Levi Olmstead
17 Best Knowledge Sharing Platforms in 2024
- Published:
- Updated: November 20, 2024
Each job role brings unique experiences, challenges, and insights, resulting in every individual holding unique knowledge. This knowledge is formed by an individual’s interactions, problem-solving approaches, and specific context within the role, making it deeply personal and valuable. When shared, it can enrich the overall knowledge pool of an organization, offering diverse perspectives that foster innovation and more informed decision-making.
However, many organizations lack a structured way of capturing and sharing this knowledge within the company. According to a survey, most workers spend an average of five hours per week waiting to connect with people who have the information they need. During this time, work is delayed, suspended, or even canceled altogether. This highlights the importance of having a knowledge-sharing platform at their disposal for employees to work efficiently.
In this article, we explore the different types of knowledge sharing platforms, their benefits, challenges, and the transformative impact they can have on fostering collaboration, boosting productivity, and enabling organizations to build a knowledge sharing culture.
What is a Knowledge Sharing Platform?
A knowledge sharing platform is a tool designed to facilitate the creation, organization, storage, and dissemination of information within an organization or community. It enables individuals to contribute, access, and collaborate on knowledge, making critical insights, best practices, and specialized expertise readily available to others. By centralizing and structuring information, knowledge-sharing platforms break down silos, streamline communication, and support a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, ultimately enhancing organizational efficiency and innovation.
What are the best knowledge sharing tools?
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Trello
- Slab
- Google Drive
- SharePoint
- KnowMax
- Guru
- Nuclino
- Gitbook
- Confluence
- Notion
- Bitrix24
- Papyrs
- Yammer
- LinkedIn Learning
- Degreed
Knowledge Sharing Platform Vs Knowledge Base
A knowledge-sharing platform and a knowledge base are fairly similar, but they have a few distinct differences.
Knowledge Base: It typically serves as a repository for an organization’s information within a single location. It encompasses various forms of media, such as documents, images, videos, and graphics, offering convenient retrieval and sharing mechanisms. However, these elements reside within a structure devoid of contextual associations, explicit guidance, or interactive potential with fellow team members. A knowledge base is primarily characterized by restricted search functionalities, the absence of question-and-answer capabilities, and shortcomings in terms of usability and user experience.
Knowledge-Sharing Platform: It presents the same reservoir of information in a contextualized manner, thereby enhancing comprehension and engagement. A knowledge-sharing platform empowers users to collaborate, pose inquiries, and offer insights, all while remaining within the same software environment.
Benefits Of a Knowledge Sharing Platform
Here are a few benefits of a knowledge sharing platform.
- Enables effective collaboration – It allows team members to easily exchange ideas, insights, and resources, fostering collaboration across departments. This real-time access to shared knowledge helps teams work together more efficiently and make better-informed decisions.
- Eliminates data silos – By centralizing information in a single platform, knowledge-sharing tools break down silos and make critical information accessible to everyone who needs it. This seamless access reduces redundancies, ensures consistency, and enables cross-functional teams to work more cohesively.
- Improves customer experience – When employees have quick access to comprehensive knowledge, they can better address customer needs and provide accurate, timely responses. This responsiveness leads to a more positive customer experience, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Helps retain knowledge – Knowledge-sharing platforms capture and store valuable information, preserving it beyond individual employee tenure. This retained institutional knowledge becomes a long-term asset for the organization, ensuring that expertise remains accessible even as team members change roles or leave.
- Promotes direct feedback – These platforms allow users to provide feedback on shared content, improving its relevance and accuracy. This direct feedback loop keeps the knowledge base up-to-date and allows contributors to refine content to meet the organization’s evolving needs.
Key Features of Knowledge Sharing Platforms
Here are some ideal features enabled by knowledge sharing platforms.
- Powerful search – A paramount element in the efficacy of a knowledge sharing platform resides in the potency of its search functionality. A good search engine can make all the difference when it comes to finding exactly the right information. While searching for a suitable knowledge sharing platform, you must look out for this essential feature.
- Mobile friendly – Mobile-friendly knowledge sharing platforms ensure that knowledge is accessible on any device, allowing users to access, share, and collaborate on information from anywhere. This flexibility supports remote work and helps maintain productivity on the go.
- Reporting and analytics – Reporting and analytics provide insights into platform usage, popular content, and areas needing improvement. These metrics help administrators understand knowledge-sharing behaviors, identify gaps, and optimize the platform to better serve users’ needs.
- Integrations – Integrations with other workplace tools (e.g., email, project management, CRM) streamline workflows by connecting knowledge-sharing platforms with daily-use applications. This connectivity reduces manual work and ensures that knowledge sharing is part of existing workflows.
- Collaboration and Communication – Features for collaboration (like real-time editing, comments, and messaging) make it easy for teams to collaborate on documents, exchange ideas, and refine knowledge in real time. These tools promote active engagement and dynamic knowledge sharing across teams.
17 Best Knowledge Sharing Platforms in 2024
Here are the best knowledge sharing platforms categorized into different types.
Collaborative Platforms
These platforms enable teams to communicate in real time, share files, and collaborate on projects, fostering seamless collaboration across departments.
1. Slack
- Pricing: Free to $12.50/user/month
- G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Slack is a widely used messaging platform that facilitates real-time collaboration and communication across teams. It allows users to organize conversations into channels, share files, integrate with numerous tools, and conduct video and voice calls, making it ideal for remote and hybrid teams looking to streamline communication and knowledge sharing.
2. Microsoft Teams
- Pricing: $4.80/user/ month
- G2 Rating: 4.3/ 5
Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one collaboration tool that seamlessly integrates with Office 365 and combines chat, video conferencing, and file sharing. Teams offer powerful document collaboration, customizable channels, and integration with various Microsoft apps, helping organizations facilitate structured knowledge sharing and project management.
3. Trello
- Pricing: Free to $10 for 100 users a month
- G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Trello is a visual project management tool that enables teams to manage projects and tasks through boards, lists, and cards. Known for its ease of use, Trello promotes transparency in workflows, lets users assign tasks, attach files, and communicate within task cards, making it a go-to tool for teams looking to organize and share knowledge around project milestones.
4. Slab
- Pricing: Free to $12.50/month
- G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Slab is a knowledge-sharing platform that enables teams to write, organize, and access knowledge easily. Known for its simplicity and powerful search, Slab integrates with various collaboration tools and offers a structured way to store and manage content, promoting efficient knowledge management.
Document Management Systems
Document management systems provide a centralized location for storing, organizing, and retrieving files, allowing easy document sharing and secure, structured access.
5. Google Drive
- Pricing: Business Starter at $6.00 Per Month
- G2 rating: 4.6/5
Google Drive is a cloud-based document management system that provides storage, sharing, and real-time collaboration on files. It integrates with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), making it easy for teams to create, edit, and share documents from any device, with permissions to control access and collaboration.
6. SharePoint
- Pricing: $5 – $20/user/month
- G2 Rating: 4/5
Microsoft SharePoint is an enterprise-level document management and collaboration platform that enables organizations to store, manage, and access documents in a secure, centralized location. With strong integration into Microsoft Office and customizability, SharePoint supports workflows, version control, and content management, making it ideal for large organizations.
7. KnowMax
- Pricing : Not available online
- G2 Rating: 4.6/5
KnowMax is a knowledge management platform tailored for customer service teams, focusing on creating and managing information through content templates, decision trees, and guided workflows. It ensures quick access to support knowledge, improving customer experience by providing agents with relevant information instantly.
Wikis and Intranets
Wikis and intranets are internal knowledge hubs where teams can create, edit, and organize information, making shared knowledge accessible and easy to navigate within an organization.
8. Guru
- Pricing : All-in-one package starts at $15.00/user/month
- G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Guru is a knowledge management tool that integrates with various collaboration platforms to deliver verified information directly within the workflow. Its browser extension and real-time verification features make it easy for teams to store, retrieve, and validate information, making it a popular tool for customer support and sales teams.
9. Nuclino
- Pricing : Free to $10 per user per month
- G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Nuclino is a lightweight knowledge management and collaboration tool that combines document collaboration with a visual interface. It is structured as a wiki and designed for intuitive navigation, letting teams create, connect, and organize content in a centralized space for easy information retrieval and collaboration.
10. Gitbook
- Pricing : $0 – $15/user
- G2 Rating : 4.7/5
GitBook is a collaborative documentation platform, often used by technical teams to create and maintain documentation in a wiki format. Its clean, structured interface makes it easy to organize content, and its integration with GitHub allows for smooth version control, making it a favorite among development and product teams for knowledge sharing.
11. Confluence
- Pricing : $10 – $30 per month
- G2 Rating : 4.1/5
Confluence is a team collaboration tool by Atlassian that enables users to create, organize, and share content in a wiki-style environment. With a powerful search engine, real-time collaboration features, and extensive customization options, Confluence is widely used by technical and project teams for documentation and knowledge sharing.
12. Notion
- Pricing : Free to $15 per month
- G2 Rating : 4.7/5
Notion is a versatile tool that combines note-taking, task management, and wikis in a customizable workspace. Known for its flexibility, Notion allows teams to organize information through databases, pages, and templates, making it ideal for knowledge sharing, project planning, and personal productivity.
13. Bitrix24
- Pricing : Starts at $49.00 for 5 users per month
- G2 Rating : 4.1/5
Bitrix24 is an intranet and business management platform that offers a range of collaboration tools, including file sharing, document management, and task management. With social features such as an activity feed and customizable modules, Bitrix24 provides an all-in-one solution for teams looking to centralize knowledge and improve communication.
14. Papyrs
- Pricing : Not available online
- G2 Rating : 4.7/5
Papyrs is a user-friendly intranet platform designed for creating wikis and internal sites. It allows teams to create and share knowledge, manage documents, and communicate in a centralized space, making it ideal for smaller organizations looking for a straightforward knowledge-sharing solution.
Social Learning Platforms
Social learning platforms facilitate peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange through interactive courses, forums, and communities, promoting skill development and engagement among employees.
15. Yammer
- Pricing : Not available online
- G2 Rating : 3.6/5
Yammer, part of Microsoft 365, is an enterprise social network that enables open communication and knowledge sharing across an organization. With its familiar social media format, Yammer encourages employees to share insights, ask questions, and build communities, promoting a culture of collaboration and peer learning.
16. LinkedIn Learning
- Pricing : Monthly subscription for $29.99
- G2 Rating : 4.4/5
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that offers thousands of courses across various subjects. Organizations use LinkedIn Learning to support employee development and knowledge sharing by providing on-demand access to curated learning paths, encouraging peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and continuous upskilling.
17. Degreed
- Pricing : Not available online
- G2 Rating : 4.2/5
Degreed is a learning experience platform that aggregates learning content from multiple sources, enabling organizations to build personalized learning paths for employees. It promotes a culture of continuous learning by allowing employees to share and recommend content, providing insights into employee development across the organization.
Challenges in Implementing Knowledge Sharing Platforms
Here are some challenges organizations might face while implementing knowledge sharing platforms.
- Resistance to change – Employees may be hesitant to adopt new platforms due to unfamiliarity or a preference for existing workflows. This resistance can hinder the platform’s effectiveness, as engagement is crucial for creating a robust knowledge-sharing culture.
- Information overload and managing content quality – With an influx of shared information, users may face information overload, making it difficult to find relevant content. Managing content quality and organizing information effectively are essential to prevent clutter and ensure the platform remains useful and accessible.
- Ensuring data security and confidentiality – Knowledge-sharing platforms often contain sensitive information, so ensuring data security and controlling access are critical. Without strong security measures, organizations risk unauthorized access and data breaches, potentially compromising valuable or confidential knowledge.
How to Drive ROI from Knowledge Sharing Apps
Here are some tips to drive ROI from your knowledge sharing platforms
- Encourage active participation – Engage users by promoting regular contributions, feedback, and collaboration within the platform. Active participation keeps the platform dynamic and valuable, increasing the overall return on investment.
- Keep content organized and structured – Organize content with tags, categories, and clear structures to make information easy to find. A well-organized platform improves user experience, ensuring knowledge remains accessible and useful over time.
- Promote collaboration and discussion – Enable commenting, sharing, and discussion around shared knowledge to encourage teams to interact. This collaboration enhances information quality, adds depth, and builds a stronger, knowledge-driven culture.
- Integrate with existing tools – Integrate the knowledge-sharing platform with other tools and workflows to reduce friction and encourage regular use. Seamless integration makes the platform a natural part of daily routines, increasing adoption and maximizing ROI.
- Provide training and onboarding – Train employees on using the platform effectively, highlighting features and best practices. Proper onboarding and training programs ensure that users understand how to leverage the platform, boosting engagement and maximizing the app’s value.
Boost the adoption of your knowledge-sharing platforms with Whatfix DAP
Boosting the adoption of your knowledge-sharing platform is essential to unlocking its full potential, and Whatfix Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) makes this process seamless and efficient.
By providing in-app guidance, personalized training paths, and real-time support, Whatfix empowers users to navigate and utilize knowledge-sharing tools effectively. It reduces learning curves, encourages active engagement, and helps embed the platform into daily workflows, ensuring that employees can easily access and contribute valuable information. With Whatfix DAP, organizations can drive consistent platform adoption, fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing that leads to increased productivity and enhanced organizational intelligence.
To learn more about Whatfix, schedule a free demo with us today!
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