Tag Archives: Information Systems

The Effects of Navigation Tools on the Navigability of Web-Based Information Systems

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In recent years, a number of approaches to improve the overall navigability of web-based information systems have been introduced – breadcrumbs and automatic linking algorithms represent two exemplary approaches. While evaluation of such approaches is a complex and multidimensional endeavor, involving cognitive, user-interface and other issues, the objective of this paper are more modest. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of differ-ent navigational aids for web information systems from a network-theoretic perspective. The main idea of this paper is to use decentralized search as a mechanism to evaluate navigational effectiveness. In our experiments on the largest Austrian online encyclopedia Austria-Forum, we compared the usefulness of two existing approaches to linking, i.e. breadcrumbs and automatic linking. Our results suggest that different navigational aids differ signifi-cantly with regard to their potential to support efficient navigation. The main contribution of this paper is a simulation-based frame-work that enriches the repertoire of tools for web engineers who are aiming to evaluate and improve navigability of web information systems. The framework allows engineers to assess a potential usefulness of various navigational tools even before expensive development or user studies are carried out.

Knowledge Management Instruments

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This paper is proposing a list of knowledge management instruments based on a thorough literature review considering English and German sources, a strict definition for km instruments and a new categorization scheme that allows identifying potential duplicates or missing pieces.

Multimedia Documentation Lab

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In this paper we describe the Multimedia Documentation Lab (MDL1), a system which is capable of processing vast amounts of data typically gathered from open sources in instructured form and in diverse formats. A sequence of processing steps analyzing the audio, video and textual content of the input is carried out. The resulting output is made available for search and retrieval, analysis and visualization on a next generation media server. The system can serve as a search platform across open, closed or secured networks. MDL can be used as a tool for situational awareness, information sharing or risk assessment, allowing the integration of multimedia content into the analysis process of security relevant affairs.

Community-Aware Semantic Multimedia Tagging – From Folksonomies to Commsonomies

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Tagging is an extremely popular mechanism in many Web 2.0 applications to create metadata supporting search and retrieval of arbitrary multimedia information like digital images, video or audio. However, compared to the syndicated multimedia information itself, the metadata are still “sticky”. They cannot be accessed across several Web 2.0 applications, their semantic enrichment is not possible and they cannot be embedded in the local practices of communities of practice. Here, we present a multimedia tagging mechanism based on the international standard MPEG-7 for community-aware, standard compliant tagging of semantically enriched metadata implemented in the M7MT proof-of-concept application.

LAS: A Lightweight Application Server for MPEG-7 Services in Community Engines

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The success of multimedia enabled community engines depends on a careful design of the digital media and the related communication/collaboration tools. However, the semantics of the multimedia contents in community communication and collaboration is hard to capture and complex to compute. With the opportunities given by the combination of metadata descriptions standards like MPEG-7 and server-side content-based computations, the manageability of multimedia semantics in community engines becomes more feasible. As a proof of concept, we introduce a Lightweight Application Server for MPEG-7 Services (LAS) which is deployed for a web-based high-level semantic annotation tool for arbitrary images.

Improving Service Innovation through Structured Process-oriented Knowledge Infrastructure Design

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Formalised service innovation is a central tenet of enterprise systems lifecycle phases. Event driven process models extended with knowledge objects are found to be not useful in early lifecycle phases. When an upgrade is required, a map of the knowledge infrastructure is needed to better design further service innovation because functional maps no longer adequately describe the context adequately. By looking at formal changes to business processes as service innovations, and recognising the knowledge infrastructure inherent in services generally, changes driven through technology such as ES can be better understood with the application of frameworks such as B-KIDE.

MEDINA: A Semi-Automatic Dublin Core to MPEG-7 Converter for Collaboration and Knowledge Management in Multimedia Repositories

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Knowledge creation processes in the cultural sciences have a discursive nature. The cultural scientists participating in these discourses build a community of practice. Reifications in information systems should support four concepts: (1) Content description by metadata, (2) coverage within standards, (3) repository technologies, and (4) platform independence of applications. By the combination of these concepts information systems support cultural scientists to extract and manage knowledge about high-level semantics of multimedia artifacts in open repositories with metadata annotations. Basic support for the latter can be achieved by a loose classification scheme as in Dublin Core, but with more sophisticated MPEG-7 description elements for time based media. We present a system called MEDINA for semi-automatic Dublin Core to MPEG-7 conversion to maintain media already annotated in Dublin Core.

A Knowledge Infrastructure Hierarchy Model for Call Centre Processes

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This paper explores a process view of call centres and the knowledge infrastructures that support these processes. As Call centres grow and become more complex in their function and organisation so do the knowledge infrastructures required to support their size and complexity. This study suggests a knowledge-based hierarchy of ‘advice-type’ call centres and discusses associated knowledge management strategies for different sized centres. It introduces a Knowledge Infrastructure Hierarchy model, with which it is possible to analyze and classify call centre knowledge infrastructures. The model also demonstrates different types of interventions supporting knowledge management in call centres. Finally the paper discusses the possibilities of applying traditional maturity model approaches in this context.

Discourse Visualization Strategies for a Comprehensive Medial Analysis of Cultural Science Communities

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Knowledge creation in the cultural sciences is very often of discursive nature. The individuals participating in these discussions can be regarded as a part of a community. In our collaborative research center on “Media and Cultural Communication” we are analyzing the impact of ”Networked Multimedia Information Systems in Cultural Science Cornmunities” on organization and creation of knowledge. In this aspect, we are researching on discourse visualization strategies for a comprehensive medial analysis of cultural science communities. Subject of the present investigation are discourses in about 40 discussion forums with an amount of more than 25.000 emails from more than 2500 individuals collected so far. Research aspects focus on the detection of emergent phenomena by the concatenation of discussion maps originated in the area of data mining, and by classifying meta data for the analyzed documents. Interesting phenomena in cultural science discourses are the sudden emergence and disappearance of terms (burstiness) in a particular forum as well as their spanning among various forums. The correlation of these burstiness phenomena and individuals is also an indicator for roles and hierarchies of individuals within debates. Another phenomenon is the drifting of terms within a community or among them what often can be accredited to members being active in several communities and ”infecting” them by spreading new terms. Fraunhofer FIT’s metadata-based tool SWAP-it is designed to visually support interactive text analysis on the web. It is based on web services and has been equipped with a community specific terminology, allowing a comprehensive study on the previously described phenomena also by self-supervision.

Modelling Distributed Knowledge Management Systems with Topic Maps

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Topic Maps are a knowledge representation standard. Distributed Knowledge Management describes a knowledge-based organization as network of more or less independent units (Knowledge Node) which create and exchange knowledge. This paper describes how Topic Maps can be used to model organizational and spatial structure of DKMS and interaction scenarios between Knowledge Nodes. Deployment of a runtime system is discussed and how measurements at runtime can be used to reveal unknown Knowledge Nodes and interaction
pattern inside a DKMS.

PRomisE2 – Recording and Displaying Situated Process Information in Knowledge Management Applications

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Employing collaboration technology for Knowledge Management some inherent challenges have to be met. One important prerequisite is that users adjust their patterns of interaction and cooperation and agree on the adjustments of others so they can practice cooperative knowledge management to their satisfaction. ln dynamic environments, however, the patterns of cooperation must he continuously reassessed and revised. This paper suggest an approach to record and display process information in a way that makes transparent the patterns of interaction and produces navigable process displays that can be incorporated into work routines. We introduce a technical architecture, describe a concrete usage scenario and reflect on potential applications.

Shark – a System for Management, Synchronization and Exchange of Knowledge in Mobile User Groups

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New wireless protocols like W-LAN and Bluetooth allow establishing spontaneous networks and peer-to-peer exchange of information. At the same time standards like Semantic Web and Topic Maps gain acceptance that add semantics to information. This paper introduces Shark. Shark is an acronym and stands for “Mobile Shared Knowledge”. Shark organizes knowledge with help of Topic Maps, synchronizes knowledge inside closed user groups but also enables a peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge by means of Bluetooth. This paper gives an overview of the system and its communication protocols.

A Guided Tour through the Siemens Business Services Knowledge Management Framework

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This case study illustrates the knowledge management framework that was designed during the introduction of knowledge management instruments at Siemens Business Services GmbH & Co. or SBS, as it is known. The knowledge management framework will give the reader an understanding of the holistic approach to knowledge management and the different stages of implementation. It also introduces the key learning processes experienced by Siemens Business Services (SBS) during the various implementation phases. The knowledge management (KM) requirements, challenges and solutions within the service business are highlighted. The case study also shows the challenges and objectives of knowledge management (KM) programs, in general, and at Siemens Business Services (SBS), in particular. Based on the experience of the implementation of KM at SBS, the case study closes with critical success factors for other KM implementations, both within and outside Siemens.

Personal Digital Libraries and Knowledge Management

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The efficient management of knowledge has become imperative for almost all types of organizations. Many approaches exist for dealing with knowledge management at a corporate level. But there is also a need to support knowledge management also at an individual level, a level which takes the specific needs, experiences and skills of knowledge workers into account. While largely unexplored within the field of knowledge management, in the field of digital libraries advanced personalization and customization concepts exist. Within this context, this paper examines these concepts and how they can be exploited to address the challenges which are typical for knowledge management. As the paper will show, many synergies exist, if knowledge management at an individual level is dealt with in combination with personal digital libraries.