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Team 4SIGHTTeam 4SIGHTKnowledge Management PlatformKnowledge Management Platform

for for

Enhancing the Instructional Enhancing the Instructional Technology (IT)Technology (IT)

ProgramProgram

at Visionary University (VU)at Visionary University (VU)

Final AssignmentFinal Assignment

IT7420IT7420

Wayne State UniversityWayne State University

Detroit, MIDetroit, MI

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The TeamThe Team

• Kimberly Donaldson

– Decision Trees

• Jeffery Mosley

– Flowcharts

• Daniel O’Reilly

– SME Review

• Richard Zahodnic

– Concept Map

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Project OverviewProject Overview

• The Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) of Visionary University is updating their Instructional Technology Program

• Visionary University students have provided improvement recommendations via survey

• Specific Goals are:

– Assure Alignment btw 4Sight and the SPC

– Create a Knowledge Sharing Mechanism

– Define the Project Knowledge Domains

– Capture SME Knowledge and Experience

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Marketing StrategyMarketing Strategy• Instructional Content Enhancements

– Potential to Stimulate New Research

– Encourage Communications btw all Stakeholders

– Potential to Increase the Stature of the IT Program

• Student Service Enhancements

– Identify Students and Key Stakeholders

– Potential to Enhance Employment Potential

• Environment/other Stakeholder Enhancement

– Opportunity to Bridge Knowledge

– Opportunity to leverage other resources

Strategy is designed to Promote Excellence and Program Buy-in

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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LimitationsLimitations

• This is a contrived project

– All Knowledge constructs and tools are plausible, but may not have specific SME review

• Decision Support Tools were created separately, but have synergistic or debilitating effects

– These “effects” may negate require alternate decisions taken in the fuller context of the project

• The time limit for this project did not allow for the full expansion of the embedded knowledge constructs

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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KM Platform OverviewKM Platform Overview

• Concept Map is the interface for all project knowledge

• Decision support tools were developed for the candidate concept components for enhancement

• SME review was accomplished for much of the concept content. More detailed analysis follows

– Instructional Content

– Student Services

– Environment/other Stakeholders

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Concept MapConcept Map

• Description

– Structure

– Color

• Resource & Links Loaded

• Project Interface

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Tacit and Explicit Tacit and Explicit KnowledgeKnowledge• Explicit Knowledge

– Environmental scan

– Student survey

– WSU as example

• Tacit Knowledge

- Environmental scan

- Collective input from team from WSU experience

- SME

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Decision TreesDecision Trees

• Quandary Tools were used to develop the trees

• 4Sight actually derived process flowcharts before creating the decision trees

– Flowcharts created using team tacit knowledge

– Trees and charts verified by SME explicit knowledge review

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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Process FlowchartsProcess Flowcharts

• Provided initial direction and process definition for the team

– Developed using MS Word

– Used mostly tacit, with some explicit knowledge for development

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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SME FeedbackSME Feedback

• Program assessment

– perform Environmental Scan : Fortune 100, Prof Assoc.

Re: Instructional Content

• Professional Practitioner vs. Theorist/Academician-oriented.

• As industry needs identified, content developed to meet demand.

Re: Student Services

• Go beyond classroom to enhance student experience, institution prestige.

• Encourage/support cooperative activities with customers including involvement in research work, competition for scholarly awards, active involvement with industry/professional groups.

4SIGHT

4SIGHT

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SME Feedback SME Feedback (cont.)(cont.)

Re: Environment/other Stakeholders

• Align strategy with customer needs.

• Stakeholders needs drive program needs.

• Other Comments

– Tacit knowledge particularly valuable here.

– Stakes relatively high, change relatively slow.

– SME input can facilitate buy-in

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Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

• Brainstorming the initial Concept is value added for team buy-in

• The Final Project was very involved

• The usefulness of the Decision Trees was not readily apparent

• Collaboration was key to the Project success

• A valid Knowledge Platform would require a lot more resources

4SIGHT

4SIGHT