Many employees and managers are familiar with the concept of professional development, whereby professionals take courses or participate in training to advance their skills throughout their time in the workforce. Such development can take the form of classes, workshops, conferences, mentorships or even online certifications.
Increasingly, development opportunities are available to employees in various sectors and roles. Employees may factor in available development opportunities when choosing where to apply and work. Meanwhile, employers may see completed certifications as an advantage when assessing employees during the hiring process.
For these reasons and more, professional development is a trend likely to endure. This means the roles behind it — including learning managers, training managers and instructional designers — are ripe with opportunities for those interested in making an impact in this exciting field. For further study in the field, Avila University’s online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Management with a concentration in Workplace Instructional Design program is an invaluable stepping stone.
What Constitutes a Knowledge Base?
According to Help Scout, a knowledge base is “a published collection of documentation that includes answers to frequently asked questions, how-to guides, and troubleshooting instructions.” A knowledge base makes it easier for people to solve problems without asking for assistance. Though the application is typically for customers, such as a guide that allows customers to access self-service support and troubleshoot issues with software or another product, internal knowledge bases can also be used within the world of professional development.
Rather than outsourcing training or having every new employee go through a resource-intensive onboarding process, companies may choose to centralize learning through an information repository. This helps new employees easily access information they need and also deliver useful training for further professional development. An online repository of video courses is an example of technology-enhanced learning — an area that roles like e-learning managers or instructional designers deal with directly in their work.
Potential Challenges and Opportunities in Adapting to New PD Trends
When responding to personal development trends, a tool like a knowledge base is very helpful. That’s because professionals can adapt a knowledge base with regular updates and continuous improvement as the needs of a company and its employees change.
Ideally, an internal knowledge base can be easily adapted and added to as more trainings develop for staff. Helpjuice explains that “the information that’s stored and shared in an internal knowledge base is meant to help employees be more productive by allowing them to retrieve the information they need to perform a particular work task, when they need it, so that they can better do their jobs.”
That means an internal knowledge base could include comprehensive information about a company such as annual reports, HR material, case studies, marketing collateral, media kits, design files and even legal documents. Organizations can customize these repositories to best suit their needs and further develop them to include much more bespoke materials and trainings, as designed by a training manager or instructional designer.
Steps for Creating an Effective Knowledge Base
Training Industry shares that to create a suitable internal knowledge base, the first step is deciding the scope of the materials within. From there, clear communication must be used to make the information accessible.
It is also important that different stakeholders are invited to collaborate on the process to ensure that the content addresses the needs of those who will eventually use it. Finally, once launched, a manager must ensure the information is regularly updated.
Gaining Skills in Professional Development: The Workplace Instructional Design Online Program
Professional development ensures individuals keep growing in their careers — no matter how long they’ve been in the workforce. Future e-learning managers, training managers and instructional designers may want to learn more about these processes and gain the skills necessary to implement them effectively for future employers.
Avila University’s online M.A. Management – Workplace Instructional Design program can help. Courses like Introduction to Instructional Design & Technology and Organizational Development and Planned Change provide expertise, empowering graduates to be effective in their chosen field.
Learn more about Avila University’s online Master of Arts in Management with a concentration in Workplace Instructional Design program.
