Replace Tribal Knowledge with a Trusted Intranet
By SimplifyIT | Published
If It Lives on a Sticky Note, It's Not a System
When answers live in people's heads - or on their desktops - service slows and risk grows. That's tribal knowledge: quick for a few, costly for everyone else.
For banks and credit unions, the fix isn't another reminder email. It's a trusted intranet that's accurate, searchable, and owned.
How Tribal Knowledge Shows Up
- Printed binders updated by hand
- Desktop folders named "Correct Procedures"
- "Ask Jamie" messages instead of searching
- Five versions of the same form in a shared drive
- Tickets asking questions already "on the intranet"
These aren't bad habits - they're survival tactics in the absence of a system staff can trust.
The Cost: Slow Service, Inconsistent Answers, More Risk
Members and customers feel the drag: longer waits, repeat calls, and different answers from different branches. Internally, outdated guidance creates risk you can't see - until an audit or complaint exposes it.
The Fix: Make the Intranet the Fastest, Safest Path to the Answer
- Centralize: Move procedures and forms into a governed document repository with ownership and change history.
- Control: Use version control, approvals, and audit trails so only the latest guidance is live - and provable.
- Keep Fresh: Add review reminders and content expiration to prevent drift.
- Make It Instant: Deliver answers in seconds with great search, personal favorites, and curated FAQs.
When the official path is faster than the side path, tribal knowledge fades on its own.
From Questions to Official Answers
Let staff post questions on a shared corkboard (so nothing gets lost), then route them to experts. Publish approved answers into the official FAQ with versioning, so everyone sees the same, trusted guidance.
Rollout Playbook (4 Steps)
- Inventory: Identify top 50 procedures and forms used by frontline staff.
- Assign Owners: Name content managers; set review cadence and approvals.
- Migrate & Map: Move final versions into the repository; redirect or retire duplicates.
- Launch Search: Promote Instant Search, favorites, and the expert-curated FAQ.
Start with what's used most. Earn trust there, then expand.