What Is Project Knowledge Management (2025 Guide)

Project knowledge management is the process of using, creating, sharing, and storing knowledge to achieve project objectives more effectively.

According to the Project Management Institute’s PMBOK® Guide:

Unlike enterprise-wide knowledge initiatives, project knowledge management in service environments is lightweight, practical, and embedded in daily work. It’s especially important for project-based organizations where teams change frequently and the temporary nature of work makes knowledge easy to lose.

For agencies and consultancies, building a usable knowledge management system means capturing insights in real time, not in theory, and keeping them accessible within the tools your team already uses.

We talk more about agency stuff in our agency processes guide.

The two main types of project knowledge are explicit knowledge and implicit knowledge. Explicit knowledge includes things like documents, templates, and task notes.

You can look at it as information you can easily write down and share.

Implicit knowledge (also known as Tacit knowledge) includes experience, judgment, and instincts gained from doing the work. Both are captured and transferred in different ways.

Here’s a quick comparison to help clarify how each one works:

Managing project knowledge is a challenge for service teams because work is fast-paced, short-term, and constantly shifting. Projects kick off and wrap up quickly. Teams get reshuffled.

Without clear processes for capturing and storing what was learned, documentation falls through the backlog cracks. In project-based firms, the temporary nature of engagements makes it even harder to build lasting organizational knowledge.

In real life, these challenges usually look something like:

People leave and take context with them, or lessons get buried in Slack threads or are left behind in scattered docs in forgotten folders.

Without a system to retain what was learned during the execution of project timelines, teams redo work simply because no one remembers what was already done (and how).

Here’s a breakdown of common knowledge management issues, what causes them, and how to fix them:

Lightweight knowledge management looks nothing like traditional systems that require separate logins, formal taxonomies, or top-down governance. Instead, it’s embedded in how people already work.

That means teams tag notes where tasks live, store links in project descriptions, and capture retro insights directly in the tools they’re already using. In Productive, for example, teams attach lessons and decisions right to the tasks on the project timeline, so that they can move on with full visibility.

They also get real-time progress reports.

A good lightweight system works because it’s usable in the moment, not something you update later out of obligation. Below, we talk about its two biggest benefits:

The best way to make knowledge management stick is to integrate it into the project management tools your team already uses. Instead of adding another place to update, make your existing project management system do double duty as a knowledge base.

That means writing key decisions into task descriptions, using notes fields to capture why something changed, and pinning useful links directly in the project. For example, instead of dumping feedback into a Google Doc, tag it on the task itself, where the work happens.

When knowledge is part of your project documentation from the start, you don’t have to chase it down later. You just have to look where the work is happening.

To make project knowledge reusable, it also needs to be accessible. That means making it searchable, connected to real work, and easy to hand off.

Start by tagging your project documentation so people can find it by client, topic, or outcome. Link back to previous projects when similar scopes come up. Keep notes organized inside your internal wiki or project tool, not buried in email threads.

A lot of common tools have started integrating fancy AI features in their workflows. We cover our best picks in our top AI project management tools list.

Good onboarding is the ultimate test of a working knowledge system. If a new copywriter takes over a client tomorrow, would the person be able to find what they need to deliver without asking five people?

If the answer is no, it’s time to improve how you transfer individual and Tacit knowledge into shared, accessible formats.

The best practices for knowledge management in service teams include capturing insights in context, running short retros, tagging project knowledge, linking deliverables to outcomes, and avoiding hidden knowledge in personal channels.

These habits don’t require major process changes, just small knowledge-sharing routines that make knowledge easier to find and reuse. And yes, funny as it sounds, maintaining clear process knowledge frameworks is a competitive advantage.

Here are the best practices of sharing and preserving project knowledge.

The simplest way to build a knowledge management system is to decide what to capture, where to store it, and how to make it reusable.

Start by identifying what information is worth saving, such as lessons learned, client feedback, and unexpected decisions. Store this in places your team already uses: project notes, task fields, or linked documents inside your project tool.

Instead of setting up a standalone wiki, use KM tools that fit into the delivery flow. Productive, for example, lets teams attach insights and documentation directly to each project or client. With fields, notes, and reusable templates, you can create a shared space for knowledge without reinventing your workflow. 

In case your projects are bigger or a bit more complicated, here’s a detailed breakdown.

To start small, pick three types of project knowledge that are easy to track and consistently valuable: feedback from retrospectives, links to final deliverables, and notes on unexpected client requests.

These categories give you just enough structure to build organizational knowledge without overwhelming your team. They’re easy to log during the project and even easier to revisit later when planning, onboarding, or scoping similar work.

Avoid setting up a separate internal wiki or project management knowledge base that no one maintains. Tools like Notion can quickly turn into dusty graveyards when they sit outside the actual project work.

Instead, use your project management tool to house what matters. Fields, pinned notes, or linked docs inside the project space are easier to update and more likely to be used. This makes knowledge accessible in context, not hidden in another tab.

If your current project management tool doesn’t support this kind of setup, it might be time to evaluate what to switch to. Start with our overview of the best project management tools.

Create a simple “transfer of knowledge” loop that helps your team learn from every project and apply that knowledge to the next one.

Run a quick retro at the end of each engagement, capture three meaningful takeaways, and log them directly in your project tool. The next time a similar project starts, pull those notes forward and apply them.

Keep it human. If no one reads what you saved, it doesn’t count. A good loop surfaces lessons learned at the right time so your service team actually benefits from what someone else in your company already figured out.

The best tools for project knowledge management are all-in-one project management platforms. They keep knowledge tied directly to the work, inside projects, tasks, notes, and timelines, so teams can access it when and where they need it.

Unlike separate wikis or document management systems, these platforms store everything in one place. That includes not only lessons and notes, but also resourced data, financials, documents, communication plans, and history. This makes it easier to connect knowledge to action.

Here are the key features to look for:

We’ve packed extra advice in our How to choose PM software guide.

Knowledge management doesn’t have to be complex. If your team captures insights where the work happens, they’re far more likely to reuse them.

Productive gives service teams a way to store project knowledge directly inside their workflows, with no extra tool required. If that sounds like something your team could use, take a look or book a quick demo.