The future of work requires access to information. In fact, the future of KM is integrally tied to the future of work, since KM systems need to adapt to changing patterns in the workforce. As Dion Hinchcliffe, Constellation Research, Inc., noted in his keynote address at the KMWorld 2023 conference, as we move away from yesterday’s “accidental digital employee experience,” the next step is a more designed and holistic approach. This has direct implications for KM as a more coherent approach, with a beginning, middle, and end clearly defined. Hinchliffe sees this new approach as knowledge-centered, data-driven, and big-picture oriented. He also thinks it will be accelerated by technology.
His is not, however, a “let’s change everything all at once” approach. As a key point, he emphasizes the need to fix the basics. Things that may seem extremely simple can actually cause difficulties. At the top of the list of basics is logging onto the system. What’s my username? I forgot my password. Next in line is forgetting a pin number followed by various authentication issues. These are not technical problems, per se, they are human problems.