Process-based knowledge management experiences with two projects

This paper is concerned with two projects in the field of process-oriented knowledge management, InfoAtlas and PROMOTE. In the InfoAtlas project the feasibility of our approach for process-oriented knowledge management was shown, in PROMOTE this approach is currently being extended for building a methodology and a product integrated in the framework of business process management. For both projects conceptual and implementational issues are discussed. 1. PROCESS-ORIENTED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT The department of knowledge engineering at the University of Vienna is currently undertaking several projects in the field of process-oriented knowledge management (see also [ABECKER et al. 2000], [GOESMANN, FÖCKER, STRIEMER 1998], [GOESMANN, HOFFMANN 2000]). Two of them, InfoAtlas and PROMOTE are discussed in this paper. In the InfoAtlas project the feasibility of our approach was shown, in PROMOTE a methodology and a web-based software integrated in the business processes (BPs) are currently developed. Our approach for process-oriented knowledge management can be summarised by the following points: Knowledge management is only successful if it is integrated into the daily activities of the employees, i.e. the BPs. Process-oriented knowledge management therefore means developing solutions with BPs as basis. Currently a lot of methodologies and concepts are being built for introducing knowledge management in a company. For being successful we think it is indispensable to link knowledge management with business process management (see [KARAGIANNIS 1995], [KARAGIANNIS, JUNGINGER, STROBL 1996]) from the strategic decision to the evaluation phase. Such a methodology is currently being developed within the PROMOTE project. The basic elements (or activities) of knowledge management like knowledge acquisition, identification, -generation, -distribution etc. (see [PROBST, RAUB, ROMHARDT 1998]) can be