Knowledge Management Life Cycle

The concept of Knowledge Management comes from the very definition to capture information and content for deriving a value out of it after performing some meaningful operations. The life cycle would contemplate the process of knowledge procurement to final derivation of meaningful information for processing and further integration. The identification of several categories which would act as placeholders for the information must be in right hands equipped with right tools so that appropriate function is performed with it.

Knowledge Management Life cycle

The step 1 in this process is the identification of the fact that knowledge is king to any organisation and its evaluation, processing and its implementation must be identified in the proper context so as to capitalize on the resources for its optimum usage.

The first task is the formation of Knowledge Management (KM) teams so that the information falls into the right hands for successful processing. The KM teams are responsible for procurement of the information, after a thorough analysis of the business scenario. It is also decided whether the system is feasible to handle the KM process from its thought generation stage to post evaluation stage. The economic, technical and behavioral feasibility is obtained at the first level. After evaluating costs, schedule the process takes a momentum for further proceeding. The key stakeholders of the system are the crucial components and are the burning fuel for successful proceeding with the project.

The second stage is the ‘What’ and ‘How’ of the system, meaning what needs to be done? And how will one do it? The capture of knowledge must be identified and analyzed thoroughly so that everything works out successfully in the initiation phase. The third phase is the process of development. Unless the process is identified accurately, the motive of the KM system remains quite incomplete in nature. What to be processed and the objective for doing it? – the meaning must be quite clear at this level. The processing logic is devised by the expert or a set of experts. The business objectives behind the KM process must be evaluated quite well.

The fourth phase would mark the designing of the blueprint which would hold information about the scope of the KM system, its interoperability and scalability issues, required system components and the system design and implementation techniques (Awad, 2001). After the roll of the blueprint the system has got a definition of the exact requirements it desires to cater. The system development is started at this level using a RAD model. After the design is complete the system architecture is set up and all the inputs and outputs are well highlighted through the use of user interface, authentication issues, collaborative agents, application layer, internet layer, and the physical layout of the system (Fan, 2003). After the development phase, the KM system is verified and validated for any errors and defects.

After all the stages are over, the final implementation takes the role of implementation where the present legacy system. It requires conversion of the existing system into the new or transferring the essential components into the new KM system. The final stage is user training and feedback mechanism which adds a new dimension to the system and it creates a self learning environment for further incorporating the deficiencies of the dynamic business scenario (McElroy, 1999).

A very challenging environment would be to integrate all the systems in the organizations so that information derived from them can be successfully captured for deriving knowledge which would enter a cycle for further derivation of innovative thoughts for the long term success of the business.

Conclusion

The KM process is quite essential for managing the information in any organization and deriving greater innovative business thoughts from the information flow in the business and its correct representation and identification of resources for growth and prosperity in enveloping challenges.

References/Bibliography

1. Fan Yushan (2003). Knowledge Network and Knowledge Management. See: www.simflow.net/Publications/Papers /Year2003/ljq_ICAM03_0312.pdf