KNOWLEDGE

MANAGEMENT
ARCHITECTURE
 .....

Layer User1 User2 … Usern

1 User Interface
(Web browser software installed on each user’s PC)

Authorized access control

2 (e.g., security, passwords, firewalls, authentication)

Collaborative intelligence and filtering

3 (intelligent agents, network mining, customization, personalization)

Knowledge-enabling applications
4 (customized applications, skills directories, videoconferencing, decision support systems,
group decision support systems tools)

Transport
5 (e-mail, Internet/Web site, TCP/IP protocol to manage traffic flow)

Middleware
6 (specialized software for network management, security, etc.)

The Physical Layer

(repositories, cables)
7

Databases Legacy applications Groupware Data warehousing

(e.g., payroll) (document exchange, (data cleansing,
collaboration) data mining)
KM Architecture
 Visualize
the building blocks of a KM
system in the form of layers

 UserInterface being the least technical,

and data repository the most technical

 Theselayers represent internal

technologies of the company
The User Interface (Layer 1)
 Interface
between users
and the KM system
 Usually as a web browser
 The goal is to remove
barriers to information and
tacit (made explicit)
knowledge represented in
the data repositories
The User Interface (Layer 1)
 User interface should be
consistent, relevant,
visually clear, easy to
navigate, and easy to use

 Usabilitytesting by the
actual users is the final test
of acceptability
Authorized Access Control
(Layer 2)
 Maintainssecurity and
ensures authorized
access to the
knowledge stored in
company’s repositories

 Access points can be

intranet, Internet, and
extranet
Authorized Access Control
(Layer 2)
Internet Extranet
Intranet
Public Clients
Company Suppliers
Vendors
Partners
Customers
•Human resource
•News/events
information
• Product information
•Marketing
•Production
•E-commerce information •Sales information

•Careers •Sales •Collaboration/cooperation

information
•Strategic plans
Collaborative Intelligence and
Filtering (Layer 3)
 Personalized views
based on roles and
stored knowledge

 Intelligentagents
to reduce search
time for needed
information
 Knowledge-Enabling
Application (Layer 4)

 Referred to as value-added layer

 Provides
knowledge bases, discussion
databases, automation tools, etc.

 Ultimate
goal: demonstrate by
knowledge sharing how employees’
performances are improved
 Transport Layer (Layer 5)
 Most technical layer to
implement
 Includes LANs, WANs,
intranets, extranets, and the
Internet
 Ensures that the company
will become a network of
relationships
 Considers multimedia, URLs,
graphics, connectivity speeds,
and bandwidths
Middleware (Layer 6)
 Focus on interfacing with
legacy systems and
programs residing on
other platforms
 Designer should address
databases and applications
with which KM system
interfaces
 Makes it possible to connect
between old and new data
formats
Physical Repositories (Layer 7)
 Bottom layer in the KM
architecture
 Represents the physical
layer where repositories
are installed
 Includes data
warehouses, legacy
applications, operational
databases, and special
applications for security
and traffic management
 Build In-House, Buy, or
Outsource?
 Trend is toward ready-to-use,
generalized software packages
 Outsourcing is also a trend,
releasing technological design
to outsiders
 Regardless of choice, it is
important to set criteria for the
selection
 Question of who owns the
KM system should be
seriously considered
In Class Discussion Exercise
 Assume you are the person
responsible for making
decision on a KM project
 How would you decide to
build or buy?
 Based on the key elements
compared, and
 The current state of your
organization preparedness
(thinking in terms of maturity
in layers of KM architecture)
Build vs. Buying
Option Cost Time Factor Customization
In-house Usually high Much shorter than High, depending
development development by on quality of
user staff

Development Usually low Depends on skills High to the user

by end users set, system priority, specifications
and so forth

Outsourcing Medium to high Shorter than High

in-house

Off-the-shelf Low to medium Nil Usually up to

Solution 80% usable
Testing the KM System
 Verificationprocedure: ensures that the
system is right
 Validation procedure: ensures that the
system is the right system
 Validation of KM systems is not
foolproof
Implementing the KM System
 Converting a new KM system into actual operation
 This phase includes conversion of data or files
 This phase also includes user training
 Quality assurance is paramount, which includes
checking for:
 Reasoning errors
 Ambiguity
 Incompleteness
 False representation (false positive and false
negative)
Postsystem Evaluation
 Implications for KM
•Assuming the technology is available and ready to use.
Several managerial factors should be considered:
•An organization considering a KM system as part of its
information systems environment must make a
commitment to user education and training prior to building
the system. Knowledge sharing is not that straightforward
in many organizations.
•Top management should be approached with facts about
the costs and benefits of the proposed KM system. Being
sold on the project means assurance of financial and
technical support.
 Implications for KM (contd.)
•If a KM system is anywhere on the organization’s horizon, human
resources or the IT department should begin training knowledge
developers and others who have the potential to do knowledge
engineering.
•Domain experts must be recognized and rewarded in ways that
make them feel it is worth their time to cooperate. Assigning an
expert to the project without such rewards can jeopardize the whole
process.
•Finally for an organization to anticipate its future technology
needs, it is extremely important to do long-range strategic planning.
Questions to be addressed by
management
 Who will be in charge of maintenance?
 What skills should the maintenance specialist
have?
 What is the best way to train him?
 What incentives should be provided to ensure
quality maintenance
 What kinds of support and funding are
needed?
 What relationship should be established
between the maintenance team and IT staff?
Resisters of Change
 Experts
 Regular employees (users)
 Troublemakers
 Narrow-minded superstars
 Resistance via projection, avoidance, or
aggression
Thank You!