Knowledge management: It's about people too

The term 'knowledge management' is outdated and confusing and should be scrapped, according to David Snowden, director of IBM's Institute of Knowledge Management, EMEA.

At a roundtable discussion in central London, Snowden said the focus should always be on users. "Anybody who tells you knowledge management is about applications, is a liar," he said.

He claimed the term knowledge management should be abandoned, and be separated into content and context management. Content management defines data control, and context management defines connecting people with relative ideas.

According to Snowden, his analysis is based on a move towards studying culture as an anthropologist, not a consultant. Management consultants go into companies with pre-conceived ideas, argued Snowden, which is why they are unable to understand the knowledge management requirements within that company.

In regards to technology, Snowden said: "Technology vendors have to think of human processes and how they will benefit from that [knowledge management]."