System Integration and Unified Information Access using Question based Knowledge Management Strategies

A question based knowledge management system with the capability to integrate heterogeneous sources of information and knowledge and which nonetheless acts like a single coherent system with only one user interface is introduced. Especially this interface and the easy access to different information-resources makes it comfortable for users with even low IT knowledge to find their way through complex and scattered information landscapes. This paper will particularly describe the integrative effects and the aspects of creating the knowledge base: Users pose questions, answers are created by the system resorting to the internal knowledge base, external information systems and eventually also involving the systems user-base. This mechanism is assisted by a meaningful scoring system. Finally the external resource interface is being explained as well as the time and cost saving factors.