JS Knowledge Management Services methodology is an integration of three methods from:

  • business transformation, including organizational development and change
  • content & knowledge development, including learning materials development, knowledge creation based on practical experience and performance support
  • ICT configuration and development with a strong focus on learning technology and portal- and content management technology 

The methodology comprises seven phases and four abstraction levels. (see  the V-model in the figure)

Most development is incremental going from business context analysis, to services and product design and development of ICT and content. 

The publishing phase also evaluates the product design (is this the product we designed?).

The implementing phase evaluates the services design (is this the context and the type of use we were foreseeing?)

The enhancing phase evaluates the initial business context analysis (did this service bring the improvement with regard to the specified business and human performance indicators?)

 

 1. Business context analysis

 Three types of context analysis are carried out: 

  • strategic: the business goals and key performance indicators and critical success factors form the driving force behind the design of knowledge services 
  • business processes: the business processes are analyzed in terms of tasks of people and tasks being critical and/ or complex 
  • target audiences (and culture): the solutions have to support different target audiences given roles and responsibilities, educational background, preferences. This analysis is the basis for user profiling 

The outcome of the business context analysis is:

  • specification of key performance indicators and critical success factors 
  • identification of most critical, frequent and complex tasks 
  • definition of relevant target audience characteristics, including inter-cultural and within the organization existing cross-cultural differences

 

2. Services design

Services design is the global design of solutions with regard to the support of working, learning and knowledge sharing on the basis of an analysis of cognitive and affective processes from people. 

Also the interaction between people as far as it is relevant for their performance is taken into account. 

So the services design models as well products (but still at a global level) and the processes between people.

The outcome of the services design is:

  • analysis of cognitive and affective processes individually and in terms of group processes
  • global design of the functions supporting working, learning and knowledge sharing
  • outline of content per function identified
  • global specification of IT functionality per function
  • identification of change processes to be implemented in the implementation phase

 

3. Product design

Product design is decomposed into:

  • ICT design, in ICT terms the functional design
  • the structuring of the content (information design)
  • description of different presentation/ interaction modalities (interaction design) on the basis of an overall user interface design
  • the design of multi media components such as graphics, animations, audio, video (multi media design)
  • the detailed description of the content

The modelling of the content consisting of the structuring and the detailed description is the outcome (or compromise) of a joint activity of preferably:

  • a subject matter expert with a strong not only on relevancy but also on completeness, correctness and typicality
  • a (super) user with a focus on relevance, variety, communication and typicality
  • a knowledge engineer with a focus on relevancy, structure and communication and presentation aspects 

 

4. Product development

Product development addresses:

  • ICT technical design and realization or (just) configuration

For the realization tools have to be selected (and integrated and optionally customized).  In general there is a need for good content management in the back end of these solutions. The front end should support typical knowledge management functionalities such as dynamic creation of specific knowledge types such as Frequently Asked Questions, issues, cases, but also in case of interactive learning well known e-learning functionalities .

Primary criteria for selecting tools are:

  • efficiency of development
  • flexibility to implement a broad range of functions
  • learning time
  • openness to integrate with other tools and information systems
  • content development

Content development is primarily a matter of creative as well as structured writing, so it is hard work and authors have to be facilitated as much  as possible. Therefore content development and integration are supported by structure and content editors. The content development process is organized on the basis of a pre-defined authoring and approval process.

  • multi media development

Multi media development addressing graphics, animations, audio, video

  • integration of content and multi media into the ICT environment

 

5. Publication

Publishing (in portal terminology) follows two phases:

  • pilot testing for a selected audience on the basis of defined acceptance criteria
  • full publishing for the broader audience

The pilot testing criteria are derived from the product specifications as described in the product design.

The design process followed the steps knowledge creation, knowledge validation, knowledge integration and knowledge transfer. One can evaluate with (pilot) users all these aspects.

Because as well pilot testing as full publishing demands for fast responses to unclarities and inconsistencies in content, one must already be prepared for content updates. In this phase one can therefore also test the most appropriate methods, techniques and tools for content editing and content management

 

6. Implementation

Implementation issues are initially derived from the context description in the services design.

One could see the implementation process as the integration of:

        A change management process consisting of:

  •       communicating the vision, models and strategy
  •       educating the how and what of knowledge management
  •      coaching the way of applying it in practice
  •      leadership, showing the attitude of knowledge sharing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The development of the infrastructure for knowledge management consisting of:
  •      development of competencies
  •      setting up organizational procedures for knowledge management
  •      setting up the helpdesk

 

7. Enhancement

After implementation projects often stop. However due to evaluations of usage or external factors such as a change in strategy or business processes a need may arise for adapting and enhancing the products and services.

A minimum demand for being able to adapt and enhance are:

  • well defined maintenance and evaluation methods and techniques
  • maintenance tools
  • people being available and competent

Enhancement reflects back to the performance indicators and business goals as identified in the business context analysis.

Enhancement can be triggered by regular quick scans or audits.