Knowledge management

Discussion articles

• A pattern language approach to usability knowledge management
  "Knowledge gained from usability testing is often applied merely to the immediate product under test and then forgotten—at least at an organizational level. This article describes a usability knowledge management system (KMS) based on principles of pattern language and use-case writing that offers a way to turn lessons learned from usability testing into organizational knowledge that can be leveraged across different projects and different design teams."
  (Michael Hughes, Journal of Usability Studies)

• KM for consistency and innovation
  "Much is made of the role of knowledge management (KM) in supporting innovation within organisations. This is also closely tied in with enhancing the activities of 'knowledge workers' in dynamic organisations such as consulting firms. While KM is undoubtedly important for innovation, this aspect has somewhat overtaken another focus of KM: ensuring consistency. In many organisations, it is consistency that must be the key driving factor, rather than innovation. This briefing will explore and contrast these two facets of KM: innovation and consistency."
  (James Robertson, Step Two Designs)

• Knowledge management: maximising input, minimising output
  "Throwing more hours at our work, producing more emails, making more calls; that's not clever. Doing more and producing more is a brute force approach. Farming seeks to minimise input and maximise output. Knowledge management may have to maximise input so as to minimise output."
  (Gerry McGovern, New Thinking)

• Making knowledge management work on your intranet
  "In the information economy, the longevity of an organisation is based as much on the sophistication of its knowledge management practices as it is on traditional differentiators such as the strength of its products, the talent of its employees, and its marketplace reputation and partner relationships. Simply speaking, as actionable and insightful information becomes the currency of an organisation, there are few other ways to tap into any latent potential lost in the office corridors."
  (Shiv Singh, Boxes and Arrows)

• The nonsense of knowledge management
  "Examines critically the origins and basis of 'knowledge management', its components and its development as a field of consultancy practice. Problems in the distinction between 'knowledge' and 'information' are explored, as well as Polanyi's concept of 'tacit knowing'. The concept is examined in the journal literature, the websites of consultancy companies, and in the presentation of business schools. The conclusion is reached that 'knowledge management' is an umbrella term for a variety of organisational activities, none of which are concerned with the management of knowledge. Those activities that are not concerned with the management of information are concerned with the management of work practices, in the expectation that changes in such areas as communication practice will enable information sharing."
  (TD Wilson, Information Research)

Blogs

• Column Two
  "News and opinion on all things knowledge managment and content management".
  (James Robertson, Step Two Designs)