Technique 2.1: Reuse is Review

Collective ownership of the knowledge base means that in the moment of use, we are responsible for the quality of the knowledge with which we're interacting. Our knowledge base must represents the best we know to date. Ongoing use of the knowledge is how to identify and improve the quality of the KCS articles that have value.

Let reuse draw attention to the articles that have value. Embracing this technique means we are constantly improving the knowledge that is being used. For articles that are never referenced, we do not waste time or money reviewing them. 

This is an example of the fundamental KCS Principle of a demand-driven system, and one of the reasons KCS is scalable and efficient. This demand-driven technique optimizes resource utilization and helps organizations avoid investment in dedicated quality assurance and editorial resources. Review during reuse also helps encourage timely availability of information and avoids costly and slow post-request knowledge engineering.

Articles should be written in a way that is sufficient to resolve the issue. In the Solve Loop, this means responders are responsible for the quality of the KCS articles they interact with. By improving KCS articles as they are reused, we increase the KCS article quality with each interaction, and focus only on those articles that are being used.

To do this successfully, we must have a fast, closed loop mechanism for feedback. The KCS proficiency model and KCS coaches help knowledge workers learn how and when to improve articles. As more knowlege workers become KCS Publishers, requestors participate in the "reuse is review" process.  Requestors are very quick to point out articles that they don't understand or that don't work. With a just-in-time publishing model, we have to be able to respond with corrective actions quickly.

The best people to create and review knowledge are the people who use it everyday. Reuse is review is the way we do this.