Method for systemic enterprise knowledge management

• US 20040249832A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ward Hillary Goldthorpe
• Original Assignee: Ward Hillary Goldthorpe
• Inventors: Goldthorpe, Ward Hillary
• Application Number:
  US10/475,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The present invention is a method, system, and computer program product for performing systemic knowledge management in an enterprise using a computer network. A universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and knowledge interrelationships between processes in an enterprise is created. The framework is used for dynamically building a model of the enterprise in real time, said model representing the enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains. The model is stored on an enterprise knowledge database and made available over the computer network so that it may be utilised in real time by either members of the enterprise as network users, or computer applications, for managing execution of processes, and managing knowledge about and contained within processes and systems of processes.

Claims

1. A method using a computer network for modelling an enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains, comprising:

creating a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in said enterprise;

dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework, said model being initialised with at least one seed process; and

dynamically storing said model on a database;

wherein processes are added to said model in real time either manually by authorised members of the enterprise as users of said computer network or programmatically by computer program applications running on said computer network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising using visual means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model, and using visual navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said database.

3. A method for performing systemic knowledge management in an enterprise using a computer network, comprising:

creating a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in said enterprise;

dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework, said model representing said enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains;

dynamically storing said model on an enterprise knowledge database; and

managing execution of processes, and managing knowledge about and contained within processes and systems of processes in said enterprise utilising said model in real time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said universal framework further includes a process classification scheme for classifying each process in said enterprise.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said universal framework further includes an iteration classification scheme for classifying repeated or restarted processes.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

creating a global enterprise process representing the highest-level system view of said enterprise, said global enterprise process being the ancestor of all processes initiated in the past, present and future within said enterprise; and

including said global enterprise process in said model.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising using visual means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model and using visual navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said enterprise knowledge database.

8. The methods of claims 3 to 7 wherein said universal framework includes:

core enterprise knowledge threads for representing systemic knowledge domains;

an immutable universal process representation for representing the fundamental structure of all processes in an enterprise; and

a knowledge association scheme for representing interrelationships between processes and knowledge in an enterprise.

9. A computer system for modelling an enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains, comprising:

a plurality of user computing devices connected to a computer network;

a server computer coupled to the computer network, said server including;

a) memory;

b) storage; and

c) a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in an enterprise;

means for dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework;

a database; and

means for dynamically storing said model on said database.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for customising components of said universal framework.

11. The systems of claims 9 and 10 further comprising means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model, and visual navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said database.

12. A knowledge management system for enabling systemic knowledge management in an enterprise comprising:

a plurality of user computing devices connected to a computer network;

a server computer coupled to the computer network, said server including;

a) memory;

b) storage; and

c) a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in an enterprise;

means for dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework, said model representing said enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains;

an enterprise knowledge database;

means for dynamically storing said model on said enterprise knowledge database; and

means for managing execution of processes, and managing knowledge about and contained within processes and systems of processes in said enterprise utilising said model in real time.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for customising components of said universal framework.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for including in said model a global enterprise process representing the highest-level system view of said enterprise, said global enterprise process being the ancestor of all processes initiated in the past, present and future within said enterprise.

15. The systems of claims 12 to 14 further comprising means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model, and visual navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said enterprise knowledge database.

16. A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for use with a computer network for modelling an enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains, comprising:

a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in an enterprise;

computer readable means for dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework; and

computer readable means for dynamically storing said model on a database.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising computer readable means for customising components of said universal framework.

18. The computer program products of claims 16 and 17 further comprising computer read means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model, and computer navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said database.

19. A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling systemic knowledge management in an enterprise using a computer network, comprising:

a universal framework that defines the structure and representation of processes, knowledge, and interrelationships between processes and knowledge in an enterprise;

computer readable means for dynamically building a model of said enterprise in real time utilising said universal framework, said model representing said enterprise as an evolving system of interconnected processes and knowledge domains;

computer readable means for dynamically storing said model on an enterprise knowledge database; and

computer readable means for managing execution of processes, and managing knowledge about and contained within processes and systems of processes in said enterprise utilising said model in real time.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable means for customising components of said universal framework.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable means for including in said model a global enterprise process representing the highest-level system view of said enterprise, said global enterprise process being the ancestor of all processes initiated in the past, present and future within said enterprise.

22. The computer program products of claims 19 to 21 further comprising computer readable means for visualising and manipulating aspects of said framework and said model, and computer readable visual navigation means for navigating and searching through said model and said enterprise knowledge database.