Tech & KM

Introduction

As discussed in the KM Lifecycle, the main stages of a KM process model are as follows:

1. Knowledge Building Stage

2. Knowledge Holding Stage

3. Knowledge Mobilization Stage

4. Knowledge Utilization Stage

Information Technology is one of the key KM enablers. Here we will look at how technology can improve and/or enable the KM Lifecycle stages.

Technology and its role in KM

Knowledge Building Stage

• Knowledge building is supported by technology in the following manner:

  • Research on products, services and competitors via the internet/web 2.0 technologies

  • Attending seminars via video sharing sites such as YouTube, MS Teams and GoToWebinar

  • Socialization through meetings on MS Teams, Skype and Zoom

  • Internet technologies that enable the sharing of research papers, best practices within the industry etc. to be consumed by the organization

  • Creating a space for individuals to co-create such as MS Teams and MS Whiteboard, internal blogs and Office360 which allows multiple users to collaborate on a single document simultaneously

  • Capturing of interviews (video and/or audio) using recording equipment

  • Upskilling employees on topics via e-learning such as Udemy

  • Creating metadata databases of the data warehouse e.g. Ab Initio Software, Oracle

  • Big Data Mining and AI can enable an organization to uncover trends and patterns which leads to knowledge creation

Knowledge Holding Stage

• Knowledge holding is supported by technologies with file/data storage capabilities such as:

  • Cloud Computer (e.g. Google Drive, One drive and DropBox) which can store policies, manuals, guidelines, reports and meeting minutes

  • Data warehouses for structured (MS SQL Server) and unstructured data (Hadoop)

  • Big Data Data sources have drastically increased over time as well as the content within these data sources for example:

    • • IoT devices have sensors and are interconnected with one another.

      • social media platforms

      • blogs and wikis

      • traditional data sources such as books, research papers, raw data from line of business systems

      • the rise of unstructured data such as images, sound, and video

Knowledge Mobilization Stage

IT is the most efficient conduit to enable the sharing of knowledge

• Web 2.0 technologies (e.g. web portals/ sharepoint sites) are common due to ease of use, ease of learning, IT professionals have adopted this technology

• Weekly Live Streams of what the organization is working on which can be orchestrated on MS Teams

• web based dashboards (e.g. Qikview and MS PowerBI) that provide stakeholders with business insights on sales, risk exposures etc.

• Email (MS Outlook) and Instant Messaging (MS Teams and Skype)

• Making e-learning compulsory for certain courses e.g. an organization identifies pre-requisite knowledge that employees should possess such as social engineering and phishing. The organization can distribute this knowledge via e-learning platforms

Knowledge Utilization Stage

• Performing complex calculations in a timely manner:

  • to enable decision makers to determine the way forward

  • ascertain a potential client's risk of exposure if the company chooses to create a business relationship

• Understand the changes in the market immediately with real time live streaming of events in the industry (Social media, Google Alerts)

• Easily consume and understand trends through data visualization (Qikview and MS PowerBI).

• Manufacturers can use robotics to create their products

  • The development of mechanical devices that can perform the activity of a human e.g. painting, precision welds

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to enabling computers to perform tasks that resemble human thinking ability.

  • Case-based reasoning (CBR) is an artificial intelligence technique designed to mimic human problem solving.

    • Its goal is to mimic the way humans solve problems. When faced with a new problem, humans search their memories for past problems resembling the current problem and adapt the prior solution to “fit” the current problem. CBR is a method of analogical reasoning that utilizes old cases or experiences in an effort to solve problems, critique solutions, explain anomalous situations, or interpret situations (Aamodt and Plaza 1994; Kolodner 1991, 1993; Leake 1996; Watson 2003).