|
Knowledge Bank
Best Practice Learning Solutions, Inc.
877-438-9198
www.goodpractice.net
Reviewed By: John-Paul Morgante
Let’s not “reinvent the wheel” is a commonly heard refrain. A Google search yields 1.3 million occurrences on the Internet. The saying even has a Wikipedia entry. The phrase suggests that we stop wasting time doing something that has already been done and implies that, instead, we should spend time doing something more worthwhile.
It is also the foundational philosophy behind Knowledge Bank, a product of Good Practice in the United Kingdom. It is an online collection of best practices on a variety of topics relevant to training and development, organizational development, and human resources.
It is a very much like a knowledge management databank that includes comprehensive information and tools on more than 25 subjects such as change, communication, leadership, facilitation, performance, and strategy. A preview of all the topics can be found on the website [http://www.hrthoughtleader.com/HRTL/Knowledge+Bank/].
Each subject area section begins with an overview followed by an in-depth examination of the subject with information and theory from leading thinkers. A module includes models, strategies, and best practices for implementation and finishes with a toolkit of material that can be used in training, web links and references for further research, and a feedback area for your comments on the material.
Let me give you a sample of the type of information you will find on the website by looking at one subject area: creating great teams. The content begins with a four-page overview of teams that contains a definition and description of various types of teams, stages of team development, elements needed for successful teams, and ideas to consider when creating and developing teams.
Next is leading thinking on the subject from R. Meredith Belbin, Bruce Tuckman, Jon R. Katzenbach, and other noted academics as well as a summary of the popular Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Models and strategies used by major consultancies and other experts on teams come next, along with best practices from leading firms like Cisco and Whole Foods Markets.
The module closes with a toolkit containing case studies, diagnostics, exercises, games, handouts, and visuals. This subject area even has all the material needed to design a workshop on creating great teams. If that is not enough, there are links to Internet sites and references for additional reading.
The website is easy to navigate, well organized, and includes robust search capabilities. All of the content can be viewed online or downloaded in Microsoft Word format. Much of the original content was developed in the United Kingdom so there are a few peculiarities with British phrases and spelling.
However, you can customize the content for your internal use and have the ability to upload your customized files to the databank for storage and future use.
Online help is minimal but not really necessary since the site is very intuitive. Nevertheless, if you do need help, support is available by email or toll free call. The annual license fee is $999 per person—those are Canadian dollars. You can try out the resource with a free 14-day evaluation.
The site is a unique compilation of relevant information on a wide range of topics. Unless you are part of a large consultancy firm with an extensive knowledge management program, most likely there is no other site where content like this is available. It provides contemporary, accessible information all in one convenient spot. So in that respect, this product can be handy, practical, and time saving.
For the training or organizational development professional, this product will provide valuable insight and guidance to think through and design a variety of interventions. Trainers will use the resource often. For the human resource generalist, it will still provide valuable information and support but far less frequently. As such, the HR professional would need to consider the benefits for the cost more carefully.
In the end, Knowledge Bank provides a wealth of best practices so you won’t be reinventing the wheel. All you need to do is customize the wheel to fit your particular situation and organization.
Technical note: the vendor recommends Internet Explorer and says that the site does not fully function if you use the Firefox browser.
Recommendation
Knowledge Bank is unique and provides up-to-date, accessible information all in one convenient spot. The website is a great fit with the needs of its intended audience: training or organizational development professionals. That is why I have given Knowledge Bank TMR's highest rating. HR generalists should take advantage of the 14-day free trial to see if expected use justifies the cost.
Overall rating: 4.0
Note: ratings use a four-point scale, with 4.0 the highest rating and 1.0 the lowest.
|
