KM lessons learned

Some time ago I was asked to sum up, in one sheet, what my lessons learned w.r.t. knowledge management are. I came up with this list:
  • Look for the mechanisms behind the way people work (at first site it's often chaotic) and connect to those mechanisms.
  • Provide solutions for knowledge management problems that closely relate to current working methods.
  • Continuous trial & error, probe, never stop trying new approaches to KM problems.
  • Don't enforce solutions to KM problems.
  • Document management is the basis of KM, start there.
  • Knowledge mapping can work without enforcing participation of employee (with 'enforcing I mean, e.g., having an employee fill in their profile and keep it up to date).
  • Defining a business case for KM is hard if not impossible.
  • Knowledge brokers are a success (implicit or explicit role). KM is about people and people connecting to other people. "Oh, you're looking for info about so-and-so, go talk to him!"
I'd love to hear what you think of my list. What are your lessons learned?

My next post will be about the 'future of KM' as I see it.

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