How to Break Down Knowledge Silos

Instead of sharing information, each team works in isolation — which can lead to miscommunications, costly rework, lack of innovation, and other problems that can slowly undermine an organization’s success.

Let’s look into how to break down knowledge silos with these tips:

1. Identify what’s causing silo mentality
2. Implement a knowledge management system
3. Use robust collaboration tools
4. Offer company-wide training programs
5. Put best practices in writing
6. Make your top employees internal experts
7. Revamp your company culture and vision

Along the way, we’ll share how our AEC and manufacturing software training platform, Pinnacle Series, can help you de-silo internal knowledge once and for all.

Identify what’s causing silo mentality

Before you can start fixing knowledge silos, you have to understand what’s causing them. Maybe there just isn’t an established process for documenting and sharing solutions in a department. Maybe teams feel like they have to compete with one another instead of collaborating. Or maybe as the company has grown, knowledge sharing practices haven’t evolved, and there’s information that’s only known by a small set of people. Whatever the case at your firm, your first mission is to narrow it down.

Implement a knowledge management system

In order to transform how knowledge is shared at your organization, you need the right tools to do it. A company-wide knowledge management system is the perfect way to transition siloed information into shared information. Pinnacle Series is an AEC and manufacturing software training platform that doubles as an internal knowledge base. You can add as much custom content as you want — documents, videos, and even your own courses — and make those resources accessible to everyone who needs them.

Use robust collaboration tools

You can’t crack the case of how to break down knowledge silos if you can’t get your teams to communicate and collaborate. In an age where employees are often distributed across multiple locations, that means providing the right technology to enable effortless collaboration.

Set them up with great instant messaging software that can be used one-on-one or in groups. Make sure everyone involved with a project can access, upload, and discuss relevant information for it using a collaboration area like Work Groups in Pinnacle Series. Provide the AEC and manufacturing software training to get teams collaborating within software like Bluebeam Revu and Newforma.

Offer company-wide training programs

Knowledge silos emerge when individuals can’t communicate effectively with one another. One reason for communication breakdown is a divide between people’s knowledge, skills, and background. Providing consistent, high-quality training to everyone in the company can help you close these skills gaps and standardize knowledge internally. When it comes to AEC and manufacturing software training, Pinnacle Series is the ideal e-learning solution built by professionals for professionals!

Put best practices in writing

Every organization has different ways of handling common tasks and procedures. If you don’t clarify what these are, it leaves the door open for miscommunications and conflicts. Employees might have come from other companies where things are handled differently, and they can’t be expected to know how everything works at yours. Recruit team leads and managers to help you put together best practice guides and share them in a centrally-located place, like Pinnacle Series.

Make your top employees internal experts

Almost every team has those go-to people who seem to know everything and are often recruited to put out fires, answer questions, or liaise between departments. However, there are issues with expecting someone to be the department “fireman.” It takes valuable work time away from their projects and can create stress and resentment over time. Their competence should be rewarded, not penalized!

Using Pinnacle Series, you can make these employees official internal experts who can create and manage content in their topic of expertise.

Revamp your company culture and vision

The whole issue with knowledge silos is isolation: groups working by themselves without an understanding of the bigger picture. If this is happening at your organization, it might be time to brainstorm a culture rebrand. Create a place where honesty and transparency are the norm, collaboration is encouraged, and everyone understands how their role contributes to fulfilling the big-picture vision of the company.

Interested in learning how to break down knowledge silos with Pinnacle Series? Get in touch for a demo or free trial of our knowledge management and e-learning software today.

If you’re already a Pinnacle Series subscriber, log in now to start putting these ideas into practice using the features available in our e-learning platform.