Requirement of Knowledge Centre Based on Web Analysis

Ily Amirah Hassannuddin#1, Halina Mohamed Dahlan*2, Ab Razak Che Hussin#3 #Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

UTM Skudai, 81310 Johor, Malaysia 1ilyamirah@gmail.com

2halina@utm.my 3abrazak@utm.my

Abstract—Knowledge centre (KC) is one of the ways to collect, share information and manage the knowledge in an organization. The advantages of KC are to help an organization to develop rational and coordinate approaches to capture, identification, storage and intellectual assets retrieval. However, there are limited guidelines in building the KC in an organization. In addition, the component of KC and its features are also not very clear. Thus, this paper presents requirement of KC model by defining the components of KC which are knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination and digital repository as engagement mechanism. This has been done based on comparison of several existing KC website and also based on previous studies. The proposed requirement of KC hopefully will improve the knowledge management in an organization.

Keywords—knowledge centre; knowledge centre features; knowledge generation; knowledge dissemination; digital repository

I. INTRODUCTION The digitisation processes in the 21st century have

activated the information and knowledge resources that remained dormant. The resources in organization are being digitised and are becoming available to a larger number of users. The phenomenon of digitisation and the possibilities of unlimited access to digital resources through the web have introduced new methods of knowledge organization [1]. It would be useful to study the trends that impact knowledge organization processes in managing their knowledge and see how knowledge workers can emerge as knowledge-technology experts and transform their knowledge into knowledge centre (KC).

KC is one of the ways to collect, share and manage the knowledge. KC is also a supporting team comprising domain experts, resource, and analyst along with technological professionals who constantly ensure dynamic updating of knowledge resources. KC can be summarized as the collection of the knowledge sharing process that will helps user to contribute and share their knowledge and opinion easier.

The advantages of KC are that they help organization to develop rational and coordinate approaches to the capture, identification, storage and their intellectual assets retrieval. These intellectual assets go beyond standard publishing regimes, and may include audiovisual objects, presentations,

datasets, learning resources and research works. A well managed approach to these assets enhances opportunities for proficient use of obtainable research, and encourages cooperation within and between different disciplines and groups.

However, there are limited guidelines in building KC in an organization. Some organizations have their own KC but not fully influenced by the knowledge person and experts. In addition, the component of KC and its features are also not very clearly defined. Therefore, a study on KC is carried out to get the guideline and clear definition on the component and it features of KC to improve the knowledge management and intellectual assets in an organization. Thus, increase workplace productivity and reduce activities.

This paper presents requirement of KC model by defining the components of KC which are knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination and digital repository as engagement mechanism. This has be done based on comparison of several existing KC website and based on previous studies as explained in section II, III, IV and V.

II. THE CONCEPT OF KC Sharing is a process whereby a resource is given by one

party and received by another. For sharing to occur, there must be an exchange of resource and it must passes between the source and recipient. As a result, to collect all the knowledge and place it at one site, KC approach is needed. With implementation of KC, cultural challenges can be overcome. People will allow contributing and learning with no boundary.

A KC also can be an extended version of a library. It assumes different definitions when used in different contexts. In a real sense “a KC is a collection of knowledge in the form of subject-problem-solution information that pertains to a specific topic or subject of interest” [2]. The purposes of establishing KC, however, have been varied in different parts of the world. For instance, a KC established for the staff of the Suffolk County Council was done to provide efficient service to the public [3]. The public libraries in Denmark are being converted into KC in order to provide library information, internet searches, and knowledge resources on education and information besides study facilities [4, 5]. The indigenous KC that has been established in Queensland in Aboriginal and

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Torres Strait Islander communities in collaboration with local indigenous communities specialize in the information requirements of the indigenous communities [6]. Yet another role of KC in communities could be derived from this definition: “A KC is a multi-purpose community resource centre and a single window delivery mechanism.” [7]

A. The Features of KC

KC makes the collective wisdom of the web which to create, organize, filter, recommend and enhance virtually all types of content. It also helps people find the most valuable or reliable information on the web. It gives people’s experience when making important decisions. Besides, it can be used to share knowledge and opinions with other people who have the same interests.

Moreover, it can be used to make personal entertainment and consumer decisions making based on the experience of people who share the same interests and find out what is really true. Feature of the KC, can also combine collective knowledge to solve some of humanities greatest challenges. It allows user to select content or make decisions based on their own values.

The most important features that KC has are to ease navigation. The KC offers simple navigation that will help user who is not familiar with online learning in sharing knowledge. In addition, KC also is intuitive. The KC anticipates user learning needs by providing the right tools in the right places.

KC also has better integration which the discussion area has tight integration into specific course. That will make the KC as a perfect place to share knowledge and opinions, also in individuals learning. Dr. H. K. Kaul made a random selection of 50 KC in different parts which are accessible through the web in order to evaluate the performance of KC. He is giving nine major characteristics of KC. The characteristics are as below [8]:

a) Share Resources with a Large Audience: The KC tries to reach out to as many users who are interested in the contents of the KC.

b) Market, Publications, Services, Products, etc.: They will have to adopt this role and become global partners in the creation and dissemination of knowledge by developing various products and packages for wider distribution.

c) Create a Continually Evolving Body of Knowledge on the Chosen Subject: Knowledge organization will published resources and create a repository of such resources on a subject or more subjects but are seldom associated with the creation of a body of knowledge. In future knowledge organization would need to rework their roles and it would become necessary for them to work together with researchers, knowledge workers and knowledge expert and become partners in continually creating a body of knowledge.

d) Evolve Collective Brainstorming, Offer Social Networking: The KC undertakes brainstorming sessions and use social networking modes for various purposes.

e) Entertain Feedback and Multiple Views on a Given Subject and Record Such Views: The KC gets the feedback and multiple views on the subjects they handle to improve their operations, especially in terms of content development.

f) Invite Individuals, Researchers and Institutions to Join the Dialogues by Contributing Articles, Papers, etc.: The KC invites individuals, researchers and institutions to join the dialogues by contributing articles, papers and comments on chosen topics. Thus, create repositories with copyright permissions for further use for research and reference.

g) Achieve Collective Understanding of the Subject in Question Through a Consensus-Building System: They achieve collective understanding of the subjects in question through consensus-building systems because they want the latest inputs on their subjects. By developing a consensus among the respondents they are able to take part of the analytical work through the consensus-building system.

h) Undertake Research and Analysis: KC undertakes research and analysis work in the subjects in which the KC specializes.

i) Arrange Training for Professional Development: KC arranges training for professional development in the areas in which the KC specializes.

B. The Components of KC

KC specialized activities involve multidisciplinary dialogues in order to get new insights or discover some new concepts [8]. KC also acts as knowledge integration system. It assumes global role as KC is accessible through the web. The information and knowledge resources are available globally. It needs to be identified on every subject, irrespective of linguistic, proprietary, geographic and other constraints. It should have a common understanding of promoting and sharing resources of KC. As a result, the KC can fulfill the global obligation of making knowledge available freely to users in the world.

Under the World Bank Project for Capacity Building for Good Governance, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, India had taken up an initiative to design and develop a web based repository of good governance initiatives and best practices which is called Governance Knowledge Center (GKC) [9]. The proposed model of KC consists of knowledge generation, digital repository and knowledge dissemination.

In this study, a KC mainly focuses on the generation and dissemination of knowledge. It includes in its search for experiences in all directions and hence is likely to cast its net wider and deeper. Thus, it will be able to feed the centre as its

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primary focus is on knowledge generation. A digital repository can become a powerful tool for disseminating knowledge and engaging serious scholars and insightful practitioners in generating the same.

Even as it may be practicable to start with a digital repository, it is essential to position it as a part of a larger initiative. Once the initiative is perceived as a KC the range of activities that is possible to be undertaken is wide. In fact, the effort can go much beyond and become a national centre of excellence for research studies. Such a perspective can take care of many problems that are associated with providing knowledge inputs to the digital repository.

Dion Hoe-Lian Goh proposed a model known as K-ACT which identifies three knowledge management mechanisms for portals; Knowledge Access, Creation and Transfer. The model was derived from an analysis of the literature and validated by two independent reviewers who were trained in information science, familiar with the objectives of the project, and understood the concepts underlying knowledge management implementation in portals [10]. This term is the same with generation and dissemination of knowledge which mentioned before. Knowledge access is the engagement mechanism, knowledge creation as the knowledge generation and knowledge transfer as the knowledge dissemination.

Based on the analysis of the literature review about the features of existing KC from research papers, KC can conclude that it has three main components which are knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination and engagement mechanism. Knowledge generation is a place where the knowledge is created and managed in the storage. Knowledge dissemination is about knowledge resources distributed to people. Knowledge engagement mechanism is about how KC can encourage people to share and use the knowledge.

III. COMPARISON OF EXISTING KC WEBSITES

For the strengthening of the features that should be included in the KC, a study has been made based on a comparison of existing KC websites. From Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS), KC is a clearing house for publications produced by WINGS, network participants and other publishers of philanthropic information. When a document is included in the KC it is within the WINGS network, and also part of a broad network of philanthropy knowledge channels and platforms. Users can subscribe to the centre feed, or add other organization’s knowledge to the global collection.

ISACA Knowledge Center is a centralized source of information in the field of auditing controls for computer systems. ISACA defines the roles of information systems governance, security, an audit and assurance professionals worldwide. ISACA Knowledge Center is a place where information technology professional networking who shares common professional interest and knowledge intersect. Participants can consume information, exchange expertise and experience, and build new understanding through collaboration. A wide range of disciplines and practices power

this global professional community, making it a truly unique and holistic resource. User can browse and search their topics and others. Quick links are also provided by the site and knowledge dissemination by blog and videos. Users also can learn, collaborate and download topics that interest user.

Governance Knowledge Center (GKC) has their knowledge repository, blog, helpdesk, latest news, best practices is about latest case studies, document library for working papers, toolkits, and policy briefing etc. and also book reviews from India and abroad recently. There also have events and announcements which are examples of knowledge dissemination in this website.

Best Management Practice is a comprehensive source of best practice information, including articles, features, book reviews, news of forthcoming publications, best practice products, etc. The KC features in this website are an interview, best practice guidance, events, maximizing access to best practice guidance, new, case studies and testimonials, publication review, white paper and online repository.

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) provides corporate governance solutions to the global financial community through research, webinars, social networking, publications, etc. ISS research analyst and experts investigate emerging governance and accounting issues. Explore their research, commentary and analysis in research and white papers section. ISS holds an ongoing series of web conferences to help build constructive dialogue around the critical governance issues impacting the financial community.

The features from existing websites are categorizing into the main component of KC which are knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination and engagement mechanism as in Table I.

TABLE I. COMPARISON OF EXISTING KC

Website Knowledge generation

Knowledge dissemination

Engagement mechanism

WINGS • Register as member

• Platform for communication and networking among members

• Collection and analyzing data

• Research and survey

• Publication

• Document

• Subscribe feed

• Updates

• Reports

• Search

ISACA • Share/upload resources

• Quick links

• Blog

• Video

• Topic update

• Learn/collaborate/ download

• Browse and search

• Saved searches

• Bookmarks

GKC • Assessment and • Publishing • Directory

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Benchmarking

• Case studies

• Web based Discussion Forums

• Current Events update

• Links

• Email (subscribe)

• Help Desk

• Classification / Search

Best Management Practice

• Interview

• Case studies and testimonials

• Publications

• White paper

• FAQ

• Maximizing access

• Register to receive

• News/Event

• Online repository

ISS • Research team

• Expertise

• News

• Research and white papers

• Search

• Controlling access (login)

IV. THE CONCEPT OF DIGITAL REPOSITORY

Based on Oxford English Dictionary, repository is a place where or receptacle in which things are or may be stored. In simplest terms, a digital repository is where digital content, assets are stored and can be searched and retrieved for later use. A repository supports mechanism to import, export, identify, store and retrieve digital assets. Putting digital content into a repository enables people to manage and preserve it, and therefore derive maximum value from it. Digital repository may include research outputs and journal articles, theses, e-learning objects and teaching materials or research data.

Digital repository has the main advantages. The advantages are long-term preservation of organization’s digital materials. This repository will keep and store information safely. It also provides maximal access to the results of publicly funded research that has been stored in the organization’s database. Digital repository enhances to provide better services to the organization’s staff and to learning communities outside the organization. It reduces the time between discovery and dissemination of the information. With digital repository, it also enables registration of new ideas where all the new information and knowledge will be stored in the repository.

Digital repository has many functions and features that can contribute into the KC. If repositories are to support organizations and their staff in achieving their various objectives, then they must be able to interoperate with other systems (administrative systems, portals, other repositories) and they must not lock their content into systems where it is difficult and expensive to extract. The key to this is to ensure that digital repositories comply with open standards, so that they declare publicly on how the information is stored and made available. If they do this, then digital repositories have the potential to become embedded as a core element in KC to

compete and collaborate more effectively. The general features of digital repository is summarize in Table II.

TABLE II. FEATURES OF DIGITAL REPOSITORY

Features Description

Finding resources Search engine that able to search by category, show similar resources and order browse results by list

Using resources This function allows the user to preview and export the resources. They also can comment, rate tag the resources.

Contributing resources This allows user to contribute knowledge by create and edit data, classification and tag.

Controlling access Defining collections within the repository and assigning access to collections.

Administrator Management of resources and import/export of resources.

V. THE REQUIREMENT OF KC MODEL

In order to present the features of KC, the model of KC with digital repository features are proposed. The model proposed by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, India under the World Bank Project for Capacity Building for Good Governance is adapted as the reference model. The model is selected because it depicts the essential functionalities required by KC and corresponds with the definition of KC which is to facilitate generation, collection, organization, transfer and distribution of knowledge. The features found that can be used to enhance KC are integrated into digital repository components. The features are listed; knowledge generation, digital repository and knowledge dissemination.

The differentiation of the proposed KC model and the KC model proposed by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, India is that the organization’s proposed model has two components in their KC. The first component is centre of governance studies which is consist of knowledge generation and the second component is digital repository for dissemination of knowledge and engagement mechanism. Our proposed model was merged from this model to become more detailed and complete with their features. We use the knowledge generation as one of the main components in our model and separately divide the digital repository as an engagement mechanism and knowledge dissemination as another main component so that the entire component can be listed by their own features in each component.

Figure 1 shows the proposed model for KC with Digital Repository Features. The components built in the model are described are as follows:

A. Knowledge Generation

Knowledge generation is a place where the knowledge was created and managed in the storage. It is expands from

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acquisition component to include both the acquisition of knowledge about the user as well as the acquisition of knowledge from the user. The main feature to create and generate knowledge is there must have the features to share resources such as case studies, publication and research papers. A resource sharing is where users upload their resources so that they can help others to learn their knowledge by downloading what others have shared. These sharing activities contributed significantly in knowledge generation.

Besides, knowledge also can be generated from market, publication, services or products of the organization. These features are the place where the knowledge is valuable to an organization and can be disseminated through publishing the knowledge to the general public including paper, magazines, catalogs, books, etc. Some organizations can generate knowledge through their services and products that related to knowledge such as consultancy, modules, training and so on.

Knowledge also can be generated through current events update such as for training or forum. Inviting individuals, researchers and institution also are ways to generate knowledge effectively and extensively by registering as a member to the group of knowledge generation.

Other feature that included in the knowledge generation is brainstorming for some issues to generate knowledge. Brainstorming is a group or individual creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its members.

Forum and feedback features contribute to the knowledge generation where the answers from questions in the forum and feedback can be used as a knowledge that can be shared to the public. Knowledge by having case studies, research and analysis can be shared by uploading the reports and papers of the related knowledge.

B. Digital Repository

Digital repository is the main component in the KC. It can run and process the resources and manage it to distribute to other people easily and to be more understanding. This component also is a component that manages the activities found in the knowledge generation and knowledge dissemination. It also can be called as an engagement mechanism for the generation and dissemination of knowledge. Component of digital repository is to retrieve and manage the knowledge resources such as finding resources which is meant by searching. Many types of searching exist such as keyword and phrase search, advance searching, search by category, limited access, show similar resources and order the search result by list.

When using resource, digital repository can preview the resources, export knowledge in multiple formats, comment and rate the resources by star rating so that other users can view the rates in search result. It also allows users to tag the resources with their own keywords and associate with individual user in listing the resources by tag for future search. Furthermore, contributing the resources can be done by

uploading resources, creation and edition, classification and tag resources. Controlling access also need to be the function for repository contents by defining collections within repository and assigning access to collections such as set access permission for specific group of users.

Digital repository also needs library management features to manage the resources such as delete, move and classify the resources. Last but not least, digital repository needs an administration features for user administration and configuration. User administration is to add and remove users, manage groups of users, search for users, and assign different level of users.

Fig. 1. Proposed Model for Requirement of KC

C. Knowledge Dissemination This component is the part where the knowledge resources

distribute to people. It supports user-to-user flows of knowledge. Here, the focus is on tools for knowledge sharing among individuals and organizations. With the features of subscribing, it allows users to get each update on time. By subscribing also, users can get an updates about the related interest of knowledge easily. Topic categorization is a method of knowledge dissemination arranged with shared characteristic into classes or groups. This method facilitates the users in the search process.

Suggestion for the related resources is the best way to spread the knowledge faster. It also makes the users find the related resources easier without thinking about it as it is already suggested when searching the resources. Providing training about the services or products is one of the ways to disseminate knowledge. Training is about gaining knowledge,

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skills and competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one’s capability and performance. In KC, it will be more interactive with e-training, so that it meets the mean of ‘centre’ which is the collection of the knowledge in one stop place.

Knowledge dissemination will be completed by publishing research resources where users can download anytime and anywhere. To disseminate knowledge widely, provide a link to the collaborated partner. Collaboration partner is the organizations that works together to achieve a goal. It is where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals.

VI. THE BENEFIT AND MOTIVATION

The knowledge person and expert in an organization need to fear of missing the boat with the emergence of information technology, digital communication and the rise of the Internet has brought about a revolution in all aspects. The consumption and production of knowledge increasingly takes place at separate locations where research has been internationalized with networks of researchers collaborating from different geographic locations, and research results are becoming more widely accessible. This KC provides like a shop window that places the organization’s outputs in a digital format and become more visible to the wider research community. It provides an up-to-date overview of an organization’s output of research in collecting, archiving and preserving these assets.

In the short term, KC enables quick, easy, simultaneously and remote access to deposits of the knowledge. It also allows institutions or organizations to efficiently retain and manage their own intellectual assets. KC facilitates in reuse deposited materials for new research, education and learning with minimized physical storage requirements and increasing the potential mass of deposits. Over the longer term, KC can enable persistent access to deposits independently of external publisher and increases institutional or organizational visibility. Besides, it raises the potential return in investment from assets creation.

VII. CONCLUSION

The concept of KC refers to the site that collects all knowledge, manage and distribute to share to people in one place. KC being a virtual as well reachable to get personal knowledge requirement accurately updated on a daily basis with a precision that gets better over time. The component of

KC can be categorized into three components which are (a) the knowledge generation which is used to create and capture the knowledge, (b) knowledge dissemination which is used to share and distribute the knowledge effectively and (c) engagement mechanism for connection and manage the relation between knowledge generation and knowledge dissemination. KC needs digital repository to be a mechanism in engaging knowledge generation and dissemination process.

The proposed requirement of KC will hopefully improve the knowledge management in an organization. For future work, the requirement of KC model needs to be mapped with the requirement of users from real organizations and evaluated by using prototype.

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Public Library Quarterly. 29 (1) pp.4-7. [5] http://www.db.dk/cks/skot_art2.htm [6] http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/about/visitors/ikc?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=text

only&SQ_ACTION=set_design_name [7] http://www.nasscomfoundation.org/index.php/FAQ/FAQ-s.html [8] Kaul H. K. “New Trends in Knowledge Organization: Global Role of

Knowledge Centre” [9] http://indiagovernance.gov.in/ [10] Goh D. H., Chua A., Luyt B., and Lee C. S. Knowledge access, creation

and transfer in e-government portals. Online Information Review, 2008, 32(3)

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