Knowledge Management

Knowledge is the full utilization of information and data, coupled with the potential of people's skills, competencies, ideas, intuitions, commitments and motivations. Knowledge management is an audit of the "intellectual assets" that highlight unique sources, critical functions and potential bottlenecks that hinder knowledge flows to the point of use.

The need for solutions that tackle the challenges of accessing and managing information in the digital age is a necessity. In the enterprise environment, the cost to corporations in lost worker time as they try to handle and manage the volumes of information on their computers is staggering.

To date, traditional text-based searching technologies have made knowledge discovery both frustrating and ineffective. In the digital age, there is either too much information to decipher what is most relevant to the user, or invisible information that cannot be effectively located.

Knowledge Management systems make data possessed within an individual and the organization's processes available to the corporate. These systems collect, organize and present information in a timely fashion, and make access to such information more structured and intuitive.

Importance and Relevance of Knowledge Management

The success formulae of yesterday do not automatically translate into success formulae for the new tomorrow. Organizations are increasingly aware of the disadvantages of using systems that cannot sense the dynamic changes and related assumptions occurring in the business environment they function in.

Present day successful enterprises need to think beyond what works today. They have to think outside the boundaries of current practices, products, services, organizations and industries as they fall behind the treadmill of faster and more rapid pace of change. The new business environment thus puts a premium on creativity and innovation more than ever before.

Knowledge Management systems are becoming increasingly important in the current competitive corporate environment where innovation is proving key to the survival and successes of organizations. These systems provide the right knowledge infrastructure and enable organizations manage continuous renewal of their knowledge base. This includes creation of supportive organizational structures, facilitation of organizational members, putting InfoTech-instruments with emphasis on teamwork and diffusion of knowledge into place.

Given the importance of knowledge in virtually all areas of daily and commercial life, two knowledge-related aspects are vital for viability and success at any level:

• Knowledge Assets: Knowledge assets in the organization must be nurtured preserved and used to the largest extent possible by both individuals and organizations
• Knowledge-related Processes: Organizations need to create, build, compile, organize, transform, transfer, pool, apply and safeguard knowledge

Knowledge Management systems helps to operate with minimum fixed assets and overhead, shorten product development time and improve customer service. They enhance flexibility, capture information, and create knowledge. It empowers employees share information, learn, innovate and deliver high quality products. None of these are possible without a continual focus on the creation, updating, availability, quality and use of knowledge by all employees and teams, at work and in the marketplace.

Features of Knowledge Management Systems

• Information should be made available wherever, and whenever, it is needed
• Information should be made available to all authorized to receive it
• Input and retrieval of information must be simple
• Information should only be entered once into the system
• Information should then be kept up to date and relevant to the enterprise
• The language and expression should be simple and appropriate
• Information should always support the "Learning Organization"

Setting up the Knowledge Management Infrastructure

Perspectives

Knowledge must be managed effectively to ensure that the objectives for its existence are attained to the greatest extent possible. Knowledge management in organizations must be considered from three perspectives with different horizons and purposes:

1. Business Perspective - focusing on why, where, and to what extent the organization must invest in and exploit knowledge. Strategies, products and services, alliances, acquisitions, or divestments should be considered from knowledge-related points of view

2. Management Perspective - focusing on determining, organizing, directing, facilitating, and monitoring knowledge related practices and activities directed to achieve the desired business strategies and objectives

3. Hands-On Operational Perspective - focusing on applying the expertise to conduct explicit knowledge related work and tasks

Application

Knowledge management is much more than a "technology thing". Elements of it exist in each of our job functions.

Knowledge Analysis: In Knowledge Analysis we model each knowledge source in such a way that we can analyze its usefulness, its weaknesses and its appropriateness within the organization.

Knowledge Planning: When an organization has a grip on its knowledge (i.e. has performed Knowledge Analysis), it will be able to plan for the future use of it in the most effective manner.

Knowledge Technology: This refers to the IT infrastructure that supports and enhances the flow of information within an organization. Most people know about the application of knowledge technology in the form of Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems.

Computer Supported Work Systems: This is a formal and informal (human) activity system, within an organization where the (human) agents are supported by computer systems. The application of Knowledge Technology is very helpful in such work systems, although definitely not the only important factor in the analysis and design, nor in the effectiveness of the activity system.

Environments Best Suited for Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management systems are best suited for:

• well-structured problem situations for which there exists strong consensual position on the nature of the problem situation
• well-structured problems for which there exists an analytic formulation with a solution

The former types of systems are based on consensual agreement and aim to reduce equivocality embedded in the diverse interpretations of the worldview. However, in absence of a consensus, these inquiry systems also tend to fail.

The latter types of systems are classified as closed systems without access to the external environment. They operate based on given axioms and may fall into competency traps based on diminishing returns from the tried and tested heuristics embedded in the inquiry processes. However, the complex environment imposes the need for variety and complexity of the interpretations that are necessary for deciphering the multiple worldviews of the uncertain and unpredictable future.

Axxonet Solutions' Role

Intranet Solution - IntraX

Axxonet's IntraX Intranet package aims to provide secure, customizable, easy-to-setup and scalable Intranet solutions to small and medium-sized businesses in an affordable way. It provides organizations with the technology, security and structure required to set-up, maintain and develop a flexible intranet site that meets corporate objectives and allows individuals to take ownership. These Intranet modules aim to enhance collaboration, productivity and communication within the organization. IntraX enables secure access to the Intranet and features intuitive administrative interfaces that help maximize the effectiveness of the Intranet.

IntraX comprises of a range of products designed to make the collection, distribution and management of information as simple and straightforward as possible. It helps organizations to increase productivity by providing staff and customers with access to the right information at the right time. Organizations can build a corporate knowledge-base and provide users with access to a coherent and integrated information portal. Regardless of location, connection or application, the solution ensures that staff and customers always have the most up-to-date information they need to carry out their jobs.

Built on a modular, scaleable architecture, IntraX enables organizations to combine different components in order to build a Information Infrastructure which meets their exact requirements. Benefits of using IntraX include:

·         Reduced Costs

IntraX can dramatically improve information-flow and cut costs. Information is made available at the point of need within the corporate. Cost reduction benefits of automation, reduced fax and print costs and faster access to information.

·         Improved Efficiency

Improves efficiency and collaboration. The solution features powerful intranet-based diary and resource scheduling applications, organization charts, bulletin boards and Skills databases designed to deliver improvements in corporate efficiency.

·         Global Access

With IntraX it is easy to publish information and collaborate with colleagues, wherever they are, delivering timely information to the point of need through a web interface.

·         Ease of Use

The system does not require specialist technical skills for setup and administration. Thus users (rather than IT staff) can own and monitor the system.

For a detailed product catalog or for enquiries please email the following address: intrax@axxonet.com

Customer Value Added Services Solution - CVAS

This web-based application can be used to keep customers informed about the progress of their project at real time. It gives the customers valuable information related to their projects, such as schedules, milestones, progress, issues associated with the project and graphical representations of project status, slippages, etc. It keeps a track of project meetings and their minutes. It serves as a repository to store any related documents about a project. Customers can also view an archive of projects done for them in the past.

CVAS serves to bring in complete transparency to project operations to the customer. All information regarding the project status can be updated by project managers and can be viewed by customers over their browsers wherever they are. It has robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to control access to the information. Customers and project management personnel can only view information that is relevant to them. Interfaces for communication, such email, are provided. This application is extremely useful when projects are executed over multiple sites and customer managers are geographically distributed. This application provides an intuitive and effective communication mechanism, strengthening customer relationships.

This package not only helps in boosting a company's interaction with its customer, but can also serve as a knowledge repository for any project executed. The information could be details about the status, schedule, test results and many such related information pertaining to projects. This information can be used effectively to analyze and streamline a company's operation and serve to improve its customer services.

For a detailed product catalog or for enquiries please email the following address: ios@axxonet.com