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KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS LIFE CYCLE

Lecture 2

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Introduction Challenges in building KM systems Conventional vs KM System Life Cycle Knowledge Management System Life Cycle

(KMSLC) System specifications Role of rapid prototyping Selecting an expert Role of knowledge development Role of quality assurance User training

Implications for KM Summary

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Introduction

KMSLC centers around 3 questions: What is the problem that warrants a solution

by KM? What development strategy should be

considered? What process will be used to build the

system?

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Challenges in building KMS

Changing Organizational Culture Involves changing people's attitudes and

behaviours. Sharing Knowledge and not hoarding

Knowledge Evaluation: Involves assessing the worth of information Reward system for employees generating best

knowledge

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Challenges

Knowledge Processing: Involves the identification of techniques to acquire, store,

process and distribute information. Sometimes it is necessary to document how certain

decisions were reached. Knowledge Implementation:

An organization should commit to change, learn, and innovate.

It is important to extract meaning from information that may have an impact on specific missions.

Lessons learned from feedback can be stored for future to help others facing the similar problems

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Conventional vs KMSLC

Key differences Systems analysts deal with information from the

user; knowledge developers deal with knowledge for company specialists

Users know the problem but not the solution; company specialists know the problem and the solution

System development is primarily sequential; KMSLC is incremental and interactive; rapid prototyping important in KMSLC

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Key differences

System testing normally at end of cycle; KM system testing evolves from beginning of the cycle

System development more extensive than for KMSLC

Conventional system life cycle is process-driven “specify then build”; KMSLC is result-oriented “start slow and grow”

Conventional system life cycle does not support rapid prototyping; KMSLC does

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Rapid Prototyping Process

Build a Task

Structurea Task

Structure the Problem

Make Modifications

Reformulate the Problem Repeated

Cycle(s)

Repeated Cycle(s)

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Key similarities

Both begin with a problem and end with a solution

Both begin with information gathering or capture Verification and validation of KM resemble

conventional system testing Testing is essentially the same to make sure the

system is right and it is the right system Both developers must choose the appropriate

tool(s) for designing their respective systems

Attribute User ExpertDependence on system High Low to nil

Cooperation Usually cooperative Cooperation not required

Tolerance for ambiguity Low High

Knowledge of problem High Average/low

Contribution to system Information Knowledge/expertise

System user Yes No

Availability for system builder Readily available Not readily available

Comparison of users and experts

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KM System Development LC

Evaluate existing infrastructure

What is the problem?

Is system justifiable?

Is system feasible?

Statement of objectives

Performance criteria

Strategic plam

Form the KM team Who should be on team?

How will the team function?

Standardised procedure for system development

Knowledge capture What and whose K should be captured?

How would K capture proceed?

Acquisition of K core

Stage Key Qs Outcome

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KM System Development LC

Design KM blueprint How will K be represented?

Design of KM system

Hardware/ software implementation details

Test plan

Security

Test the KM system How reliable is the system?

Peer reviews

Implement KM system What is the actual operation?

How easy is it to use?

User friendly system

Training program

Stage Key Qs Outcome

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KM System Development LC

Manage change and reward structure

Does the system provide the intended solutions?

Satisfied users

Post-system evaluations Should the system be modified?

Reliable and up-to-date system

Stage Key Qs Outcome

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Evaluate existing infrastructure

System justification Will current knowledge be lost through

retirement, transfer, or departure to other firms?

Is the proposed KM system needed in several locations?

Are experts available and willing to help in building a KM system?

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Evaluate existing infrastructure

System justification Does the problem in question require years of

experience and cognitive reasoning to solve? When undergoing knowledge capture, can

the expert articulate how problem will be solved?

How critical is the knowledge to be captured? Are the tasks non algorithmic? Is there a champion in the house?

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The Scope Factor

Consider breadth and depth of the project within financial, human resource, and operational constraints

Project must be completed quickly enough for users to foresee its benefits

Check to see how current technology will match technical requirements of the proposed KM system

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The Feasibility Question

A feasibility study addresses several questions: Is the project doable? Is it affordable? Is it appropriate? Is it practicable?

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Feasibility issues

Areas of feasibility: Economic feasibility determines to what extent a

new system is cost-effective Technical feasibility is determined by evaluating

hardware and supportive software within company’s IT infrastructure

Behavioral feasibility includes training management and employees in the use of the KM system

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Feasibility Issues

Traditional approach to conducting a feasibility study:

Form a KM team Prepare a master plan Evaluate cost/performance of proposed KM Quantify system criteria and costs

Determine weight factors and ranking for criteria Gain user support throughout the process

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Role of Strategic Planning

Risky to plunge with a new KM system without strategizing. Consider the following:

Vision — Foresee what the business is trying to achieve, how it will be done, and how the new system will achieve goals

Resources — Check on the affordability of the business to invest in a new KM system

Culture — Is the company’s political and social environment amenable to adopting a new KM system?

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Matching Business Strategy With KM Strategy

Competitive threats; government regulations; customer threats

Focus on competitive advantage, role of IT, and level of creativity and knowledge innovation

Quality and reliability of the infrastructure and IT staff and resources

Regarding products or services, market, customers, suppliers

BusinessEnvironment

Strategic Plan

KMStrategy

KMTechnology

Impacts

Impacts

Enables

Drives

Enables

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Forming the KM team

Identify the key stakeholders in the prospective KM system.

Identify factors of team success: Caliber of team members Team size Complexity of the project Leadership and team motivation Promising more than can be realistically

delivered

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Knowledge capture

Explicit knowledge captured in repositories from various media

Tacit knowledge captured from company experts using various tools and methodologies

Knowledge developers capture knowledge from experts in order to build the knowledge base

Knowledge capture and transfer often carried out through teams, not just individuals

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Knowledge Capture and Transfer Through Teams

Team performsa specialized task

Knowledge transfer method selected

Evaluate relationship between action and outcome

Outcome Achieved

Knowledge Developer

Knowledge stored in a form usable by others in the organization

Feedback

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Knowledge capture activities in KMSLC

KMSLC step

1. Determine feasibility

2. Capture K

3. Design KM blueprint

4. Verify & validate KM system

5. Implement KM system

6. Manage change & reward structure

7. Evaluate postsystem

KCapture activity

1. Seek out champion

2. Locate cooperative expert

3. Apply tools to capture expert’s K

4. Design KM architecture

5. Correct for K integrity and work closely with expert for rapid prototyping

6. Work with user

7. Reinforce change

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Role of rapid prototyping

Spontaneous, iterative building of knowledge base: rapid prototyping

Benefits include: Documents progress made Mistakes easily corrected Yields tangible product early Systems grows with user understanding Promotes accelerated K capture Demonstrates capabilities of resulting KB

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Selecting an Expert

Knowledge base should represent expertise rather than the expert

Questions facing knowledge developer: How does one know the expert is in fact an expert? How would one know that the expert will stay with

the project? What backup should be available in case the

project loses the expert? How would the knowledge developer know what is

and what is not within the expert’s area of expertise?

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Role of the Knowledge Developer The architect of the system Job requires excellent communication

skills, knowledge capture tools, conceptual thinking, and a personality that motivates people

Close contacts with the champion Rapport with top management for ongoing

support

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Central Role of the Knowledge Developer

KNOWLEDGE WORKER

KNOWER

CHAMPION

KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPER

KNOWLEDGE BASE

InteractiveInterface

Solutions

UserAcceptance

Rules

TestingKnowledge

SupportFeedback

Prototypes

ProgressReports

Demos

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Design of the KM Blueprint

The KM system design (blueprint) addresses several issues:

System interoperability and scalability with existing company IT infrastructure

Finalize scope of proposed KM system with realized net benefits

Decide on required system components

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Design the KM blueprint

Develop the key layers of the KM architecture to meet company requirements. Key layers are: User interface Authentication/security layer Collaborative agents and filtering Application layer Transport Internet layer Physical layer

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Testing the KM System

Verification procedure: ensures that the system is right

Validation procedure: ensures that the system is the right system

Validation of KM systems is not foolproof

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Implementing the KM System Converting a new KM system into actual operation This phase includes conversion of data or files This phase also includes user training Quality assurance is paramount, which includes checking for:

Reasoning errors Ambiguity Incompleteness False representation (false positive and false negative)

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Resisting Change

Experts Regular employees (users) Troublemakers Narrow-minded superstars Resistance via projection, avoidance, or aggression

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Postsystem evaluation

How has KM system changed accuracy and timeliness of decision making?

Has the new system caused organisational changes? How constructive have they been?

How has the new KM system affected the attitude of the end users? In what way?

How has the new KM changed the cost of operating the business?

In what way KM affected relationships between end users in the organisation?

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Summary Building a KM system can be viewed as a life cycle Conventional and KM systems’ development life

cycles differ Conventional and KM systems’ development life

cycles are also similar K capture involves elicitation, analysis, and

interpretation of the K that a human expert uses Rapid prototyping Verification and validation after KM blueprint Update and modify system as new K is captured Most barriers to KM are non technical

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References

Read Chapter 3; E.M. Awad Davenport, T.H. & Prusak, L. (2000) Working

Knowledge, Boston, M.A. Harvard Business School Press, pp. 1-24.