A good knowledge repository facilitate knowledge management both in an organization for for the individuals. The real purpose of a knowledge repository should not be for storage, but for organizing knowledge.
The most important purpose of a repository for knowledge is not to store them, but to organize them, and generate even more values.
KF Cheng
To organize knowledge, it requires a proper structure, one which fits our scenarios to re-apply them in real life, or to organize them in a way allowing us to discover better structures or trends, with which wisdom evolves. From experience, a well designed properly structured knowledge repository extends the power of our brain, simply because it extends the storage. The importance is, it extends the storage according to the proper re-usable structure of our brain. Extension of our brains actually further empowers our brain.
Laying out the structure in our brain into a repository is actually a codification process. By laying out the structure, it not only empower our brain by extending our memory. From the experience of the author, it also:
- clarify what's originally not 100% clear structure, because we make things visible now
- allows us to handle and develop even more complicated structures
- enable discovery of new knowledge when we knew but not necessary clear or paying attentions
The additional benefit of a knowledge repository is the ability to apply classifications of multiple dimension, and multiple hierarchy, which makes it even more powerful.
To achieve this, there are some requirements:
- The process of structuring our knowledge is a design process. When we transform tacit knowledge into an explicit knowledge, we re-design the structure. It is a slow process, but achievable and very often surprisingly not taking that long. Getting the hands wet is the key.
- It requires a flexible system which the users can modify the structure without giving up the data. When changes are made, it has to be fast, not to wait for weeks or months before the emerging thoughts go away.
- It is not surprising that we shall go through different versions of structures that we need to re-design it again. However, every version is actually the improvements over the previous version. Patience and persistence is necessary.
It is actually a design thinking process, immersing into the real life scenarios - design - iterative prototyping - tests ....
Applying W3.CSS + Drupal to Knowledge Repository
One of the important purpose of this website is to promote BYOS as a tools for such knowledge / content structuring tools which normal non-technical users can learn to create their own knowledge repository.
Combining W3.CSS + Drupal is an excellent tool for knowledge repository design. Drupal is an enterprise grade content management system, which empowers the users to create and modify proper structures for their content. W3.CSS is a flexible and easy-to-learn and ready-to-go CSS framework. Users do not require to learn CSS in details. They just need their design thinking on what styles and formats they require to better facilitate their content outcomes, and copy/paste the necessary codes or apply the right methodologies to simply their jobs. This way they will focus in their knowledge structure process but still the ability to style and format the content appearance easily and appropriately.
Focus of this site is exactly designed for this purpose, with focus in content structure, styles and formats.
Web Style Guide - by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton
There is a book Web Style Guide, 4th Ed published by these 2 authors. They generously have some content published on the website https://webstyleguide.com. There is close relation between content structure and web styling when we consider publishing content on web technologies. This is a good reference in particular with the following chapters:
Web Accessibility Tutorials
Another good reference is a website called Web Accessibility Tutorials providing more technical information. In particularly the following:
Do not under-estimate the power of images. If properly presented, it is fast, accurate and effective tools better than a million words.