Software Tools for Knowledge Management

A variety of software tools for knowledge management have become available, some commercial and some academic. Not all tools that are labeled KM tools are indeed KM tools; their vendors attempt to make them more attractive by attaching this buzzword to them. The KM tools generally provide features such as search and database maintenance, intranet features, security, FAQ lists, logged chat features, find-an-expert features, personalization, etc., which aid in knowledge-sharing within an organization. With features like instant messaging and online chat, knowledge management systems have grown to offer a common meeting place for all users other than the traditional coffee break area.

In this report, we present a survey of tools for KM. The information we present is primarily compiled from published material (i.e., mostly material provided by the vendors). For some of the tools we have tried the demo version provided through the Internet, but we basically rely on the material compiled from the public domain.