Knowledge Management Systems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

200 hours

Students who are enrolled in the two year 200 point Master of Information Systems must have completed 50 points of study to enrol in this subject.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Aims

This subject focuses on how Knowledge Management (KM) and a range of Information Technologies and analysis techniques are used to support KM initiatives in organisations. Technologies likely to be considered are: collaborative and social media tools; corporate knowledge directories; data warehouses and other repositories of organizational memory; business intelligence including data-mining; process automation; workflow and document management. The emphasis is on high-level decision-making and the rationale of technology-based initiatives and their impact on organizational knowledge and its use. This subject supports course-level objectives by allowing students to develop analytical skills to understand the complexity of real-world KM work in organisations. It promotes innovative thinking around the deployment of existing and emerging information technologies for KM. The subject contributes to the development of independent critical inquiry, analysis and reflection.

Indicative Content

Techniques of analysis and design likely to be learned are: critical thinking, discourse analysis and design thinking. Real-world case studies in the form of fieldwork are conducted likely from the following domains: software industry; retail; creative/fashion industry; manufacturing; emergency management. Real case-study work will shape thinking about IT support for KM in these industries.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

On completion of this subject the student is expected to:

1. Understand the theoretical concepts of knowledge management and apply them to real-world situations.
2. Be able to use qualitative techniques of analysis to identify requirements for knowledge-initiatives in response to a real-world work situation.
3. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different technological approaches to knowledge management.
4. Be able to specify new high-level designs for knowledge management initiatives using discourse analysis, qualitative techniques and design thinking.
5. Be able to analyse documented cases of knowledge management initiatives and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

• Individual report work (30%) of approximately 1800 words due towards the end of semester, requiring approximately 40-45 hours of work per student. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1, 3 and 5 are addressed in the report work.
• One team based leadership and participation: student teams to lead weekly discussions on the week’s theme from selected readings (15%), requiring approximately 15-20 hours of work per student. ILOs 1 to 3 are addressed in the discussion.
• One group based analysis report (15%) with 3-4 group members of approximately 2000 words due mid semester, requiring 40-45 hours of work per student. ILOs 1 and 2 are addressed in the analysis report.
• One group based design report (30%) with 4-5 group members of approximately 2000 words supported by a 15 min oral presentation (10%) of 15 minutes duration due towards the end of semester, requiring approximately 55-60 hours of work per student. ILOs 1, 3, 4 and 5 are addressed in the group design report and presentation.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:

• Analytical and interpretative skills, through the conceptualization of classes of technology through the analysis of a real world case
• High-level design skills, through proposing new uses of technology to support knowledge work
• Team-work, through working on a group project
• Report-writing skills
• Presentation skills.

Learning and Teaching Methods

The subject is delivered in 3 hour classes, with each class containing: a lecture on theoretical concepts; a lecture on an analysis or design technique; a tutorial group work activity; an interactive debrief on the outcomes of the group activity. Outside class students will study theory and cases through reading and continuing their group activities.

Indicative Key Learning Resources

A reader of key articles will be available at The University Bookshop. Materials from real-world cases are provided in class.

Careers/Industry Links

This subject is relevant to careers as IT analyst and consultant. As a body of knowledge and skills, Knowledge Management has been championed by many prominent organisations including, The World Bank, NASA, Australian Tax Office. Students will work on real-world cases of organisations attempting knowledge management initiatives. There will normally be one or two lectures from invited practitioners from industry.