http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Design/Knowledge-Management A listing of the most recently indexed works about Design and Knowledge Management in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Design/Knowledge-Management http://tc.eserver.org/35816.html http://tc.eserver.org/35816.html Data given context is information, and information put to use is knowledge. With that definition, the idea that more and better access to all forms of information does not necessarily mean we are getting more and better knowledge to help us through our daily lives. With real knowledge as the goal, independent information sources need to be united to provide better comprehension of the world around us. Knowledge that instills a higher level of organization and understanding of topics relevant to our lives is the ultimate goal. It’s not the quantity of information, but the quality of the knowledge that we need. http://tc.eserver.org/35246.html http://tc.eserver.org/35246.html Generation Y are the first generation to fully put the process of ‘prosumption’ into practice. Individuals are proactively seeking to generate and share creative outputs as a result of their online activities, and this produces a set of fundamental questions for business librarians, information management specialists and consultants: does our profession adhere to a logic of service-delivery, which is rapidly becoming obsolete in the context of service-innovation. Suggestions for how information specialists (called librarian 2.0 in this article) can participate in the creation of value for users are offered. http://tc.eserver.org/33070.html http://tc.eserver.org/33070.html This article challenges the vision of the corporate intranet as a publishing tool, or a static repository for web pages or documents. Instead, it looks at a number of ways in which the intranet can become a dynamic and living environment for knowledge-based activities. http://tc.eserver.org/33074.html http://tc.eserver.org/33074.html I have been watching the knowledge management boom for 15 years. I would love to belive that knowledge management was a valuable field. But to the extent that it's about capturing "knowledge" in documents, it goes against everything I know about successful organisations. Like artificial intelligence, it seems based on a mistaken idea about what knowledge is, and about how knowledge-based economies function. http://tc.eserver.org/33095.html http://tc.eserver.org/33095.html How can an organization empower its employees, reduce costs and improve data quality? Implementing employee self-service tools is one direction that a number of leading companies are turning to as they look to build win-win propositions with their most important assets: their people. http://tc.eserver.org/32809.html http://tc.eserver.org/32809.html This blog is about a KM practitioner. Integrated and aggregated teaching, training, theory, practice, service, and research prospects. http://tc.eserver.org/32810.html http://tc.eserver.org/32810.html Librarians are being made CIO's less for our technical skills than for our organizational skills and our ability to manage the complex change that is fostered by or linked to technological change. http://tc.eserver.org/32309.html http://tc.eserver.org/32309.html All too often organizations have a fragmented approach to Information Management Documents/data is duplicated in many places and users are expected to enter the same information many times. Developing an Information Management Strategy is the foundation stone that should be in place before considering cost justifying or implementing Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). http://tc.eserver.org/32333.html http://tc.eserver.org/32333.html Archival science, like other disciplines, is evolving into more specific interdisciplinary subfields. To determine this intellectual structure of archival science, the text mining method was used. The data were 432 articles from 2001 to 2004, and we produced 43 clusters of documents using the within-group average method in SPSS. Then we generated pathfinder networks of 43 clusters and grouped them into seven subject categories: digital libraries and digital archiving technologies, online resources and finding aids, archives and archivists, legal and political issues, electronic records and technical issues, records and information management, and e-mail and information professionals. Finally, these seven subject categories were merged into three sectors: digital library, archives and RIM (Business). This study describes dynamic change in the 2001—4 research themes from traditional single-subject areas to emerging, complex subject areas. These results also show that research areas in archival sciences have much growth potential and will continue to expand. http://tc.eserver.org/32335.html http://tc.eserver.org/32335.html Much research has been done on the favourable influence of social environment and social networks on knowledge production. The aim of this article is to design a theoretical framework where both information behaviour (IB) research and social capital (SC) research are integrated. Integrating these areas is seen as an advantage when focusing on the social construction of knowledge, and a model is proposed to illuminate sources and consequences of social capital and knowledge sharing. This framework will function as a basis on which to build when the authors proceed with a number of empirical studies involving the university context, social networks of the unemployed, and virtual networks of young people. http://tc.eserver.org/31657.html http://tc.eserver.org/31657.html Knowledge resides in the user and not in the collection [of information]. It is how the user reacts to a collection of information that matters. http://tc.eserver.org/30367.html http://tc.eserver.org/30367.html Established in 2005, KnowGenesis Online Library for Technical Communication (www.knowgenesis.org/tc) is India's first online repository dedicated to accelerate knowledge sharing and promote self-learning in the field of technical communication. The library is available free of cost and require one time free registration to access the available material. The popularity and success rate of the library can be determined by the fact that within a year of its launch, it not only attracted more than 24000 visitors and gained more than 1500 subscribers, but also increased the volume of the hosted content from few documents to more than 2000 important documents, presentations, tutorials and links. KnowGenesis library presents a unique case for repository designers to study the complex design and implementation process that contributed to the stability and overall success rate of the online library. This paper not only shares the designing and implementation challenges faced by the knowgenesis team, but also presents the approach used to match the user requirements with the library design. Based on the lessons learned during the process, the paper also presents specific set of guidelines and recommends methodologies that can provide critical assistance for developing and managing medium and large scale repositories http://tc.eserver.org/30295.html http://tc.eserver.org/30295.html Views on various dimensions of the knowledge audit (KA) process, and how organizations can use this tool to achieve organizational objectives. During the discussion, participants analyzed the pre-requisites, advantages, and process of the knowledge audit. This article presents a summarized version of the issues discussed. http://tc.eserver.org/29995.html http://tc.eserver.org/29995.html We hear the term knowledge management bandied about. It sounds suspiciously like a trendy new phrase for what we used to call 'documentation.' In truth, knowledge management is more than documentation. It encompasses documentation, data management, library management, and information design. Knowledge management is increasingly important; as the amount of content has increased, the task of locating the information in the content has become more difficult. You see, information is different from content. And knowledge is something that derives from information. http://tc.eserver.org/29693.html http://tc.eserver.org/29693.html Our grasp of single-sourcing has come a long way in the past few years. This is thanks in part to technology that makes it easier to reuse content and in part to our pundits that introduce new ideas into our community. However the practice of single-sourcing is not new. For decades other industries, such as manufacturing and software engineering, have been producing components designed to be reused in products across their companies and their industries. What we lack that has made single-sourcing successful in other domains is a common standard for the components. To reach any real measure of success, we must seek to standardize how we manage information. The Information Management Model is an idea that aims to take a step in that direction. http://tc.eserver.org/28577.html http://tc.eserver.org/28577.html The first of those challenges is merely getting individuals within the company to communicate with each other, wherever they are located. Many organizations have trouble getting people to share information who aren't on the same floor, so adding remote workers or those in other geographical locations can prove difficult. Corporations are realizing how important it is to 'know what they know' and to be able to make maximum use of the knowledge. This knowledge resides in many different places, such as, databases, knowledge bases, filing cabinets, and people's heads, and it is impossible to keep track of and make use of this distributed knowledge. Knowledge Management (KM) needs careful planning and analysis. While technology can support KM, it is not the be all and end all of KM. Knowledge Management decisions should be based on who (people), what (knowledge), and why (business objectives). Critical success factors for KM can be broadly categorized into four classes: people, processes, technology, and sustained strategic commitment. The four pillars of the model are also used to explain the critical success factors in Knowledge Management. http://tc.eserver.org/26733.html http://tc.eserver.org/26733.html The intent of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) can be characterized as risk reduction: reduce errors, inhibit fraud, and provide shareholders with transparent equal-access to material knowledge. But implementation is principally procedural controls and documentation, under threat of penalty. The vague parts of SOX are where the real leverage lies: principles of intent, and corporate transparency. http://tc.eserver.org/26507.html http://tc.eserver.org/26507.html The role of knowledge brokers as the gatekeepers of information is vital for successful knowledge management. In this context, the role of librarians who act as knowledge brokers in creating a market for both buyers and sellers often goes unnoticed. Librarians with their access to information and people, bridge the gap between knowledge seekers and knowledge. http://tc.eserver.org/25668.html http://tc.eserver.org/25668.html Current methods of access to the electronic resources offered by the Internet make little use of basic principles of information organization and retrieval, relying instead on relatively informal and, at times, ad hoc approaches. This creates problems in terms of the volume of information retrieved by a user of the Internet and the precision with which that information matches the user's information need. There is a plethora of engineering resources available on the Internet, yet no systematic method of retrieval is available to engineers who are in need of the most current information in their discipline. The Internet is often the only immediate source of the most current engineering resources. The purpose of this project is to identify electronic resources that could be of value to engineers and to represent these resources in a manner that enables engineers to make timely, informed decisions about the usefulness of the resources. This paper addresses the specific objectives the project which include: 1) the development of selection criteria for electronic engineering resources; 2) the identification of electronic resources of interest to engineers, as defined by the selection policy; and 3) the creation of abstracts for these electronic resources that will include at least two hyperlinks to other related electronic resources. http://tc.eserver.org/25382.html http://tc.eserver.org/25382.html Unanticipated events on building sites are inevitable. The frequency of unanticipated events is usually high due to the inherent complexity and dynamics of construction projects. http://tc.eserver.org/24771.html http://tc.eserver.org/24771.html One of the reasons that people who seek out information on web sites often feel powerless is that when they do not find what they are looking for, their own tacit sense of what they know is not validated. If tacit knowledge is not calculated for in the design of a web site, it puts the people navigating the site in the position of passive observers. The primary reason for this can be found in the rigid organization schemes in place on many sites. Even the most sophisticated manuals that offer methods for designing web site architectures fail to suggest how they can replicate what is known in knowledge management circles as an “enabling environment.” http://tc.eserver.org/23607.html http://tc.eserver.org/23607.html Knowledge architecture is a nascent, hybrid field with significant potential as an innovative, cross-disciplinary design profession for 'value-added' technical communications and instructional technology. However, the emergence of a comprehensive, coherent, grounded theory and a corresponding problem-oriented, practice-based curriculum is progressing slowly. By contrast, other professional specialties for information architects, multi-media designers and software interface designers are better established. Scholars and practioners interested in fostering the development of knowledge architecture as a legitimate and evolving profession are at the forefront in defining the essential performance skills and academic training needed in the core subfields of information design, interactivity design, media design, and instructional design. http://tc.eserver.org/23035.html http://tc.eserver.org/23035.html In an increasingly information-based world, we turn out complex products that are less tangible than they are knowledge-based. The very complexity of the decisions we make and the products we manufacture makes it impossible to check, test and retest them adequately enough to be sure that they will function properly in any circumstance. Information disasters are a growing threat, and one that few businesses can ignore. http://tc.eserver.org/23052.html http://tc.eserver.org/23052.html Is the portal a task-oriented platform for applications, e-services and cross-functional business process integration or a tool for enterprise-wide knowledge management? Is it a bottom-up enabler of communication and collaboration or a top-down channel for broadcasting official corporate propaganda? Inevitable consensus answer? It's all of these things and more, and the IT folks better be ready to support this exciting new paradigm! http://tc.eserver.org/22707.html http://tc.eserver.org/22707.html This talk will explain how to use ecological design, which is an expansion of ethnography, to leverage both the rich local information from case studies, and a wider sociological perspective to take account of global realities. http://tc.eserver.org/20761.html http://tc.eserver.org/20761.html You know how to write, but do you know what to write? Much of the information which is needed to plan and execute a project is not technical detail about the product. You need access to specific corporate information to produce the required documentation. The flow of information to and from Tech Pubs (the technical publications department) is determined by several factors, including the company’s commitment to procedures (such as ISO-9000), the corporate culture, the physical location of the department, and the personalities involved. By being aware of this information flow, you can take control of your projects and produce documentation which is appropriate and on time. http://tc.eserver.org/20740.html http://tc.eserver.org/20740.html A technical writer develops a way to help a government contractor uncover procurement opportunities -- and in the process discovers a new opportunity for himself as an information profit center. http://tc.eserver.org/14253.html http://tc.eserver.org/14253.html Technical communicators can expand their roles into the realm of knowledge management if they augment their already considerable skills with a basic understanding of XML coding and a critical understanding of how this applied tool can allow us to shape, store, and transfer knowledge. To do this, they can start by examining how the use of tools and their relationship to the materials, assumptions, and methods of the scientific community contribute to the culture of research activity and then transferring these ideas to their workplaces. Additionally, they need to understand that knowledge management systems can include tacit knowledge. In their roles as knowledge managers, they can teach organization members how they can help design, access, and contribute to databases; alert them to new information as it is made available in knowledge repositories; and work to facilitate an environment of trust and sharing that allows knowledge management systems to flourish. http://tc.eserver.org/10414.html http://tc.eserver.org/10414.html Over the past several years, organizations have devoted increasing amounts of attention to a phenomenon called 'knowledge management.' Despite its growing visibility, knowledge management nonetheless suffers from a multitude of definitions with little apparent consistency. In this article, I outline four of the most common definitions of knowledge management. I unify these definitions by explaining them as four points along a continuum of increasing depth and complexity. After outlining knowledge management in this manner, I explain how technical communicators usually play supporting roles, not leadership roles, in knowledge management efforts. I then argue that to overcome this challenge, technical communicators must carefully re-think how they define knowledge management, technical communication, and themselves as professionals. I further argue that technical communicators should define themselves not by the products they produce but by the 'core competencies' with which they produce them. http://tc.eserver.org/10236.html http://tc.eserver.org/10236.html Interactivity is one big reason why the Internet has become so popular. People like to talk to each other, and they relish the chance to talk back directly to the media. And from the media's perspective, interactivity is one way to obtain a steady stream of free and diverse content (and also to enhance audience interest and loyalty). Therefore, it's a shame that many traditional news and media organizations don't have a clue about how to do online interactivity well. http://tc.eserver.org/10189.html http://tc.eserver.org/10189.html Between the invention of the printing press and that of the computer, developments in printing and publishing technology occurred in small increments over long periods of time. In those intervening centuries, the process of preparing manuscripts for publication remained fairly static. In the last half-century, however, the pace of change in printing and publishing technology has become dynamic. Now changes in technology come about in a matter of years, sometimes even months. And with those changes, the steps in the process of publication may now be controlled, tracked, and subsumed into one continuous electronic system often called digital workflow.