Knowledge Management Systems Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Knowledge Managers, Records Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-KRM-028

Before you join: Participants should have experience working with business information, shared repositories, records, procedures, project documentation or internal guidance.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Knowledge is often held in individual inboxes, shared drives, meeting notes, business applications and experienced employees’ memories. When people move roles, projects close or incidents recur, teams spend time recreating decisions, searching for approved guidance and resolving conflicting versions. A knowledge management system provides the operating model, content structures, governance and technology controls needed to make useful knowledge findable, trusted, current and reusable.

This course develops the practical capability to design, improve and govern knowledge management systems. Participants examine knowledge flows, user needs and high-value knowledge domains; create taxonomies, metadata models and controlled vocabularies; define content lifecycles, ownership and review rules; and select suitable repository, search and collaboration functions. The course also addresses records requirements, information security, privacy, retention and disposal, using ISO 30401 and ISO 15489 as reference points.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with sector-based cases, group analysis, system-design simulations and individual application planning. Cases reflect common challenges in government services, banking operations, engineering projects, humanitarian programmes and corporate shared services. Participants progressively develop a knowledge management system design for a real or realistic business unit, then test it against user journeys, governance requirements and performance measures. They leave with reusable templates and a reviewed implementation plan.

The course suits managers and specialists responsible for knowledge repositories, records, information services, operational excellence, digital workplace platforms or business process improvement. It is particularly useful where an organisation needs to reduce repeated work, preserve critical expertise, improve service consistency or strengthen control over organisational information.

What you will be able to do

  • Assess knowledge flows, user needs and failure points using knowledge mapping techniques
  • Design a taxonomy, controlled vocabulary and metadata schema for priority knowledge assets
  • Define knowledge content lifecycles, ownership roles and review controls
  • Apply ISO 30401 and ISO 15489 principles to knowledge and records arrangements
  • Specify search, repository and collaboration requirements using user journey analysis
  • Develop knowledge governance, quality assurance and access control procedures
  • Measure knowledge system adoption and value using balanced performance indicators
  • Present a complete knowledge management system design and phased implementation plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce a defensible knowledge system design for a current workplace problem
  • Create taxonomies and metadata structures that improve search precision
  • Lead content ownership and review conversations with clear governance criteria
  • Assess repository requirements without relying solely on software vendors
  • Present a phased knowledge management business case to senior stakeholders

For your organisation

  • Reduced time spent locating approved procedures, decisions and technical guidance
  • Lower risk of knowledge loss during turnover, restructuring and project closure
  • Clearer ownership for content quality, review dates and obsolete material
  • Better alignment between knowledge repositories, records controls and information security
  • A practical implementation plan for priority knowledge domains and user groups

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain the operating components and business purposes of a knowledge management system.

  • Knowledge management system components: people, process, content, technology and governance
  • Tacit and explicit knowledge distinguished through the SECI knowledge creation model
  • Business problems diagnosed through knowledge loss, duplication and search failure
  • Knowledge assets classified as procedural, technical, customer, project and strategic
  • Communities of practice positioned within formal knowledge management arrangements
  • Knowledge management value chains from capture through reuse and improvement

Participants can define a knowledge management purpose linked to measurable business priorities.

  • Strategic objectives translated into knowledge management goals and priority use cases
  • Critical knowledge identified through business capability and risk analysis
  • APQC Process Classification Framework used to locate knowledge-intensive activities
  • Knowledge strategy scope defined across functions, services and stakeholder groups
  • Value hypotheses framed around cycle time, quality, risk and service consistency
  • Stakeholder expectations mapped for executives, users, experts and content owners

Participants can conduct a focused knowledge audit and produce an actionable knowledge map.

  • Knowledge audit objectives, boundaries, evidence sources and interview questions
  • Critical knowledge domains prioritised using impact, scarcity and volatility criteria
  • Process-based knowledge maps connecting tasks, decisions, sources and experts
  • Knowledge flow analysis identifies bottlenecks, handoffs, rework and dependency risks
  • Social network analysis reveals informal expertise networks and single points
  • Audit findings converted into capture, access, transfer and retention actions

Participants can specify user requirements through evidence-based knowledge journey analysis.

  • User personas defined by role, task frequency, authority and information need
  • Knowledge journey maps trace triggers, search steps, decisions and outcomes
  • Jobs-to-be-Done interviews identify desired progress and current workarounds
  • Search behaviour assessed through query logs, click paths and failed searches
  • User requirements separated into content, search, workflow and access needs
  • Acceptance criteria written for priority knowledge tasks and user journeys

Participants can design a usable taxonomy for organising priority knowledge content.

  • Taxonomy principles: mutual exclusivity, hierarchy, granularity and user language
  • Card sorting produces user-centred categories, labels and navigation structures
  • Faceted classification combines subject, process, audience, geography and document type
  • Controlled vocabularies manage synonyms, preferred terms and prohibited terms
  • Taxonomy governance assigns change authority, review cycles and version control
  • Information architecture tested through findability scenarios and content placement

Participants can create metadata and content models that support retrieval and control.

  • Metadata elements selected for discovery, context, ownership, retention and access
  • Dublin Core elements adapted for internal knowledge repository requirements
  • Mandatory, optional and system-generated fields defined through content risk
  • Content types modelled for procedures, lessons, policies, FAQs and decision records
  • Naming conventions standardise titles, identifiers, dates and version references
  • Metadata quality rules address completeness, accuracy, consistency and timeliness

Participants can select appropriate methods for capturing and codifying critical knowledge.

  • After-action reviews capture observations, causes, actions and transferable lessons
  • Structured interviews extract expert heuristics, decision rules and exception handling
  • Process walkthroughs document task sequences, controls, inputs and outputs
  • Knowledge articles use problem, context, resolution, evidence and ownership fields
  • Decision logs preserve rationale, alternatives, approvals and subsequent outcomes
  • Capture methods selected by knowledge volatility, complexity and reuse potential

Participants can establish content lifecycle controls that maintain trusted knowledge assets.

  • Content lifecycle stages defined from creation through review, archive and disposal
  • RACI matrices assign author, approver, owner, reviewer and publisher responsibilities
  • Editorial standards define source citation, plain language and version requirements
  • Review schedules determined by regulatory change, operational risk and usage
  • Quality assurance checks test accuracy, completeness, currency and usability
  • Obsolete content managed through withdrawal notices, redirects and disposition records

Participants can align knowledge system controls with records, privacy and audit obligations.

  • ISO 15489 principles applied to authentic, reliable, usable records
  • Records classification links business functions, activities, transactions and retention rules
  • Retention schedules distinguish temporary knowledge content from official business records
  • Legal holds suspend routine disposal for investigations, disputes and audits
  • Privacy-by-design controls minimise personal data within knowledge articles
  • Audit trails record access, amendment, approval, disposal and transfer events

Participants can specify repository and search capabilities for priority knowledge journeys.

  • Repository requirements cover storage, versioning, permissions, workflow and integrations
  • Enterprise search architecture combines indexing, ranking, filters and query expansion
  • Search relevance improved through metadata weighting, synonyms and best-bet results
  • Permission models apply least privilege, role-based access and segregation requirements
  • Collaboration spaces separated from controlled publishing and official recordkeeping areas
  • Vendor evaluation criteria compare usability, interoperability, security and administration

Participants can define governance structures that sustain knowledge management responsibilities.

  • ISO 30401 requirements interpreted for knowledge management system governance
  • Governance charters define purpose, decision rights, membership and escalation routes
  • Knowledge steward roles coordinate taxonomy, metadata, quality and user feedback
  • Content owner accountabilities linked to performance objectives and review obligations
  • Communities of practice governed through sponsorship, facilitation and contribution norms
  • Operating model choices compare centralised, federated and hybrid arrangements

Participants can design knowledge-sharing mechanisms suited to different knowledge types.

  • Communities of practice designed around shared domain, practice and participation
  • Peer assists transfer experience before high-risk decisions and complex delivery
  • Lessons learned processes distinguish collection, validation, dissemination and application
  • Knowledge cafés support cross-functional exchange around recurring operational problems
  • Onboarding knowledge pathways shorten time to competence for new staff
  • Recognition mechanisms encourage useful contribution without rewarding content volume

Participants can assess knowledge risks and plan controls for critical expertise continuity.

  • Knowledge risk register records vulnerability, consequence, likelihood, owner and treatment
  • Single-point expertise identified through succession data and process dependency mapping
  • Knowledge retention plans combine mentoring, shadowing, capture and role transition
  • Scenario planning tests service continuity following departures, incidents and restructures
  • Critical decision knowledge protected through documented authorities and escalation paths
  • Risk treatments prioritised using residual exposure and implementation feasibility

Participants can measure knowledge system performance and plan adoption interventions.

  • Balanced scorecards combine usage, quality, efficiency, risk and learning measures
  • Search analytics track zero-result queries, abandonment, click-through and refinements
  • Content health dashboards report ownership, review status, duplication and usage
  • Adoption barriers analysed through stakeholder impact assessment and readiness criteria
  • Change plans sequence communications, training, support and feedback mechanisms
  • Continuous improvement cycles use user feedback, analytics and governance reviews

Participants can build a phased implementation plan and justified knowledge management business case.

  • Implementation roadmaps sequence foundations, pilot domains, rollout and optimisation phases
  • Pilot selection balances business value, sponsor commitment, content readiness and risk
  • Work breakdown structures define activities, dependencies, deliverables and accountable roles
  • Benefits cases quantify search time, rework reduction, risk avoidance and reuse
  • Resource plans identify governance capacity, subject experts, technology and training
  • Implementation risks managed through assumptions logs, mitigation actions and decision gates

Participants can build, review and present a complete knowledge management system design and implementation plan.

  • Problem statement defines priority users, business impacts and knowledge failure evidence
  • Knowledge map identifies critical domains, flows, sources, experts and control gaps
  • Taxonomy, metadata and content model specify findability and governance structures
  • Repository requirements address search, workflow, access, retention and auditability
  • Governance model assigns decision rights, ownership, quality assurance and escalation
  • Implementation roadmap presents phases, measures, risks, resources and benefits case

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Knowledge audit and knowledge map template
  2. Taxonomy and controlled vocabulary design pack
  3. Metadata schema and content model
  4. Knowledge governance charter and RACI matrix
  5. Knowledge risk register and retention plan
  6. Phased knowledge management system implementation roadmap

Who should attend

  • Knowledge Managers — establish governed systems for capturing and reusing organisational knowledge
  • Records Managers — align knowledge repositories with retention, disposal and evidential requirements
  • Information Managers — improve information architecture, findability and content accountability
  • Digital Workplace Managers — specify effective intranet, repository and search services
  • Operational Excellence Managers — reduce repeated problem-solving through reusable operational knowledge
  • Programme and Project Managers — preserve lessons, decisions and technical knowledge between delivery phases

Skills and tools covered

Knowledge mappingTaxonomy designMetadata modellingKnowledge governanceRecords complianceSearch optimisation

Tools and standards

ISO 30401, ISO 15489, SECI model, Dublin Core Metadata Element Set

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor uses short briefings to introduce methods, standards and design decisions, followed by case work drawn from regulated, public-service and project-based settings. Participants analyse knowledge failures, map user journeys, classify sample content and make governance decisions in small groups. Simulations address search failure, version conflict, expert departure and audit requests. Throughout the course, participants apply each method to a selected workplace challenge and receive structured peer and instructor review of their developing system design.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have experience working with business information, shared repositories, records, procedures, project documentation or internal guidance. Familiarity with their organisation’s document management tools and approval processes is helpful. They should be able to describe a business process or service area where knowledge is difficult to find, maintain or transfer. No prior qualification in knowledge management, information science, records management or enterprise architecture is required. Technical system administration, coding, database design and procurement experience are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand how your team creates, stores and uses business information. Prior knowledge management or records management training is not required, and no technical administration skills are needed.

Bring an example of a knowledge, information or records problem from your workplace, such as difficult-to-find procedures or repeated operational errors. You may also bring non-confidential examples of existing folder structures, templates or governance documents.

It is intended for managers and specialists responsible for knowledge, records, information services, digital workplaces, service improvement or project learning. It also suits subject experts asked to create or govern internal guidance.

Records management courses focus primarily on evidential records, retention, disposal and compliance. This course includes those controls but also addresses knowledge capture, taxonomies, search, collaboration, user needs and organisational learning.

Participants build a system design around a selected business unit, service or knowledge problem. The resulting map, taxonomy, governance model and roadmap can be refined with stakeholders after the course.

The first week establishes strategy, user needs, information architecture, capture methods and lifecycle controls. The second week addresses records compliance, system requirements, governance, risk, measurement and a final capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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