LECTURE 12

KM SYSTEM AND LIFE CYCLE APPROACH: CONVENTIONAL VS KM

Key Differences between Conventional vs. KM Systems

· The systems analyst gathers data and information from the users and the users depend
on analysts for the solution.

· The knowledge developer gathers knowledge from people with known

knowledge and the developer depends on them for the solution.

· The main interface for the systems analyst is associated with novice users who knows
the problem but not the solution.

· The main interface for the knowledge developer is associated with the knowledgeable
person who knows the problem and the solution.

· Conventional systems development is primarily sequential, whereas KMSLC is

incremental and interactive.

· In case of conventional systems, testing is usually done towards the end of the cycle
(after the system has been built), whereas in KMSLC, the evolving system is verified
and validated from the beginning of the cycle.

· Systems development and systems management is much more extensive for

conventional information systems than it is for KMSLC.

· The conventional systems life cycle is usually process-driven and documentation-

oriented whereas KMSLC is result-oriented.

· The conventional systems development does not support tools such as rapid
prototyping since it follows a predefined sequence of steps
· KMSLC can use rapid prototyping incorporating changes on the spot.
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 Structuring the Problem

Reformulating
the Repeating
Problem Cycle

Structuring the
Task

Making Repeating
Modifications Cycle

Building a Task

Rapid Prototyping

Key Similarities
· Both cycles’ starts with a problem and end with a solution.

· The early phase in case of conventional systems development life cycle starts with
information gathering. In KMSLC the early phase needs knowledge capture.

· Verification and validation of a KM system is often very similar to conventional

systems testing.

· Both the systems analyst and the knowledge developer needs to choose the
appropriate tools for designing their intended systems

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 ATTRIBUTES USER EXPERT

Dependence on System High Low

Ambiguity Tolerance Low High

Co-Operation Required Not Required

Knowledge about the

High Average
Problem

Uses the Yes No

Contribution Information Expertise/Knowledge

Yes, Readily No, not readily

Availability available available

Users and Experts: A Comparison

KMSLC Approaches

· Primarily due to lack of standardization, a number of approaches have been proposed for
KMSLC.
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· The conventional systems development approach can still be used for developing KM
systems, but it is usually being replaced by iterative design, prototyping etc.

Evaluating the Existing Infrastructure

KM systems are developed in order to satisfy the need for improving productivity and
potential of employees and the company as a whole. The existing knowledge infrastructure
is evaluated so that it can give the perception that the present ways of doing things are not
just abandoned in preference for a new system.

Test Your Understanding

1. Why is it helpful to view the building of a KM system as a life cycle?

It is important to have a life cycle in building knowledge management systems, because the
life cycle provides structure and order to the process. Additionally, the life cycle provides a
breakdown of the activities into manageable steps, good documentation for possible
changes in the future, coordination of the project for a timely completion, and regular
management review at each phase of the cycle.

2. In what ways do conventional and KM systems’ development life cycles

differ? How are they similar?
There are many differences between the conventional and knowledge
management systems’ development life cycle:
e. A conventional system is sequential (certain steps are carried out in
sequence), while the knowledge management system life cycle is incremental
and interactive

f. In the conventional system, testing generally occurs at the end of programming,

while the knowledge management development life cycle provides for testing
throughout various phases of system development as the system evolves

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The conventional system is process-driven and documentation-oriented, with emphasis on the
flow of data, while the knowledge management development life cycle is result-oriented
g. The conventional system does not support rapid prototyping or advanced languages,
while the knowledge management development life cycle promotes rapid prototyping
and incorporates changes on the spot

Along with these differences, however, are many similarities as well:

d. Both cycles begin with a problem and end with a solution.

e. Both cycles require the initial gathering of information (conventional) or knowledge
(KMSDLC) for the process to begin and ending up with a tested system ready for use
f. Both the knowledge developer and the systems analyst need to choose a tool to design the
system

3. Distinguish between:

a. verification and validation

b. knowledge developer and systems analyst
c. pupil user and tutor user
d. projection and avoidance

Verification determines if the system was built right, while validation ensures that the correct
system was built to meet the user’s expectations.

A knowledge developer is a specialists in building knowledge-based systems He or she is the

key architect of such systems. In contrast, a systems analyst is a specialist in building
information systems. He or she is the architect of such systems, which includes designing
testing, and installing the system.

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A pupil-user is an unskilled worker trying to learn or gain some understanding of the captured
knowledge. A tutor- user is a user with a working knowledge of the knowledge management
system and is responsible for system maintenance

Projection is resistance to knowledge management system development through employee

display of hostility toward peers. Avoidance is resistance to a knowledge management system
through employee withdrawal from the job or scene.

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