Method for knowledge management

• US 7,003,502 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Kane, James, Geraghty, Barbara Toddie, McHugh, Michael Williams, Beyer, N. Lee, Farbrother, Ian, Wizdo, Lori D., Goodall, Alex, Taylor, Robert Martin, McCabe, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holmes, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,211
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45, 706/60, 760 45- 47
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning

Abstract

A method of enabling a knowledge management community. A community is originated based on a vision of values and benefits that can be realized from the organized sharing of knowledge within a common group of people. The group is defined based on subject matter, interest, geography, or any other category. Based on the vision of a community, an initial definition of the community is created, including a community charter. Based on the community charter, the community is designed. The design of the community includes creating a matrix showing processes performed by members of the community and the outcomes of these processes, developing knowledge maps that show the knowledge used and created in performing processes, and defining metrics to measure the benefit derived from the sharing of knowledge within the community.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of enabling a knowledge management community comprising:

originating the community, including creating a preliminary justification for the community;

defining a charter for the community based on said preliminary justification;

creating a design of the community based on said charter, wherein said act of creating a design includes creating at least one membership/outcome matrix, wherein said membership/outcome matrix correlates a plurality of constituent parts of said community with a plurality of outcomes, and wherein each point on said matrix is identified by a pair of one of said constituent parts and one of said outcomes and indicates a process performed by said one of said constituent parts to produce said one of said outcomes; and

developing at least one first process or tool that implements said design.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said act of creating a membership/outcome matrix comprises:

identifying said plurality of constituent parts of the community;

identifying said plurality of outcomes;

creating a matrix which correlates said constituent parts with said outcomes, wherein each point on said matrix is identified by a pair of one of said constituent parts and one of said outcomes; and

including, at a point in said matrix identified by a pair of a first one of said constituent parts and a first one of said outcomes, a second process which produces said first outcome when performed by said first constituent part.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

creating a process/activity catalogue which comprises a plurality of activities performed in the course of executing said second process.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein said process/activity catalogue indicates, for a first of said activities, a role that performs said first activity.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating a knowledge map which comprises:

a first knowledge item used by a one of said constituent parts of the community in the course of executing a second process; and

a second knowledge item generated in the course of executing said second process.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein said knowledge map further comprises:

information indicative of whether said first knowledge item is tacit or explicit.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein said knowledge map further comprises:

information indicative of an opportunity to transfer said first knowledge item.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the act of creating a knowledge catalogue that comprises:

information indicative of a knowledge item; and

information indicative of a source of said knowledge item.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said knowledge catalogue further comprises:

information indicative of whether said knowledge item is tacit or explicit.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said knowledge catalogue further comprises:

information indicative of an availability of said knowledge item.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said knowledge catalogue further comprises:

information indicative of a quality of said knowledge item.

12. A computer-implemented method of designing a knowledge management community that supports the management of one or more knowledge items among one or more members, the method comprising:

creating a membership/outcome matrix, said matrix correlating a plurality of outcomes with one or more constituent parts of the community membership and indicating, for at least a first of said constituent parts and first outcome, a first process performed by said first constituent part which produces said first outcome;

creating a process/activity catalogue which indicates, for said first process, one or more activities performed in the course of executing said first process;

creating a knowledge map which indicates, for at least a first of said one or more activities, a first knowledge item used in the course of executing said first one of said one or more activities; and

creating a knowledge catalogue which indicates at least a source of said knowledge item.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said membership/outcome matrix further indicates, for said first constituent part of the community membership, a second process performed by said first constituent part which produces said first outcome.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said membership/outcome matrix further correlates said plurality of outcomes with at least one entity who is not included among the one or more constituent parts of the community membership and indicates a second process performed by said entity which produces a second one of said plurality of outcomes.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said process/activity catalogue indicates a knowledge item used or generated in the course of performing said first process.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said process/activity catalogue indicates a role that performs a first one of said one or more activities.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said knowledge map further indicates a second knowledge item generated in the course of executing said first one of said one or more activities.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said knowledge map further indicates whether said first knowledge item is tacit or explicit.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said first knowledge item is a tacit knowledge item that is not available in a tangible form.