Measuring the Experience of Knowledge: Why KNXi™ Matters

In every organization, knowledge is one of the most powerful yet under-measured assets. Companies invest millions in data systems, training, and content development — yet leaders often struggle to answer a simple question:

 “Is our knowledge actually helping people do their jobs better?”

That’s where the Knowledge Experience Index (KNXi) Framework™ comes in.

From Data to Actionable Knowledge

Traditional knowledge management tools tend to focus on infrastructure — governance models, repositories, content workflows. These are important, but they don’t fully capture what matters most: the human experience of finding, trusting, and using knowledge.

KNXi was designed to fill that gap. It provides organizations with a way to measure how well their knowledge serves the people who rely on it.

The Four Pillars of Knowledge Experience

At its core, KNXi™ evaluates knowledge across four dimensions:

1. Accessibility – How easily can people find and retrieve the knowledge they need?

2. Quality & Trust – Do they believe the information is accurate, current, and reliable?

3. Context & Relevance – Does the knowledge align with their roles, workflows, and decision points?

4. Engagement & Usability – Is the knowledge presented in a way that is intuitive, motivating, and satisfying to use?

Each of these pillars represents a critical factor in whether knowledge is not just stored, but actually used.

Why an Index?

Think of KNXi™ like a balanced scorecard for knowledge. Instead of treating knowledge as an abstract concept, the framework produces a single composite score. This score helps organizations:

• Benchmark progress over time.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge systems.
• Prioritize interventions such as taxonomy cleanup, content governance, or user experience redesign.

The Knowledge Experience Index (KNXi) Framework™ moves knowledge discussions from vague complaints (“I can never find anything!”) into concrete performance measures leaders can act on.

Making Knowledge ROI Visible

Lost productivity due to poor knowledge access is a silent drain. Studies show employees spend up to 2.5 hours per day searching for information, costing tens of thousands of dollars annually per person. On the other side, organizations that improve their knowledge systems see double-digit gains in productivity and employee satisfaction.

KNXi makes those gains measurable. Instead of just “hoping” a new intranet or portal will solve the problem, leaders can now track how improvements actually change the knowledge experience.

The Proprietary Edge

While the metrics that drive KNXi™ are proprietary, the framework is designed to be transparent in concept. Clients don’t just get a score — they get a roadmap for improvement. By focusing on the four pillars, organizations can make targeted changes that raise confidence, save time, and reduce frustration.

A Compass for Better Decisions

Knowledge is only valuable if it leads to better, faster, more confident decisions. The KNXi Framework™ acts like a compass, pointing organizations toward a future where knowledge is not a barrier but a catalyst.

At Olive Branch Research, we use KNXi to help leaders see where their knowledge systems are thriving — and where small, strategic improvements can unlock exponential value.

KNXi Framework™: Measuring and improving the experience of knowledge — so organizations can act with confidence.

REFERENCES

Cottrill Research. (n.d.). Various survey statistics: Workers spend too much time searching for information. Retrieved from https://cottrillresearch.com/… Cottrill Research

M-Files. (2020, November 4). Document Search Times: How Long Does It Really Take to Find a Document? Retrieved from https://m-files.com/resources/en-hub/rt-main-blog-en/how-long-does-it-actually-take-to-find-a-document-dissecting-the-many-stats-out-there M-Files

“Nakash, M., & Bouhnik, D.” (2024, April 18). How Much Time does the Workforce Spend Searching for Information in the “new normal”? Poster session, iConference 2024. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379898757_How_Much_Time_does_the_Workforce_Spend_Searching_for_Information_in_the_new_normal