Why is Knowledge Management Content Creation So Hard?

Knowledge Centered support is built on the simplest principle and simple practices: “Solve an issue once, use that knowledge forever.”

• When you find an existing KB article that solves a problem — you reuse it.
• When knowledge doesn’t exist — you create it.
• When it’s outdated or unclear — you fix it.

There is no lack of arguments about why Knowledge Management is a clever idea. But there are plenty of arguments about why we don’t draft good articles.

Most of us employ brilliant IT Support staff.

“Solve once, use forever” is a simple and brilliant concept.

But why is it so hard to accomplish? The most common concerns I have heard are:

1. I don’t have time.
2. No one reads what we write.
3. It’s easier to fix it.
4. I’m not a writer.
5. Why should I share my secrets?
6. The tools are a pain.
7. It’s not part of our culture.

So, in the spirit of IT Support, let’s just fix this problem right now:

1. Make Knowledge Capture Invisible in the Workflow

The less it feels like “extra work,” the more it gets done.

Practical Steps

• Auto-generate draft articles from tickets or chats using AI tools (like Copilot or ChatGPT). Techs can then review and publish, not start from nothing.
• Require KB linkage in ITSM tools (ServiceNow, InvGate, etc.) before closing recurring issues.
• Use smart templates: “Problem → Root Cause → Resolution → Prevention” sections with placeholders and drop-downs.
• Inline editors: Let agents update knowledge while resolving a ticket — not in a separate system.

2. Lower the Writing Barrier

Most techs aren’t writers — so take the writing out of it.

Practical Steps

• Create simple sentence starters (“When this happens...,” “To resolve it...”) in templates.
• Offer peer editors who can polish drafts before publishing.
• Train on “Explain it like I’m five years old” writing — plain language, screenshots and step lists over paragraphs.
• Encourage voice-to-text or short screen recordings for quick captures.

3. Recognize, Don’t Just Require

If documentation feels like a thankless chore, people will skip it.

Practical Steps

• Leaderboard or shout-outs for “Top Knowledge Contributor” each month.
• Highlight reuse metrics: “Your article saved 22 minutes across 5 incidents this week.”
• Tie contributions to performance goals or career ladders.
• Reward impact, not volume — better 3 great articles than 30 duplicates.

4. Treat KM as Coaching, Not Compliance

Great knowledge creation grows when people understand why it matters.

Practical Steps

• Use real stories: “Because of this KB, we resolved an outage in 10 minutes.”
• In one-on-ones, ask: “What did you fix this week that others could learn from?”
• Pair senior techs with juniors for Knowledge Transfer Fridays or “Show & Share” sessions.
• Have leaders post their own KBs — it models the behavior and builds culture.

5. Design for Continuous Improvement

Knowledge creation isn’t a project; it’s a practice.

Practical Steps

• Schedule quarterly KB cleanup days to archive stale content.
• Use analytics to identify top searches with no results — those become priority topics.
• Include a feedback button on each article: “Was this helpful?”
• Build an AI-assisted curator workflow that suggests updates based on new tickets.

6. Quick Win Framework: “The 3 Rs”

• Record what you learned (don’t overthink it).
• Review it as soon as possible!
• Refine it — quality grows over time, not in one sitting.

Susan Smith is a Program Manager at GTS Technology and a 2025 HDI Featured Contributor. Connect with Susan here on LinkedIn.