Case Studies in Knowledge Management

Know-CoM 193

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Regarding the company-specific part, we focus on capturing as well as providing
experiences in the relevant process steps whereas concerning the cooperation across
organizational boundaries the solution focuses on enabling knowledge exchange in a
controlled environment on the basis of a shared context. Therefore, a multidimensional
knowledge structure should foster a joint understanding between cooperation partners
and to provide documented knowledge in the process steps of the core process.
The following section comprises the definition of a joint knowledge structure as
basis for cooperation and the definition of knowledge spaces. Additionally, we describe
in this section a method to capture experiences and the technique KM certified which
aims at the systematic application of previously documented experiences. Afterward, we
discuss to what extent the challenges of the die- and mold-making industry could be
solved or reduced by the Know-CoM solution. Finally, we outline the reasons of the
platform decision and present a procedure model for the rollout.

Definition of Knowledge Structure

A knowledge structure contains knowledge elements and the relations between
them as well as metadata, which give further information about their content, and
associations. To facilitate knowledge sharing, a joint knowledge structure has to be
established in order to create a joint understanding between cooperating partners.
Simple hierarchical knowledge structures are not suitable for cooperation, because
different enterprises classify their knowledge elements or documents on the basis of
different criteria (e.g., processes, topics, etc.) and end up using individual, incompatible
taxonomies. Thus, it is difficult to find a structure that meets the needs of all participating
companies. Additionally, nontext files (e.g., CAD drawings), which are important in the
die- and mold-making industry, are hard to find by navigating the structure. Therefore,
we developed a multidimensional knowledge structure on the basis of expert interviews
and questionnaires (see section, “Setting the Stage”) that classifies knowledge elements
and documents using metadata according to the following dimensions (Maier &
Sametinger, 2003, p. 4):

• Time: classifies a knowledge element according to time-related characteristics
  such as time of creation, time of last modification, or time of last access.


• Process: represents the step of the core process and comprises, for example, the
  subdimensions offer creation, design, production planning, production, or test.


• Topic: provides keywords intended to be relevant for the user. In the case of Know-
  CoM, the topics represent the most relevant knowledge areas of the die- and mold-
  making industry (e.g., molds, machines, parts, etc.).


• Person: includes suppliers, manufacturers, customers, and enterprise-internal
  persons, as well as their different roles within the organization. Regarding mes-
  sages, the subdimensions, sender or receiver are relevant.


• Format: comprises formats specific to production industry (e.g., CAD file, CNC
  programs, etc.) next to widely used formats (e.g., .xls, .doc, .html, etc.).


• Type of knowledge: can be classified in contextualized data, experiences (approved,
  unapproved, private), lessons learned, good or best practices.


• Location: refers to the location described in a knowledge element which a knowl-
  edge element or in which a knowledge element was developed, for example,
  production facilities of customers as well as DMCs.