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I have recently been asked: What type of Knowledge Sharing KPI’s have you have come across?

I’ve decided to answer this question by making a Comment Bait article and also seeking some comments (from some serious analytics folks) on this. If you are unfamiliar with the terms bandied about please read the comments. I will commit to updating the main article (and citing the sources) over time. But for the best survey of alternative viewpoints please review the comment thread judiciously. If there are no comments, then I guess I’m dead-on.

Also, please note that I haven’t fully reviewed the WAA metrics definitions yet. So if you are WAA-aware and I discuss a metric that is covered by the standard, please note it and I will correct quickly as I intend this post to be WAA-aware. (sound like a foreign language? make you wanna go waaaah? these aren’t the droids you’re looking for, move along)

Executive Summary: KPIs for Knowledge Sharing:

Short answer: None. The size of my company (about 20) has made it fairly easy for me to value the impact of my knowledge sharing initiatives on a qualitative basis.

Long answer: None (see above) but if I had the opportunity to do this entirely on a larger scale using a metrics system I trusted here’s what I’d be looking at (also, before I even get into this, please do some Google on “visitor engagement” because “knowledge sharing” is, imho, very very close to “visitor engagement”.)

Definitions

My objective here is to make the most flexible definition of KPIs for Knowledge Sharing. In order to do that I need to make a few definitions up front. I will improve these definitions based on comments. So here we are, at the start of things.

Goals/objective

This is probably the most important definition. What business objective (usually quantifiable, ultimately, in currency) are you trying to achieve with your knowledge sharing initiative?

Period

The amount of time required to take action in which a measurable result will occur. For example, in biology a female has a period within which, should she copulate, a measurable result will occur. I know that’s a bit sticky of a definition for some folks and I’ll change it when I get a better one but you get the idea: Time. Take action. Measurable result.

Roll Call

The number of users that are relevant to the study. In this case, all the people with whom you want to share knowledge.

Measurable Action

An action undertaken by someone that is measured by your system. For example, visiting a page or registering as a user or posting an article or giving a comment, assuming your technology is capable of registering and reporting that action (so that you can measure it).

Active Users

Unique users who have performed a measurable action within the period of your system.

Constituents

The people who care about and regularly interact with the system.

Mean or Average

If you shmushed everyone in the world together and divided by the number of people you shmushed together you would get the average: an easy number that represents a middle-point that has a tangential bearing to an actual decision-making human being.

Median or Typical

If you lined up a bunch of actual decision-makers and selected the decision-maker that was dead center of the line, you’d have the typical decision-maker.

Hypothetical KPIs for Knowledge Sharing:

Here are a few KPIs and how to, perhaps, calculate knowledge sharing. Remember, if no one is willing to put aside time or money in their budget to act on your data then it isn’t a KPI, it’s merely interesting.

Knowledge Sharing initiatives should focus on building “active users.” This might be an ongoing process and could very well require time/money assets to develop into a policy of growth. If your organization is not willing to commit to an ongoing strategy for Knowledge Sharing then it may be best not to engage in these activities.

Information Metrics of Knowledge Sharing

Let’s transform that data into information.

Please take note of the following caveat: Early in your study, more individuals will participate and try your software. Over time these individuals will revert to their regular habits. The ratio of reversion is a valuable metric beyond the scope of this article.

Company Roll Call vs Uniques using knowledge sharing system

Company Roll Call divided by number of Active Users. What it tells you: How much of the company relies on this resource per Period.

Percentage of problems solved

If technology/individual discipline allows, you should know how many specific task-oriented problems are resolved using your system. This assumes your UI allows the users to easily designate a resolution to a problem. If you are really clever you might have a “related problem” feedback button as well. What it tells you: The quality of your knowledge sharing initiatives.

Bounce Rate

Bounce rate for any Knowledge Sharing Article. What it tells you: Relationship of headline to any user need.

Time-on-page

Time on page for positive response (user indicates the article helped) is below typical could indicate a well written solution page. If the time-on-page is greater then perhaps it’s a less well written solution page.