Advanced Use Cases

Knowledge Management and Retention

Capture, connect, and preserve your organization’s expertise where work actually happens.

1. The Business Challenge

In every organization, knowledge is power — but only if it’s accessible.
Unfortunately, much of what teams learn every day is lost in inboxes, chat threads, or departing employees’ heads.

Typical challenges include:

• Knowledge stored in documents but disconnected from daily work.
• Repeated mistakes due to lack of historical insight.
• New employees struggling to find relevant information or context.
• Teams “reinventing the wheel” instead of reusing best practices.
• Institutional knowledge disappearing during retirements or turnover.

When knowledge isn’t managed as part of the workflow, organizations lose time, quality, and resilience.

2. How KanBo Solves It

KanBo turns knowledge management from a static repository into a living, contextual system embedded in the daily workflow.
Knowledge isn’t filed away — it’s created, used, refined, and shared directly where work is executed.

Knowledge Element	KanBo Object	Example
Knowledge Domain	Workspace	“Corporate Procedures”, “Product Knowledge Base”, “Project Lessons Learned”
Knowledge Category	Space	“Procurement Procedures”, “Compliance Guidelines”, “R&D Best Practices”
Specific Item / Entry	Card	“Supplier Evaluation Process”, “ISO 9001 Audit Checklist”, “Prototype Testing Template”
Detail / Contribution	Note / To-Do	“Updated regulation”, “New safety protocol”, “Improved review checklist”

This structure transforms KanBo into an organizational memory system — connected, searchable, and continuously evolving.

3. KanBo’s Unique Value (USP)

KanBo doesn’t just store knowledge — it preserves the context of how and where it was created.
That makes it practical, trustworthy, and immediately usable.

Core Differentiators

1. Knowledge in Context
   Every insight, file, or comment is connected to the exact process or project where it originated.
2. Structured Yet Flexible
   Workspaces and Spaces can mirror your organizational structure or knowledge categories — no rigid taxonomy needed.
3. Cross-Linking with Live Work
   Cards containing procedures or guidelines can be linked directly to operational tasks, ensuring teams always use the latest version.
4. Version Transparency and Traceability
   Every change, document update, and comment is logged in the Activity Stream.
5. Self-Sustaining Knowledge Flow
   Teams continuously contribute knowledge through Card comments, Notes, and attachments — without needing separate knowledge platforms.
6. Data Ownership and Compliance
   All knowledge assets reside entirely in your infrastructure — no external cloud dependency, no vendor-hosted data.

KanBo becomes your living, traceable knowledge network — not just a digital library.

4. Example: Agency Knowledge Repository

Scenario: A regional development agency capturing internal procedures and lessons learned.

Objective:
Preserve institutional expertise, simplify onSpaceing, and ensure consistent handling of EU-funded projects.

Step 1 – Structure the Knowledge Environment

• Workspace: Knowledge & Procedures
• Spaces:
  • Grant Application Process
  • Interpretations of Regional Aid Law
  • OnSpaceing for New Employees
  • Best Practices in Communication with Beneficiaries

Each Space groups related knowledge assets.

Step 2 – Populate Knowledge Cards

Each Card contains one knowledge topic:

• “Procedure for Verifying Beneficiary Eligibility”
• “Interpretation of Article 15 – Regional Aid Act”
• “Template for Interim Report”
• “FAQ – Most Common Questions About Funding Rules”

Cards include:

• Structured Notes explaining the process.
• Linked documents (templates, examples).
• Contributors listed in the Responsible and Co-Worker fields.
• Cross-relations to related Cards (e.g., procedures, forms).

Step 3 – Maintain and Evolve

• When regulations change, the Legal Department updates relevant Cards and marks them as “In Review.”
• Once approved, Cards are set to “Validated,” triggering a notification to all users.
• Historical versions remain accessible for audit traceability.

Step 4 – Use Knowledge in Daily Work

• Project teams link active Cards from the Knowledge & Procedures Space directly to live project Spaces.
• For instance, a Project Execution Card references the latest “Funding Request Template” Card — ensuring everyone works with current standards.

5. Metrics and Insights

Metric	Description	Source
Knowledge Reuse Rate	Number of times a knowledge Card is linked to operational Cards	Card Relations
Update Frequency	How often knowledge assets are reviewed/updated	Activity Stream
User Contribution Index	Number of Cards/Notes created per user or team	Card History
Knowledge Validation Rate	% of Cards marked as “Validated”	Status Distribution
Cross-Link Density	Average number of connections between knowledge and operational Spaces	Relation Graph

These metrics provide visibility into how effectively your organization creates, maintains, and uses its knowledge base.

6. Organizational Benefits

Challenge	KanBo Solution
Lost expertise after employee turnover	Centralized, living knowledge repository
Repeated errors or inefficiencies	Reuse of verified procedures and lessons learned
Difficult onSpaceing	Self-service access to validated materials
Scattered document storage	Unified Cards linking documents, notes, and updates
No accountability for knowledge updates	Clear ownership and audit trail for every item

KanBo helps organizations protect their intellectual capital and create a culture of continuous learning.

7. Practical Setup Guide

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Define a Knowledge Workspace
   Example: Corporate Knowledge Center or Department Procedures.
2. Add Thematic Spaces
   Group knowledge by category (e.g., Legal, HR, Quality, Finance, Projects).
3. Create Card Templates
   Each knowledge Card should include:
   • Description and Purpose
   • Owner and Contributors
   • Linked Documents
   • Related Cards and Procedures
   • Status (Draft, Review, Validated)
4. Link Knowledge to Work
   Encourage teams to link knowledge Cards directly to project or process Cards.
   This ensures knowledge is applied, not archived.
5. Establish Review Cycles
   Use due dates or periodic reminders for knowledge validation.
   Assign reviewers with the Responsible role.
6. Measure Engagement
   Use KanBo’s analytics to track usage and updates, ensuring your knowledge base remains active and relevant.

8. Why Organizations Choose KanBo for Knowledge Management

1. Practical and Contextual: Knowledge lives in the same environment as daily work.
2. Always Up to Date: Teams edit knowledge directly in KanBo; no separate uploads or systems.
3. Transparent Ownership: Every knowledge asset has visible responsibility.
4. Searchable and Connected: Easy to find through search, relations, and filters.
5. Secure and Compliant: No external hosting; full auditability of changes.
6. Empowers Self-Learning Culture: Employees can explore and contribute knowledge organically.

KanBo enables organizations to move from document storage to organizational intelligence.

9. Example Workspace Snapshot (Conceptual)

Level	Example	Responsible
Workspace	Knowledge & Procedures	Knowledge Manager
Space	EU Project Procedures	Process Expert
Card	Verification of Project Eligibility – Step Guide	Senior Analyst
Linked Work Card	Project ABC Funding Application	Project Manager

Knowledge is not an archive — it’s a connected, evolving part of how people work.

10. Summary

KanBo transforms knowledge from static content into dynamic capability.
By embedding expertise directly into workflows, it ensures that every project, team, and new employee benefits from the organization’s accumulated experience.

With KanBo, your organization never forgets what it has learned.