Thursday, 19 December 2013

Week 16

Learning From Data


‘Process’ of Learning
“A process of filtering and transforming data into valid and useful knowledge.”

‘Goal’ of Learning:
“Final goal is to improve the qualities of communication and decision making”

Top-down approach:
“Start with a hypothesis derived from observation or prior knowledge”

Bottom-up approach:
°         No hypothesis to test
°         Unknown Patterns
°         Key relationships

Data Visualization:
“Converting and exploring data into some meaningful data visually is known as Data visualization.”

Artificial Neural Network as Learning Model:
It is modeled after human brain’s network and Simulate biological information processing via networks of interconnected neurons. Neural networks are analog and parallel

Supervised Learning:
In supervised learning, the model defines the effect one set of observations, called inputs, has on another set of observations, called outputs. In other words, the inputs are assumed to be at the beginning and outputs at the end of the causal chain. The models can include mediating variables between the inputs and outputs.

Un-Supervised Learning:
In unsupervised learning, all the observations are assumed to be caused by latent variables, that is, the observations are assumed to be at the end of the causal chain. In practice, models for supervised learning often leave the probability for inputs undefined. This model is not needed as long as the inputs are available, but if some of the input values are missing, it is not possible to infer anything about the outputs. If the inputs are also modeled, then missing inputs cause no problem since they can be considered latent variables as in unsupervised learning.


Maheen Asif

Week 15

Knowledge Transfer in E-World

Strategies of Knowledge Transfer :
°         Tacit knowledge transfer , unique in complex, non-algorithmic projects, where knowledge is mentally stored
°         Explicit Inter-team Transfer — one team shares experience with another working on a similar job at another site

E-World:
°         Internet technology to serve the internal needs of an organization
°         Link knowledge workers and users (like line managers) 24 hrs a day

Extranets
°         Extranets are the technical community to generate revenue and ensure competitive advantage
°         Extranets ensure long-lasting bonds between partners and corporate members

Groupware
°         Software that helps people work together from a distance
°         Facilitates knowledge transfer between knowledge seekers and knowledge providers

Groupware Applications:
°         Newsgroups and work-flow systems
°         Chat rooms
°         Video communication
°         Knowledge sharing groupware

E-Business
°         Brings universal access to Internet to core business process of exchanging information
°         Connects critical business systems directly to critical communities

The Value Chain in E-Business:
“A way of organizing primary and secondary activities of a business, where each provides “value added” to total operation”
Supply Chain Management:
“Supply chain management is the management of the flow of goods. It includes the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption”

Customer Relationship Management (CRM):
“Customer relationship management (CRM) is a model for managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.”

Benefits of CRM
°         Increased customer satisfaction
°         Cross-selling products efficiently
°         Making call centers more efficient



Mehwish Shehzad

Monday, 9 December 2013

Week 14

Selecting KB Problem:
The KM system can be assured to be successful if:
°         The user(s) have prior experience with systems applications.
°         The user is actively involved in defining /identifying the specific systems functions.
°         The user is actively involved in user acceptance testing and the final system evaluation.

Ease of Understanding the KM System:
°         Reliable documentation (especially during user training) plays a key role during deployment.
°         Documentation including examples, illustrations, and graphics may reduce training time.

Knowledge Transfer:
Two Approaches used for transferring KM system technology in implementation:
°         The system is actually transferred from the knowledge developer directly to the working unit in the organization.
°         Installing the system on the resident hardware.

Integration Alternatives:
°         Technical Integration
°         Knowledge Sharing Integration
°         Decision Making Flow Integration
°         Workflow Reengineering

Maintenance:
°         Maintenance implies the way of making the required corrections which can continue to meet user's expectations.

Organizational factors:
°         Strong leadership;
°         User participation in the process.
°         Organizational politics.
°         Organizational climate.
°         User readiness (willing)

Security Issues:
°         The new system should provide password / protocol protection.
°         Security procedures should be consistently observed.
°         Access should be restricted regarding update of the KB.

“Practice without knowledge is rootless and knowledge without practice is useless”

Fundamentals of KT :
°         Should be a daily, integral part of a learning organization.
°         Transmitting (or conveying) the knowledge of one source to another source
°         Goal is to promote/facilitate knowledge sharing, increase collaboration and networking.
°         Sources: knowledge bases, experts, etc.
°         Media: LAN, secure/insecure lines, encrypted/plain text, etc.
°         Consumers: another application, a manager, a customer, etc.

Guidelines for Successful KT and Sharing:
°         Reasoning (why to do) BEFORE Processing (how to do)
°         Knowing how the Organization handles Mistakes
°         Doing is BETTER than Talking
°        Employee’s

Vocational Needs:
°         Ability Utilization
°         Advancement
°         Level of Achievement
°         Level of Creativity
°         Compensation
°         Independence
°         Authority (supervision)


Mehwish Shehzad

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Week 13


Quality Assurance: The KM system should meet user expectations. Performance usually depends on the quality of explicit/tacit knowledge stored in the knowledge base. For the expert: quality relates to a reasoning process which produces reliable and accurate solutions within the KM system framework. For the user, quality relates to the system’s ability to work efficiently. For the knowledge developer, quality relates to how well the knowledge source is and how well the user's expectations are codified into the knowledge base.

Knowledge Testing: It is required to control performance, efficiency, and quality of the knowledge base.

Types of testing:

  • Logical Testing:
To make sure that the system produces correct results.
  • User Acceptance Testing:
It follows logical testing and checks the system's behavior in a realistic environment.

 Issues:

  • Subjective nature of knowledge (tacit)
  • Lack of reliable specifications
  • Verifying correctness/consistency
  • Negligence in case of testing
  • Time limitations for knowledge developers to test the system
  • Complexity in case of user interfaces
Two approaches:
  • Verify the knowledge base formation:
    • The structure of the knowledge as it relates to circular or redundant errors is verified.
    • Consistency, correctness and completeness of knowledge base rules are also verified.
  • Verify the knowledge base functionality:
Deals with confidence and reliability of the knowledge base.
Attributes:
    • Circular Errors
    • Completeness
    • Confidence
    • Correctness
    • Consistency
    • Inconsistency
    • Redundancy Errors
    • Reliability
    • Subsumption error
Steps:
  • Selecting a person/team for testing.
  • Deciding on user acceptance test criteria.
  • Developing a set of test cases.
  • Maintaining a log on different versions of the tests and test results.
  • Field-testing the system.

Test Team/Plan:

A testing plan indicates who is to do the testing. Commitment initiates with management support and a test team with a test plan. The team is expected to
  • be independent of the design/codification of the system
  • understand systems technology/knowledge base infrastructure
  • be well versed in the organization's business
  • Deciding on user acceptance test criteria:
    • Accuracy
    • Adaptability
    • Adequacy
    • Appeal
    • Availability
    • Ease of use
    • Performance
    • Face validity
    • Robustness
    • Reliability
    • Operational/Technical Test
  • User Acceptance Test Techniques:
    • Face Validation
    • Developing a set of test cases
    • Subsystem Validation
    • Maintaining a log on different versions of the tests/test results
    • Field testing the system

Kulsum Raza