different approaches to run the same report. The different paths each employee takes to perform this task is informed by their implicit knowledge.由于隐性知识基于实践和技能，因此因人而异。例如，如果你要求数据团队提取一份报告，他们很可能会采取不同的方法来运行同一份报告。每位员工执行此任务时采取的不同路径，都是由他们的隐性知识所决定的。

Implicit knowledge is more challenging to document because all of the information is based on your team’s workflow and daily activities. Subject matter experts (SMEs) become the gatekeepers of important processes and practical applications in your businesses, too.隐性知识更难记录，因为所有信息都基于团队的工作流程和日常活动。主题专家 (SME) 也因此成为了企业中重要流程和实际应用的关键把关人。

Without proper documentation, your organisation risks losing this implicit knowledge when SMEs leave your business. Fortunately, solutions like Elium help you capture SME guidance through the accessible, smart documentation of your internal communications.如果没有适当的记录，当主题专家离职时，你的组织将面临丢失这些隐性知识的风险。幸运的是，像 Elium 这样的解决方案可以通过对内部沟通进行智能且易于访问的记录，帮助你捕获主题专家的指导经验。

3. Tacit knowledge3. 内隐知识 (Tacit knowledge)

The final type of knowledge is tacit knowledge, which builds on the foundation created by explicit and implicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is wisdom in its purest form. This is the experience a person earns over time, likely before their tenure at your company.最后一种知识类型是内隐知识，它建立在显性知识和隐性知识所创造的基础上。内隐知识是纯粹的智慧。这是一个人在长期工作中积累的经验，很可能是在加入你公司之前就已经获得的。

Tacit knowledge is how one of your graphic designers seems to “get” your aesthetic more quickly. Or how a customer service representative easily de-escalates client calls without a problem while everyone else seems to struggle.内隐知识体现在：某位平面设计师似乎能更快地“领悟”你们的审美风格；或者某位客户服务代表在处理棘手客户电话时能轻松化解冲突，而其他人却感到吃力。

Tacit knowledge builds on explicit knowledge, which is the step-by-step information an employee needs to complete a task. From there, they gain experience doing that task and build their implicit knowledge from practical application. After performing the task many times over the years, the person gains wisdom (tacit knowledge) that’s difficult to explain to others in a simple document or phone call.内隐知识建立在显性知识之上，即员工完成任务所需的分步信息。在此基础上，他们通过执行任务获得经验，并从实际应用中构建隐性知识。经过多年的反复实践，此人获得了难以通过简单的文档或电话向他人解释的智慧（即内隐知识）。

If this wise employee leaves, you immediately lose their tacit knowledge because it’s based on their individual experience. When you allow one employee to be the go-to person for a situation or project, that’s a liability against your knowledge management strategy because their absence can cause problems in your business.如果这位睿智的员工离职，你将立即失去他们的内隐知识，因为它基于个人的独特经验。当你让某位员工成为某个情况或项目的唯一依赖对象时，这就是你知识管理策略中的一个隐患，因为他们的缺席可能会给你的业务带来问题。

Tacit knowledge is the most challenging type of information to share and express because it’s based on personal experience. How can your successful sales rep coach others on client management when they’re just a natural at selling?内隐知识是所有信息类型中最难分享和表达的，因为它基于个人经验。当一位出色的销售代表天生擅长销售时，他该如何指导他人进行客户管理呢？

It’s possible to document tacit knowledge, but it can be very challenging. To make use of your team’s tacit knowledge, invest in strategies like:记录内隐知识是有可能的，但极具挑战性。为了利用团队的内隐知识，请投入资源实施以下策略：

Mentoring导师制
Exit interviews离职面谈
Ongoing quarterly interviews持续的季度访谈

Your team is trying to document the undocumentable, which is a challenge. But instead of relying solely on explicit or implicit knowledge, your organisation can build a repository of tacit knowledge over time by working with your experienced team members.你的团队正在尝试记录那些“不可记录”的内容，这确实是一项挑战。但你的组织无需仅仅依赖显性或隐性知识，而是可以通过与经验丰富的团队成员合作，随着时间的推移建立一个内隐知识库。

Capture all of your organisation’s knowledge捕获组织的所有知识

Your organisation likely has all three types of knowledge within your team and systems already. When it’s time to formulate a strategy for your knowledge management platform, you need to understand the three types of information you’re categorising and how they affect your long-term success.你的团队和系统中很可能已经具备了这三种知识。在为知识管理平台制定策略时，你需要了解你正在分类的三种信息，以及它们如何影响你的长期成功。

But you don’t have to do this alone. Elium helps you automatically organise, store, and access your organisation’s wisdom, with hands-on help every step of the way. See the difference for yourself: Start a free 14-day trial of Elium now.但你不必独自面对这一切。Elium 可以帮助你自动组织、存储并访问组织的智慧，并在每一步提供实际帮助。亲自见证其中的差异：立即开始 14 天的 Elium 免费试用。