Definitions for Information Management and Knowledge Management

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With a background in both Information Management (IM) and Knowledge Management (KM) disciplines, I’m often asked how they relate to each other, and what we actually mean by “IM” and “KM”.Providing text book definitions does not help, because even these are clouded by jargon and tend to be verbose. I’ve therefore tried to construct a very simple definition for both IM and KM which also infers the relationship between them, as follows:

Information Management: The structure, organisation, classification and life-cycle management of codified knowledge.

Knowledge Management: Accessing, sharing and ‘sense making’ of codified and tacit information.

If anyone can do better (in terms of simplicity and accuracy), please do let me know.

About Post Author

Stephen Dale

I’m a life-long learner with an insatiable curiosity about life. I love travel, good food, and good company. I’m happy to share what I know with others….even the interesting stuff! My outlook on life is pretty well captured in this quote from a book about the legend of King Arthur: “The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future King So much to learn, so little time!

steve.dale@gmail.com

http://stephendale.uk