Designing Knowledge Infrastructures Organizations and Society in Information Systems (OASIS) 2004 Workshop December, 12th, 2004 Ronald Maier Dept. of Management Information Systems, Information Systems Leadership Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Overview MotivationMotivation Enterprise Knowledge Infrastructures (EKI)Enterprise Knowledge Infrastructures (EKI) Framework for integrated design of knowledge workFramework for integrated design of knowledge work DiscussionDiscussion

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Multiple terms used vaguelyMultiple terms used vaguely –knowledge (management) infrastructure, knowledge warehouse –organizational memory system –KM tools, software, combination of tools applied with KM in mind –KM platforms, suites, systems What separates knowledge infrastructures from more traditional IS?What separates knowledge infrastructures from more traditional IS? –Intranet infrastructures, –document and content management systems, –artificial intelligence tools, –business intelligence tools, –Groupware or collaboration tools, –e-learning systems, What can we learn from this for modeling knowledge work?What can we learn from this for modeling knowledge work? Knowledge Infrastructures

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Definition of Knowledge Infrastructure a comprehensive ICT platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing with advanced knowledge services built on top that are –contextualized, –integrated on the basis of a shared ontology and –personalized –for participants networked in communities. foster the implementation of KM instruments in support of knowledge processes targeted at increasing organizational effectiveness.

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Knowledge work… solves weakly structured problems with a high degree of variety and exceptions,solves weakly structured problems with a high degree of variety and exceptions, is creative work and requires creation, acquisition, application and distribution of knowledge,is creative work and requires creation, acquisition, application and distribution of knowledge, uses intellectual abilities and specialized knowledge rather than physical abilities,uses intellectual abilities and specialized knowledge rather than physical abilities, requires a high level of education, training and experiences resulting in skills and expertise,requires a high level of education, training and experiences resulting in skills and expertise, is often organized decentrally using new organizational metaphors,is often organized decentrally using new organizational metaphors, bases inputs and outputs primarily on data and information,bases inputs and outputs primarily on data and information, has strong communication needs and is highly mobile and distributed,has strong communication needs and is highly mobile and distributed, and thus requires a strong yet flexible support by information and communication technologies.and thus requires a strong yet flexible support by information and communication technologies.

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Architecture of Knowledge Infrastructure Intranet/Extranet: messages, contents of CMS,E-lear- ning platforms data from RDBMS, TPS, data warehouses content from Internet, WWW, newsgroups DMS documents, files from office information systems data from external online data bases VI – data and knowledge sources personal information manage- ment data V – infrastructure services Intranet infrastructure services (e.g., storage, access, messaging, security services); extract, transformation, loading, inspection services … IV – integration services semantic integration based on ontologies; user, function, process integration III – knowledge services publication structuring, contextualization discovery search, visuali- zation, navigation collaboration competence mgmt., community spaces learning authoring, course mgmt., tutoring II – personalization services identity management; person-, process-, project- or role-oriented knowledge portals knowledge worker I – access services authentication; transformation for diverse applications and appliances

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg KM Instrument Definition ICT-supported KM instrument: consist of an aligned collection of organizational, HRM and ICT measuresconsist of an aligned collection of organizational, HRM and ICT measures that can be deployed purposefully in order to achieve knowledge-related goals,that can be deployed purposefully in order to achieve knowledge-related goals, independent of a particular knowledge domain.independent of a particular knowledge domain.

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Knowledge Processes

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Designing EKI – Modeling for Knowledge Work

Ronald Maier Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg ResearchQuestions Research Questions How do we model knowledge work?How do we model knowledge work? –knowledge as product vs. process vs. knowledgeable people –completeness vs. understandability –concepts for analysis versus design of knowledge work –person, product, process, productivity tools How do we support it with knowledge infrastructures?How do we support it with knowledge infrastructures? –task, knowledge, community, learning spaces –seamless integration of personal and organizational KM environment –inter-organizational knowledge infrastructures - standardization How do we measure success?How do we measure success? –productivity of knowledge work –success of knowledge infrastructures