A Spectrum of Information ToolsA Spectrum of Information Tools for Collaboration & Learning

Sean GordonUS Forest Service

PNW Research Station

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PNW Research Station

My Interests & Expertise

H d t & l d

I f i

How data & analyses are used in decision making

Information Technology Sociology

Case studies ofCase studies of analytical tools

1 I t ti l P ’ F t P tt t1. International Paper’s Forest Patterns system2. Washington DNR Water Typing Model3. Willamette Basin Alternative Futures (EPA)4. NWFP Watershed Assessment Model

2www.ncseonline.org/ncssf/dss

General Themes

Community of practiceCommunity of practice

Spectrum of tools:Spectrum of tools: Communication – knowledge mgt – decision support

Management of people vs management of information

Explicit vs tacit knowledge

Decide what functionality you want (hard), then choose the tools (not so hard)

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Community of Practice / Virtual Learning Organization

Domain of knowledgeDomain of knowledge

C it i t ti & h iCommunity: interaction & sharing

Practice: specific applied problems

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Spectrum of Information Toolsp

Communication – Knowledge Mgt – Decision Support

Increasing specificity (domain community practice)(domain, community, practice)

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Communication Tools

Tool Scope Community Practice NotesTool Scope Community Practice NotesIn person one-one,

small group, one-many

+++ +++ Cost $$$Archive?

one manyTelephone one-one,

small group, one-many

++ ++ Easy No archive

one manyE-mail One-many + + Asynchronous

No common archivearchive

Documents One-one - ++ ArchiveNo interaction

W b t O R i t hWebcasts One-many ++ ++ Requires techArchive?

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Knowledge Managementg g

a process that helps organizations identify selecta process that helps organizations identify, select, organize, disseminate, and transfer important information and expertise that are part of the organizational memory that typically resides within the organization in an unstructured manner

more a methodology applied to business practices than a technology or producttechnology or product

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Knowledge Management Toolsg g

Tool Scope Community PracticeTool Scope Community PracticeIntranets / KMS(multi-tool)

many people > one product

+ ++

li t /f / > ++ +listservers/forums/groups

one person > group

++ +

blogs / Facebook one person > ++ ?group

wikis (Wikipedia): many people > one product

+ ++

social bookmarking / tagging (D li i )

one person > group > group product

- +

(Delicious):Google - +

YouTube and MySpace are runaway hits because they combine two attributes rarely

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YouTube and MySpace are runaway hits because they combine two attributes rarely found together in tech products. They're easy to use, and they don't tell you what to do.

(Boutin 2006)

Decision Support Systems

“content free expression”content-free expression Turban & Aronson (2001). Decision support systems and intelligent systems

In Out

Decision policy/management-oriented research models

Support handles complexity rules of thumb

System reproducible protocol ad hoc expert assessments (FEMAT)

computer-based forest certification (data, model, user interface) standards

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DSS Functions

Encapsulate knowledge in a very specific wayEncapsulate knowledge in a very specific way –can be

A generic framework for analysis orA generic framework for analysis orSpecific domain knowledge

TypesTypes Simulation: FVS, VDDTOptimization: FORPLAN SPECTRUMOptimization: FORPLAN, SPECTRUMEvaluation: EMDS, Netica

How to find them?How to find them?FRAMES – Tools databaseAnalytical and Decision Support For Managing Vegetation and Fuels: A Consumer Guide (2007) http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr690.pdf

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DSS as Learning Tools?g

Not typically thought of as learning tools butNot typically thought of as learning tools, but…Run mindlessly (black box) vs used to direct learningForce you to be explicit about relationshipsForce you to be explicit about relationships Help expose (or hide) where knowledge is weakest; some systems have tools to help guide data/knowledge y p g gacquisitionUse in adaptive management (Walters): for synthesis and where on the ground experiments are not feasibleSuccess factors – social vs technical (Gordon)

ti i ti i ti t l ti di tiparticipation, communication, translation, mediationSystem quality, information quality, service quality

The Analysis-Deliberation cycle (NRC)The Analysis Deliberation cycle (NRC)

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What tools/capabilities might best benefit the PNW Fire Learning Network?PNW Fire Learning Network?

Domain: How easily can the knowledge be madeDomain: How easily can the knowledge be made explicit?

Easy: web based archiveEasy: web-based archiveHard: facilitate contacts

Community: What methods? How much structure?: participation, communication, translation, Community: What methods? How much structure?Existing capacity: email, web forumsParticipation: Control vs free form – two-tiered

mediation

Participation: Control vs free form – two-tiered system?

Practice: How specific is the taskPractice: How specific is the taskSpectrum of tools: Communication – knowledge mgt –decision support

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Virtual Communities of Practice

Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network (marine)http://www.ebmtools.org

Placematters (urban & community planning)( y p g)http://www.placematters.com

U Redlands Spatial Decision Support Knowledgebasehttp://www.institute.redlands.edu/sds

Forest Encyclopediahttp://www.forestencyclopedia.net

U Vienna - Decision Support Community of Practice for Multiple Purpose F tForestry

http://dss.boku.ac.at/

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Maintaining a Portalg

The ProblemThe ProblemMaintenance!

Information constantly changingInformation constantly changingWho has the time?Time = moneyyOngoing funding?

The SolutionCommunity portal / wikiSelf-maintaining

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DSS SpecialistsSharing information – Community of PracticeSharing information – Community of Practice

U Vienna - Community of Practice for Decision Support - DecisionU Vienna Community of Practice for Decision Support Decision Support for Multiple Purpose Forestry

http://dss.boku.ac.at/

Features and suggested next steps:calendar, announcements, bulletin board, news

S ti il tifi ti h d hb dSuggestions: e-mail notification, homepage dashboardweb links, documents (215)

Field-based search, thesaurus (now have categories/index)( ?Automated citation exchange (maybe via link to dedicated service?

http://www.citeulike.org)DSS (systems list)

C tl l h dl d d tCurrently only handled as documentsIs database functionality needed or would a wikipedia-type approach be sufficient?

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Barriers to KMS

Challenge % of Respondents

Methods to Address Respondents

Lack of understanding of KM and its benefits

55 leadership support, deliberate explanation

Lack of employee time for KM 45 reduce other workloadsLack of employee time for KM 45 reduce other workloadsLack of skill in KM techniques 40 provide training Lack of encouragement in the current culture for sharing

35 recognition mechanisms, ties names to knowledge

Lack of incentives/rewards to share

30 include level of contribution in performance review

Lack of funding for KM initiatives

24 id critical needs, start small initiatives Lack of appropriate technology 18 focus on processes, use existing

technologies Lack of commitment from 15 Follow the $senior management

$

Case 3: Washington State Water Typing

forest practices rule changes (Forests and Fish negotiations)forest practices rule changes (Forests and Fish negotiations)method to determine fish-bearing streamselectrofishing expensive and potentially harmfulmodel alternative based on geomorphic variables

17http://www3.wadnr.gov/dnrapp5/website/fpars/

Decision-making Structureg

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Case 3: Washington State Water Typing

Agreement to Completion of

Success Factors Success Measures

gundertake modeling

pForests & Fish negotiations

Improvement of data base

Low resolution of base data Insufficient

model

Availability of high accuracy

alternative Lack of

regulatory use

accuracy

(electrofishing) Stakeholder intolerance of model

regulatory use

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High stakes error

Analytical – Social Interaction

As problems become more socially complexAs problems become more socially complex…social factors and measures will become more important NoNo

C A l ti l S i l

Success Measures

Case Analytical Social

IP Forest Patterns 2 4IP Forest Patterns 2 4

NWFP Watersheds 3 3

WA Water Typing 3 3

Willamette Futures 7 4

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Willamette Futures 7 4