No. 160 · Work · General Thinking
Institutional Knowledge
Much of what an organisation knows lives in people, not documents.
In the Almanac
“Greek fire”, c. 672 · “Mitsubishi SpaceJet”, 2008–2023
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is Institutional Knowledge?
Institutional Knowledge is the practical understanding an organisation builds over time, its unwritten rules, lessons and skills. Most of it lives in people's heads, so it can disappear quietly when they leave or stop practising.
How do you use Institutional Knowledge?
Protect it by interviewing departing colleagues, writing simple guides for systems only one person understands, and keeping skills alive through practice and teaching. Keep what still works and drop what doesn't.
When does Institutional Knowledge matter?
Institutional Knowledge is one of the 43 mental models for work, the situations where you ask: How do I get the right things done? Within that, it belongs to “Organising the work”, alongside Algorithms, Boots on the Ground and Cargo Cult.
What is an example of Institutional Knowledge?
Two stories show it at work: Greek fire (c. 672) and Mitsubishi SpaceJet (2008–2023). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Institutional Knowledge?
Entropy, Lindy Effect and Zombie Ideas. Institutional Knowledge itself comes from general thinking.