Process-based knowledge management system for continuous improvement in a corporate environment

Abstract

The acquisition of information is a vital part of the performance of a program of knowledge management. An effective performance assessment mechanism is needed to improve the accuracy of the retrieval. There is no standard evaluation system for assessing the retrieval of information nowadays, because the evaluation developed is still technology-dependent, relying on specific elements of the search context. The laboratory-based assessment is not appropriate for evaluating the method of information retrieval, as knowledge is fluid, constantly changing and evolving. In addition, unclear querying is also an important factor in the success of knowledge-recovery systems. To improve knowledge retrieval performance, this paper proposes an evaluation mechanism using Six Sigma methodology to help developers continually control the process of knowledge retrieval.

The method employed is innovative and combines many IT fields and strategies for process improvement. The resulting approach applies to large and small organizations without the need for big IT support facilities. The approach promotes the growth of true organizations of learning. Specifically, this research involves the following tasks: A general framework for the retrieval of knowledge based on the results of the knowledge retrieval analysis is proposed; designs the system for the retrieval of knowledge using Six Sigma's Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) process; and (iii) develops related technologies to incorporate the knowledge retrieval mechanism. The knowledge recovery assessment method helps program developers to easily manage the knowledge recovery system and, meanwhile, improve accuracy.