Knowledge Modeling and Description Language

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The Knowledge Modeling and Description Language (“language for knowledge modeling and description”, KMDL for short ) is a method for modeling , analyzing and evaluating knowledge-intensive business processes. The KMDL is one of the methods of business process-oriented knowledge management , which focuses the knowledge management activities on business processes. In addition to the classic business processes, it enables the knowledge flows and transformations to be systematically recorded and analyzed.

method

Version 2.1 of KMDL is a semi-formal modeling language and is used for the visualization, analysis, evaluation and improvement of knowledge conversions in knowledge-intensive business processes. The KMDL has continuously developed from a language based on classic business process modeling, enriched with knowledge elements, to a more formalized modeling language for describing knowledge conversions. Version 2.1 of the KMDL language standard is described below. For this purpose, an overview of the concepts underlying the language is first given, then the language standard is presented and at the end an example process is presented.

The method of KMDL currently includes

  • the concept that defines the system to be modeled,
  • the description language that specifies the scope of the model and
  • the process model, which determines the approach to modeling, analysis and evaluation.

The aim of KMDL modeling is, in addition to showing procedural process improvements, to use knowledge management activities directly at the point of value creation. In addition, the collected knowledge conversions offer, among other things, clues for assessing the corporate culture, e.g. B. with regard to the joint exchange of knowledge, the scope of the knowledge explicated in the course of the process and the use of existing knowledge management systems.

Description language

The description language defines three views:

  • Process view
  • Activity view
  • Communication view

The process view describes the relevant operational process from the perspective of the sequence of activities (process steps). At this level it can be seen which tasks have to be processed one after the other and which alternatives exist. In addition, the resources that are used to process the task are assigned to the tasks in the process view. The objects used are based on established languages ​​for business process modeling. The concept of the role from workflow management is being adapted (in workflow management, roles are grouped together via the relationship "has role") people who match a certain set of characteristics. This can be both certain qualifications (e.g. "can operate program X") as well as acting certain competencies (e.g. "has power of attorney") and software development.

The process view only takes into account the organizational and operational view. It is used to model which roles perform the tasks and which information systems are used. The content view, i.e. the processed artifacts (information and knowledge objects), are refined in the activity view.

The activity view forms the core of the KMDL v2.1 language standard and allows a detailed description of the knowledge conversions that take place when tasks are performed. The KMDL activity view describes the knowledge conversions on a granular level. Because of the modeling effort, the activity view is usually only modeled for knowledge-intensive tasks. In the activity view, the outer frame is the task to be examined more closely from the process view. The task consists of a series of activities called conversions.

With the further development of KMDL v2.2, another view has been added. The communication view describes the flow of communication within the organization under consideration. At this level, it can be seen how communication is taking place in the organization, where the focus is and where the communication deficits are. All objects used are based on the KMDL language standard.

Process model

The process model is divided into 7 phases:

  • Phase 0: project initiation
  • Phase 1: Identification of knowledge-intensive business processes
  • Phase 2: Admission of the selected business processes
  • Phase 3: Analysis of the recorded business processes
  • Phase 4: target concept
  • Phase 5: Implementation of the concept
  • Phase 6: evaluation.

The participation of the project partner is an indispensable element of the KMDL process model.

Tools

The so-called K-Modeler is available for modeling KMDL-compliant processes. This means that different views of the respective process are enabled, the syntactic correctness of the models is checked, potential for improvement in processes is identified using predefined patterns and evaluations are generated. This tool is based on the Eclipse framework and GMF. With the help of the K-Modeler it is possible for the user to model and verify the individual views of the KMDL.

The following representation with the K-Modeler results for the process view: PView.png

For the activity view, the following display results with the K-Modeler: AView.png

Knowledge and information objects

Knowledge objects (light red)

Knowledge objects represent the knowledge of people or teams in a knowledge area. The following is often represented: competencies, skills, experience, attitudes and behavior of a person. There are different forms of knowledge: technical, methodical, social skills and ability to act. Knowledge objects are accordingly person-related.

Information objects (purple)

Information objects are explicit representations of knowledge. The knowledge exists in z. B. in the form of a text, drawing, diagram or in electronic form z. B. as: database, audio file, video file, electronic document or spreadsheet. Information objects are independent of people.

Forms of knowledge conversion

The conversion of knowledge plays an important role in a KMDL model. Different conversions are taken into account and shown as a colored arrow. The basis for this is the SECI model by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi .

Socialization (green)

Passing on tacit personal knowledge from person to person. Knowledge is often falsified by being passed on informally several times.

Externalization (blue)

Conversion of person-related tacit knowledge (knowledge object) into person-independent knowledge (information object).

Internalization (red)

Conversion of information into tacit knowledge, such as B. Reading a book.

Combination (black)

One or more pieces of information are combined to form a new information object.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Norbert Gronau (ed.), Wilhelm Hasselbring (ed.): M-WISE: Modeling of knowledge-intensive processes in software engineering , Gito Verlag. Berlin, 2006.
  2. ↑ Junginger, S .: Workflow-based implementation of business processes . Dissertation. Faculty of Economics and Computer Science. University of Vienna. 2001
  3. ↑ Nonaka, I .; Takeuchi, H .: The Knowledge-Creating Company. How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation , Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.
  4. ↑ http://www.k-modeler.de
  5. ↑ http://www.enzyklopaedie-der-wirtschaftsinformatik.de/lexikon/daten-wissen/Wissensmanagement/Wissensmodellierung/Modellierungslösungen/Knowledge-Modeling-and-Description-Language/K-Modeler/index.html/?searchterm=kmdl
  6. ^ A b Norbert Gronau, J. Fröming: Business process management in economy and administration . Analysis, modeling and conception. 2nd Edition. Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-95545-192-9 .