Defining the Knowledge Management solution on SharePoint/MOSS

The earlier post focussed on use and key role of Wikis and Blogs and My Sites and Search in Knowledge Management. Wikis and Blogs (Usually in case of Wiki content is dynamic i.e. a Wiki page gets modified continuously where as in case of Blog the content i.e. post is static and gets enhanced using say comments ) Team site discussions and Surveys are also important in this regard.


It’s important to understand that maximum value is delivered by un-structured, informal way of knowledge sharing such as wikis and blogs. Its most simple form and with maximum value and can hit the ground running in KM initiative. These can be developed at minimal level using WSS 3.0 as platform. I say this because KM is usually perceived as massive organisational initiative which it is but that doesn't mean that KM is limited to big organisations with lot of infrastructure to support but even very small organisations can do KM with WSS 3.0 without lot of customisation efforts and can start KM initiatives around these areas and slowly add more managed capabilities around it. It will be more agile way of doing it. SharePoint as extensible platform can take the KM initiative to any extent.


Let’s start the whole KM initiative with basics first and enhancing it one by one so that one can pick up only what is needed and get going with KM. I will embed the links to posts for actual implementation in these so that this post remains a central point more like a wiki :)


Let’s say we are doing it for Suman Technologies (STL here after). STL has fully appreciated importance of KM and let’s hit the ground running by implementing it.

SR No
Requirements
Implementation Guidance Links

RC 1.0
Build a Corporate portal.
I will just use OOTB Team site collaboration template. I may add something like branding, navigation etc but let’s be more focussed on KM at this point.


RC 2.0
Build a knowledge repository for STL - Content addition

This is start of KM. KB repository will act as storage of KM assets which organisation cannot afford to lose or let them remain dispersed in collaboration portal in scattered manner (need to get 'start' meaning right here. By that I meant one of KM specific thing which happens to appear as first in this requirement listing here as I feel existence of knowledge base repository is optional if you agree with my 'natural selection' approach to KM assets in case of minimal KM. Building such repository usually bogs down KM initiative only to find later that design is in need of enhancement if not outright convoluted when KM system becomes fully functional. No defiance of Enterprise Architecture, Design Governance, Security and Capacity planning etc etc, I myself is advocator of it, Agile (success is built on top of more granular successes) side of mine says it can be done incrementally. The extent of this largely depends on organisation in picture bear in mind KM is for everyone as small as individual consultant like me to large organisations like NASA, Govt and Public sector bodies and High end and Large Consulting organisations with varying security, structured-ness, management and control, capacity needs. Its about leveraging lively benefits of unstructured , informal mode and using technology and add ons - starting with SharePoint / MOSS , WCM and publishing and metadata management and taxonomies and aggregation across site collections / external systems to custom components, WebParts using .net, Ajax, Advanced federated Search and Analytics or something as advanced as Bayesian inference (this would be the last reference to this hereafter :)) , see its limited by imagination only, rather than mandating the users, to add structure to it and managing it)
Implementation -
http://mossuk.blogspot.com/2009/06/add-knowledgebase-template-from.html


RC2.1
Allow users to add kb content - articles, documents, presentations, spreadsheets, videos, and links to external or internal content to knowledge repository from Collaboration Portal in controlled manner. KB content after submission should undergo approval before getting published on KB repository.



RC2.2
Allow the users to attach meta data tags to kb content.



RC 2.2.1
Meta data tags shall be centrally managed in KB repository and need to be mapped to one or more taxonomical areas of the KB repository. User should be prompted predictive text as she types a tag.



RC 2.2.2
There should be suggested tags area to give the User hint based on content what tags can be reused.




RC 2.2.3
Should Tag be a new one i.e. doesn't already exist, a Tag review task shall be assigned to Central KM authority as part of KB content approval.




RC 2.2.4
Content approver should be able to reclassify, change tags for the content before approving. Content approver should be able to reject/ request modification to Author adding notes




RC 2.3
Content can be uploaded to KB repository portal itself.



RC 2.4
KB repository will provide Hierarchical as well Tag driven navigation.


RC 2.5
All users should have contributory rights to KB Repository.


RC 2.6
Content can remain in Draft status and alert shall be sent to author after specified after specified days requesting completion date, after that there should be alert after that tentative date and after certain cycles of alert content can be expired with proper intimation to user




RC 2.7
Author shall get email when content is published including link to it.



RC 2.8
It should be possible to bulk load content into KB repository from existing WSS 2.0 portal



RC 2.9
It shall be possible to bulk load content into KB repository from existing ASP based KB web site.



RC 2.10
KB repository should allow creating discussion threads.



RC 2.11
KB repository should provide for applying configurable expiration policies




RC 2.12
KB repository shall audit content access and provide content usage report




RC 2.13
KB repository shall provide for allowing certain content to be restricted in view and download which might be specified by content author or approver and should provide item level security in such cases. Integration with RMS should be possible.



RC 2.14
In certain cases it shall be possible to add watermark to content


RC 2.15
In certain cases it shall be possible to prevent printing of content but viewer should be able to request if needed.



RC 2.16
Virus check shall be performed on the content and certain type of content can be blocked as part of configurable policy.



RC 2.17
It should be possible to submit/promote the article which has been created as a blog post by the user on her personal My Site



RC 2.18
System shall be able to find out and report broken links.



RC 3.0
KB Repository - view, search and aggregation


RC 3.1
All STL employees can have reader access to KB portal except areas where it would be role based. The content served would be security trimmed.



RC 3.2
KB Repository home page will have WebParts for Recently added content, Most viewed, Tag Cloud which would allow drilling down further.



RC 3.3
Search can be performed for content in the form for keyword, free text, scope limited and results would be delivered (security trimmed) with ability to filter based scope, meta tags, rating etc


RC 3.4
User can rate the article or add comment. It shall be possible to (default) or not to moderate the comment by application of policy. Comments shall be captured and stored with content


RC 3.5
if the article has been created from a post then there should be ability to synchronise either way including comments.



RC 3.6
It shall be possible in future, to exchange information in discussions internet forum on STL 's customer internet portal where customers have asked certain questions about products / services.


RC 4.0
My Sites


RC 4.1
My Sites shall be provisioned for users whenever user first time navigates ‘My Site’ in collaboration portal in global navigation



RC 4.2
My Site will allow manage user profiles management allowing administrator to update profile attributes and users provide data



RC 4.3
My site will enable user to view her calendar, manage personal documents, view and track colleagues



RC 4.4
My Sites will allow users to create a personal blog, It will be possible to push/publish the blog post to KB Repository



RC 4.5
My site blog shall integrate with MS word / one note


RC 4.6
My Site will provide navigation back to portal, user’s links within portal as well as internal applications