of AI-based technology use cases, including chatbots and virtual agents.
Common Issues and Root Causes
As for self-service, there are a number of common issues identified with unsuccessful knowledge
management initiatives. Again, it’s important to identify the underlying root causes, not just the
symptoms.
For example, over-focus on knowledge capture might be due to a number of root causes (and
it can also be a root cause itself). It can happen when IT staff are measured, and maybe even rewarded for knowledge capture but not knowledge use. Or, as we commonly do as human beings, we selectively start from the easiest to do rather than what offers the greatest value.
Another example is insufficient project resource which is usually due to not appreciating how much work is needed to get knowledge management right. This includes the required investment in organizational change management.
Finally, a lack of knowledge base use can be pinned on a number of root causes that can be recognized as poor capability design and execution, where the required knowledge articles are non-existent, hard to find, hard to understand or out of date. These potentially have their own root causes too.
Driving IT Service Desk Improvement
Through Knowledge Management
The ability to capture, share, and reuse knowledge has been a corporate ambition for over
two decades in particular that is applicable to ITSM and IT support. Best practice approaches
have been documented, enabling technologies designed for many IT organizations; however,
knowledge management continues to be a suboptimal organizational and operational capability.
The ability to manage and exploit, knowledge offers IT organizations a wealth of benefits, including:
• Better employee experience and business outcomes
• Reduced levels of employee lost productivity through quicker resolutions
• Reduced operational costs, due to less duplication of effort and more innovation
• Maximized use of people resources and their knowledge
• Minimized impact of knowledge lost when employees leave and quicker new employee
onboarding
• Greater consistency in operations and outcomes
• Increased employee morale and motivation
The impact of these benefits will increase with additional use cases for knowledge management
in IT support; initially in helping service desk analysts to extend their personal capabilities and
knowledge through service desk knowledge bases. Then in supporting employees via IT selfservice and self-help facilities. And now, as the basis for a variety