The power switch of my desktop PC was broken. The small button had been pushed inward and got stuck. In a previous blog, I already described my unsuccessful search for a solution. Google, YouTube, and Copilot did not help me. Instead, I received a lot of advice that turned out to be useless. If I had followed that advice, I would now have replaced the power switch of my laptop, which was not broken, bought a new Lenovo computer, replaced the entire circuit board, disconnected the power supply for safety reasons, and more. All of it was noise.
Last Saturday, I opened up the computer. Sometimes you simply have to open the patient to see what is really going on. The solution turned out to be surprisingly simple. The front panel of the PC contains a small plastic switch that is integrated into it. Attached to this switch is a small lever that activates a very tiny switch on the circuit board to turn the computer on and off. After some careful fiddling, the plastic switch snapped back into the correct position. Problem solved. I felt a bit like a computer technician.
What I found remarkable was that this solution did not immediately appear anywhere online. Copilot did not come up with it either and instead suggested replacing the power supply, disconnecting the power, and similar actions. One useful thing Copilot did mention was a workaround that someone else had also suggested to me: removing the broken switch and using, for example, a screwdriver or a chopstick to press the switch directly on the circuit board. Interestingly, when I explained very specifically to Copilot that only the plastic switch in the front panel was broken, it did provide the correct solution. That is worth mentioning.
What conclusions can be drawn from this case when using a knowledge base in your company?
I see two key takeaways.
Conclusion 1: If you need a very specific instruction, someone has to create that instruction first. The instruction for my specific problem does not exist, or it may exist but is very difficult to find.
Conclusion 2: To use a knowledge base effectively, you must be able to formulate your question precisely. Now that I understand how the switch works, I can explain more clearly to Copilot what I am looking for, which results in a better answer. This shows that training employees remains essential within companies. Only then can they ask the right questions when using knowledge bases and properly assess the results they receive.
How does Eluxis apply these insights on knowledge bases in client projects?
At Eluxis, we are receiving an increasing number of requests from companies to set up knowledge bases. We are happy to do so. We also ensure that the right information is included from the start. Without high-quality content, there can be no effective knowledge base. In addition, we make sure that users receive short and practical training on how to use it. Without knowledgeable and well-trained users, a knowledge base will not be successful either.
Interested in setting up a knowledge base? Feel free to contact us to exchange ideas. We are happy to do so and will also show you some good practical examples.
P.S. Understanding what people really need in practice is one of the core principles of Lean improvement methodologies. This is often referred to as going to the gemba, using the Japanese word gemba, which means the place where the work happens, the shop floor. In this era of AI and digitalization, it is essential that we do not forget this real place and the real user.
Warm regards, Peter van Bart
info@eluxis.com
Linkedin: Peter van Bart
