Knowledge Management

Systems Life Cycle

Knowledge Management Systems Life
Cycle
 Challenges in KM Systems Development
 Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle (KMSLC)
 Key Differences
 Key Similarities
 KMSLC Approaches
 Challenges in KM Systems Development
• Changing Organizational Culture:
• Involves changing people's attitudes and behaviours
(ensuring the employees’ contribution in sharing the
knowledge).
• Knowledge Evaluation:
• Involves assessing the worth of information
• Create a reward system for those best knowledge
• Complicated task, no metrics
 Challenges in KM Systems Development
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 problem(s).
 Conventional KM System
versus
System Life Cycle Life Cycle
Recognition of Need and Evaluate Existing Infrastructure
Feasibility Study

Software Requirements Form the KM Team

Specifications
Knowledge Capture
Logical Design (master design
plan)
Design KMS Blueprint
Physical Design (coding)
Verify and validate the KM
System
Testing

Implement the KM System

Implementation (file
conversion, user training)
Manage Change and Rewards
Structure
Operations and Maintenance
Post-system evaluation
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)
 Key Differences
 The systems analyst gathers data and information from the
users and the users depend on analysts for the solution.
 The knowledge developer gathers knowledge from
people with known knowledge and the developer
depends on them for the solution.
 The main interface for the systems analyst is associated
with novice users who knows the problem but not the
solution.
 The main interface for the knowledge developer is
associated with the knowledgeable person who knows the
problem and the solution.
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)
 Key Differences (cont.)
 Conventional systems development is primarily
sequential, whereas KMSLC is incremental and
interactive.
 In case of conventional systems, testing is usually
done towards the end of the cycle (after the
system has been built), whereas in KMSLC, the
evolving system is verified and validated from the
beginning of the cycle.
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)
 Key Differences (cont.)
 Systems development and systems management is
much more extensive for conventional information
systems than it is for KMSLC.
 The conventional systems life cycle is usually
process-driven and documentation-oriented
whereas KMSLC is result-oriented.
 The conventional systems development does not support
tools such as rapid prototyping since it follows a
predefined sequence of steps
 KMSLC can use rapid prototyping incorporating changes
on the spot.
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)

Rapid Prototyping
 The Role of Rapid Prototyping

 In most of the cases, knowledge developers use

iterative approach for capturing knowledge.
 For example, the knowledge developer may start with
a prototype (based on the somehow limited
knowledge captured from the expert during the first
few sessions).
 The spontaneous, and iterative process of building a
knowledge base is referred to as rapid prototyping.
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)
 Key Similarities
 Both cycles starts with a problem and end with a
solution.
 The early phase in case of conventional systems
development life cycle starts with information gathering.
In KMSLC the early phase needs knowledge capture.
 Verification and validation of a KM system is often very
similar to conventional systems testing.
 Both the systems analyst and the knowledge developer
needs to choose the appropriate tools for designing their
intended systems.
Conventional Vs KM Systems Life Cycle
(KMSLC)

Users and Experts: A Comparison

Stages of KMSLC
Evaluate Existing
Infrastructure

Form the KM Team

Knowledge Capture

Design KM Blueprint

Verify and validate the KM

System

Implement the KM System

Manage Change and

Rewards Structure
Post-system evaluation
 Stages of KMSLC
Stage Key Question Outcome
Evaluate existing What is the problem? Is the Statement of objectives
infrastructure system justifiable? Is the system Performance criteria Strategic
feasible? plan
Form the KM team Who should be on the team? How Standardized procedure for system
will the team function? development

Knowledge capture What and whose knowledge should Acquisition of knowledge core
be captured?

Design KM blueprint How will knowledge be Design of KM system

represented? HW/SW implementation details Test
plan
Security, audit, and operating
procedures
Test the KM system How reliable is the system? Peer reviews, walkthroughs
Implement the KM What is the actual operation? How User friendly system
system easy is it to use? Training program

Manage change21and Does theKnowledge Management System,Virac h Sornlertlamvanich ([email protected])

system provide the Satisfied users
reward structure intended solutions?
Post-system evaluation Should the system be modified? Reliable and up-to-date system
(1) Evaluate Existing Infrastructure
System justifications:
 What knowledge will 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?
 Does the problem in question require years of
experience and tacit reasoning to solve?
How critical is the knowledge to be captured?
Are the task nonalgorithmic?
Calculation and Judgment Views in
Problem-Solving
Conventional Knowledge Expert/Knowledge
Information System Developer Worker

user

Interface
Data KM Results,
Calculation
Manupulation System Solutions,
Answers, and
Advise

Database
Files

Calculation View Knowledge View

(data based) (knowledge based)
The Scope Factor (Scoping)
 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
Role of Strategic Planning
 As a consequence of evaluating the existing infrastructure, the
concerned organization should develop a strategic plan which
should aim at advancing the objectives of the organization with
the proposed KM system in mind.
 Connecting users with knowledge content is the ultimate goal
of KM system.
 Knowledge developer should consider the following areas:
 Vision
 Resources
 Culture
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?
Matching Business Strategy with KM
Strategy
Business Strategic
Environment Plan

Competitive Threats; impacts Regarding Products or

Government Regulations; Services, Market,
Customer Threats Customers, or Suppliers

enables
impacts

drives

KM KM Strategy
Technology
Focus on Competitive
Quality and Reliability of the
Advantage, Role of IT, and
Infrastructure and IT Staff
enables Level of Creativity and
and Resources
Knowledge Innovation
 (2) Form the KM Team
 Identify the key stakeholders
(units, departments,
branches or divisions) of the
prospective KM system.
 Team success depends on:
 Ability of team members
 Team size
 Complexity of the project
 Leadership and team motivation
 Not promising more than
can be realistically delivered
 (3) Knowledge Capture
 Capturing Knowledge involves extracting, analyzing and interpreting the
concerned knowledge that a human expert uses to solve a specific
problem.
 Explicit knowledge is usually captured in repositories from
appropriate documentation, files etc.
 Tacit knowledge is usually captured from experts, and from
organization's stored database(s).
 Interviewing is one of the most popular methods used to capture
knowledge.
 Data mining is also useful in terms of using intelligent agents that may
analyze the data warehouse and come up with new findings.
 In KM systems development, the knowledge developer acquires the
necessary heuristic knowledge from the experts for building the
appropriate knowledge base.
 (3) Knowledge Capture
 Knowledge capture and knowledge transfer are often carried out
through teams
 Knowledge capture includes determining feasibility, choosing the
appropriate expert, tapping the experts knowledge, retapping
knowledge to plug the gaps in the system, and verify/validate the
knowledge base

Knowledge capture and Transfer Through Teams

Selecting an Expert
 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 could we know what is and what is not within the
expert’s area of expertise?
Central Role of the Knowledge Developer

The architect of the system

Identifies problem domain, capture knowledge, writes and
test heuristics to represent the knowledge
Coordinates the project from beginning to end
Requires
Excellent communication skills
Understanding of knowledge capture tools
Familiarity with technology
Tolerance for uncertainty
Ability to work with professionals
Conceptual thinker
Having the charisma that inspires people to work together as
a team
Central Role of the Knowledge Developer
(4) Design the KM Blueprint
 The KM blueprint addresses several
issues:
 Finalize scope of proposed KM system
with realized net benefits
 Decide on required system
components
 Develop the key layers of the KM
software architecture to meet company
requirements
 System interoperability and scalability
with existing company IT infrastructure
 (4) Design the KM Blueprint
This phase indicates the beginning of designing the IT infrastructure/
Knowledge Management infrastructure. The KM Blueprint (KM system
design) addresses a number of issues.
 Aiming for system interoperability/scalability with existing IT
infrastructure of the organization.
 Finalizing the scope of the proposed KM system.
 Deciding about the necessary system components.
 Developing the key layers of the KM architecture to meet organization's
requirements. These layers are:
 User interface
 Authentication/security layer
 Collaborative agents and filtering
 Application layer
 Transport internet layer
 Physical layer
 Repositories
 (5)Testing the KM System
 This phase involves the following two steps:
 Verification Procedure: Ensures that the system is right, i.e., the
programs do the task that they are designed to do.
 Validation Procedure: Ensures that the system is the right system - it
meets the user's expectations, and will be usable on demand.
 Implementing the KM System
 After capturing the appropriate knowledge, encoding in the
knowledge base, verifying and validating; the next task of the
knowledge developer is to implement the proposed system on a
server.
 Implementation means converting the new KM system into actual
operation.
 Conversion is a major step in case of implementation.
 Some other steps are post-implementation review and system
maintenance.
(6) Implement the KM System
 Converting a new KM system into actual operation
 includes conversion of data or files
 also includes user training
 Quality assurance is important, which includes
checking for:
 Reasoning errors – inductive or deductive
 Ambiguity
 Incompleteness
 False representation (false positive and false negative)
(7) Manage Change and Rewards
Structure
 Goal is to minimize resistance to change
 Experts
 Regular employees (users)
 Troublemakers
Narrow minded - Superstars
 Resistances is displayed in three personal reaction
1. Projection – Hostility toward peers
2. Avoidance – withdrawal from the scene such as
calling in sick
3. Aggression – Corrupting the system because of
uncertainty or system potential
(8) Post-system Evaluation
 Assess system impact in terms of effects on:
 People
 Procedures
 Performance of the business
 Areas of concern:
 Quality of decision making
 Attitude of end users
 Costs of Knowledge processing and update
Key Questions
 Has accuracy and timeliness of decision making improved?
 Has KMS caused organizational changes?
 What are users’ reactions towards KMS?
 Has KMS changed the cost of operating the business?
 Have relationships among users affected?
 Does KMS justify the cost of investment?