There is some very interesting work connected with this issue (CKR)
going on in the "organizational memory" field. Two resources in this
area are:
Proceedings of the HICSS (Hawaii International Conference on the Systems
Sciences) Conference, which often has a "minitrack" on organizational
memory;
and
Corporate Memory Systems, Inc., in Austin TX, which both markets a
tool (now called QuestMap) and has done a lot of thinking in this
area.
I've been very interested in the question of how to facilitate and
maintain the quality of the form and content of such memories. One of the
key issues in our experience has been the various kinds of competencies
required for effective facilitation, which include
- tool expertise (e.g. understanding hypertext, making use of a
particular tool's software functions, etc.);
- methodology expertise (how well do facilitators understand, explain,
and apply the methodology used to determine what the form and content
of the memory should be);
- group process/facilitation expertise (dealing with the interpersonal
issues that come up in the creation and maintenance of a memory)
- writing skills (making sure that the stuff in the memory is clear and
understandable).
If there is interest, I can say more on this subject or forward some
slides from a presentation at the last Computer-Supported Cooperative
Work (CSCW) conference.
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Albert M. Selvin NYNEX Science & Technology, Inc.
Member of Technical Staff Research & Development
Internet: selvin@nynexst.com Work Systems Design Group
voice: (914) 644-2156 400 Westchester Avenue
fax: (914) 644-2153 White Plains, NY 10604 USA
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