Documenting Institutional Knowledge

Every organization accumulates invaluable institutional knowledge—the unwritten rules, historical context, and practical wisdom that make things work. But most of this knowledge exists only in people's heads.

What Is Institutional Knowledge?

Institutional knowledge includes:

Historical context: Why decisions were made
Relationships: Who to contact and how to work with them
Workarounds: Unofficial solutions that actually work
Cultural norms: How things really get done
Lessons learned: Past mistakes and successes

Why Documentation Matters

For continuity: New employees can get up to speed faster For efficiency: Teams don't reinvent solutions For quality: Best practices become standard practices For resilience: Knowledge survives personnel changes

Types of Knowledge to Document

Explicit Knowledge

Easier to document:

Processes and procedures
Technical specifications
Policy guidelines
Contact directories

Tacit Knowledge

Harder but more valuable:

Decision-making frameworks
Relationship dynamics
Problem-solving approaches
Historical reasoning

Documentation Methods

Written Documentation

Standard operating procedures
How-to guides
Decision logs
Lessons learned reports

Interview-Based Capture

Structured knowledge interviews
Oral history sessions
Exit interviews
Expert consultations

Observation-Based

Process walkthroughs
Video recordings
Screen captures
Annotated examples

Making Documentation Stick

Make it easy: Remove friction from documentation
Make it useful: Documentation must provide value
Make it discoverable: Organize and index effectively
Make it current: Regular updates and reviews
Make it cultural: Recognize and reward documentation

GetExperts transforms knowledge interviews into structured, searchable documentation—capturing tacit knowledge at scale.