Hi Cert III Students,
I have really enjoyed reading your posts about the advantages & disadvantages in adopting a KMS in your workplace. There are a lot of comments generated & I am unable to respond to them all. I can guarantee you that I read every single one before they appear in the comments thread.
For this week's assignment you will need to complete the following:
- In your own words discuss why a blog is, or isn't, a complete KMS. Provide examples to support your thoughts.
- Review comments from your fellow Cert III students in relation to question 1. Make appropriate comments about other student's postings in order to demonstrate your contribution to this assignment.
Any questions please let me know.
I look forward to seeing why you think a blog is, or isn't a good KMS.
Share the knowledge!
Melisa
Hi. Monica here.
ReplyDeleteKMS is good and it's useful as people can talk about KMS to fit their need.
BLOG is good way to chat to each other and have contact. It has been easier to follow the lecture online than class. People can easily follow the blog. As the blog is online it makes it easier for people to access the information. Location of students isn't an issue as we go to one place on the blog & can go from there.
The blog can be used as a future reference, especially when you have an idea to share. It can also create discussions around the idea.
Hi Monica,
DeleteI agree with you that the blog is much easier than class as most the time I am unable to attend so I love seeing everything posted on here and it's actually quite easy to find your way around.
Nicole K
Hi Monica
DeleteI also find the blog easy to follow; I wonder how my colleagues would cope though? The educational staff are not overly computer savvy and would struggle with this format.
Ally F
Hi Monica
DeleteI’ve enjoyed the use of the Blog, but must admit being afraid to dip my toe initially.
Admitting finally the benefits of the sharing of information amongst our class mates leads me to question why I took so long to get on board.
Hesitation on my part is the IT factor, I’m not one of those brave people who jump straight into something and learn as I go.
I prefer someone to show me, this would probably be my learning style and age.
The new generation coming through will be so familiar with the changing world of social media and the like there will be no hesitation for them accessing new mediums.
Deni B
Hi Deni,
DeleteI understand where you are coming from, I am Generation Y and I have grown up with all sorts of technology and social media sites so I guess this is quite easy for me as it is what I am used to. Although I prefer this method as I am quite shy so I get hesitant in face-to-face discussions and feel out of my comfort zone, which I guess is the bad thing about being Gen Y!
Nicole K
I too was afraid to use this in the beginning, I also prefer someone to show me first how to do something so I dont look like a total fool. I just now wish we had done more of this throughout the course.
DeleteRose S
Hi Monica
DeleteAs I am doing this by correspondence I think it would have been great for everyone to have utilised it more from the beginning. Since I can't physically attend the class, I feel like this is the next best thing.
But I still don't think that as a KMS, a blog is quite up to it. The information has to be kept accurate and relevant, and there is a chance that it won't. You would still need to check certain information, so it's almost a little like double handling. But to be used as a general 'where can I find this', 'what do you think' type of questions, it is great!
I hate to say this but as a Generation X member AND a certified extrovert I dislike using this blog. I prefer face to face contact and after checking emails at work all day the thought of checking a blog as well annoys me. I guess I am very spoiled as we have a Records team of 8 people at Mitcham Council and so I am able to talk records management all day. Cheers Maryann C.
DeleteBlog as an KMS
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a useful KMS system, but like anything it’s only as good as the information posted and the regular updates and comments by the users.
Using the Blog for this assignment has certainly broadened my horizons and I now appreciate the benefits associated with information sharing via this method. I attributed Blogs to a universe of people posting rubbish and useless information that only a select group of people would access.
Participating in this class exercise has definitely proven its benefits to me by:
• Sharing
• Ideas
• Up to date information
• Relevant
• Avenues to other areas of interest
• Feeling connected (although remote)
The two disadvantages I see with a Blog:
• Not maintaining system
• Regular updates
Deni B
Deni, I definitely agree with your comments towards the benefits of this blog. It is good that it is monitored by SRSA because it is kept tidy and I find it easy to view all the chapter reviews and necessary information.
DeleteI have seen blogs online before and some are very unorganized and definitely don't look or work as good as this one.
Nicole K
Hi Deni,
DeleteI have to agree with you, it is only as good as the information posted. I have only noticed that it has helped me in the latter part of this course with more of us using the blog, (maybe we should have been made to do this at the start and then it would have really helped us all through the whole course.)
Rose S
Hi Deni
DeleteI also agree with you in relation to this particular class/chapter, however, I wouldn’t want to have to use a blog to do a whole course of study. It takes so much longer to get the assignments done. I guess I’m old school but I have no inclination to ever use Facebook or any other form of social media. I have lots of other things that I would rather be doing besides sitting in front of a computer for hours. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Cheers, Debbie N
Love it Deni! I too associate blogs with people posting rubbish that only likeminded people are reading but this blog has shown me that they can be useful in an educational sense and if they are moderated well (kept tidy etc), thanks Melisa!, they certainly can be a safe and productive tool to use. Cheers Maryann C.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteA blog is a great tool for communication and to keep in contact with members, however it doesn’t store all the information for a large organistion. This is the first time I have used a blog and I’m not sure of all of its capabilities. Can it store knowledge or information such as policies and procedures, staff contact details etc.? I would think that it would not have the storage capacity to do this therefore is not a complete knowledge managing system. We have more than one tool that we use to store information; I doubt a blog could store all of our student information.
Ally F
Hi Ally,
DeleteDepending on the program you use to operate the blog, you may be able to store word docs etc. However a Wiki would also be able to store documents for people to access and contribute to. As for the student info i would highly doubt that this info would be stored on a wiki or blog due to it's sensitive nature.
Hi Ally,
DeleteI agree with you in that the blog from perspective is a very good communication tool, maybe not a system to manage volumes of records, version, access etc.
But then again, technology is moving so fast that blogs could possible fulfil all those requirements in the near future.
Ohh how I will miss paper.
Deni B
LOL! I agree Deni, I will miss paper too!
DeleteI do see the advantage of a blog, however, I don't really think they are secure enough for personal information to be stored.
To blog or not to blog?
ReplyDeleteA blog can be a good KMS because:
-Information is relevant and up to date
-Accurate information such as articles and statistics are used
-People sharing their experiences and information that may help others
-Accessibility is easier and unlike a book can continue to grow and develop
-Easy to find your way around and has a clear set up
-Building relationships and networking
-Before you post something you will have either read or learnt the information you are providing
A blog can be a bad KMS because:
-It may not be kept up to date with information
-May be hard to navigate your way around the site
-Posting off-topic comments
Some disadvantages to a blog are:
-Social media have risks associated, such as talking freely about your workplace in an inappropriate manner
-Once you post something on a social media site it is there forever, regardless of deletion it may have been screen shot or copied
-Making statements and including the name of your workplace is risky
As Melisa has stated the KMS is only as good as the information that is put into it.
Participating in this blog is exercising the brain and it is actually interesting of how much you remember what you have read and contributed to! I think overall a blog can be a KMS if it is treated in the correct manner to enable its success.
Nicole K
You've raised some vaild points Nicole and have postively contributed to this blog! Thanks for that :)
DeleteI like Blogs i think they are easy to use and interact with people in any state or country. As long as you put simple, relevant inforamtion onto the blog and people ocntribute then the knowledge sharing continues. Our previous CE had a blog he used to update staff, sites and services and they could post replies and requests for information. http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/aboutdept/pages/aboutdept/ceblog
ReplyDeleteMaija R
what a good way to encourage interaction with employees. Also another method of communicating to people within the agency, I like it!
DeleteMarija
DeleteExcellent point about the CEO having a blog, our new CEO has a blog also and he updates weekly usually with work items, but also includes things about himself.
I would image it’s a great communication tool, but with every increasing workloads, I have only looked at the blog once and that’s because I knew something was in there I needed to read.
Accessing the blog needs to become a planned task at work otherwise it becomes forgotten about and then we may be missing out on important updates if that’s the only way an organisation/person is delivering a message.
Deni B
As I was surfing the net, I came acorss this personal blog of the premier! I didnt even know that he had a blog . . . You can check it out here http://jayweatherill.com.au/about
DeleteCiao,
Melisa Z-G
That is great to know Marija, Deni and Melisa.
DeleteI think it is very encouraging to see this blog interaction beginning at the top to help all staff feel included and excited about upcoming news. Our unit SLSA has a blog too, that all staff are encouraged to contribute and are also notified of updates via email.
Thanks for the link to the Premiers blog - i look forward to checking it out.
DeleteTa Maija R
Once again Deni I have to agree with you. Checking a blog has to be planned and I must admit all this year I have had regular reminders in my calendar to not only check this blog but put aside time to contribute to it. As I'm doing now :) Cheers Maryann C.
DeleteI agree Maryann and Deni, time must be made to commit to checking a blog. I find in this course it was something I said I would get around to looking at earlier in the course but I guess after sitting at a computer all day at work I was always putting it off. I have probably accessed it more in the past 6 weeks or so to keep track of posts and comments than I have all year.
DeleteKathy
A blog has its advantages and its disadvantages.
ReplyDeleteDisadvantages
- A blog will not have all the information that a person needs, you can request the information that you require but there could be a delay in getting the answer as you need to wait for someone to reply.
- You may not know that the information is accurate
- Anyone can access the blog and post comments that you may not want to see, whereas having your KMS on the intranet would be more secure and private. Also if someone wants to post something it would be pre-approved.
Advantages
- It is a great way to share ideas, knowledge and information.
- You know that everyone reading or replying to the blog will share common ground.
- It is easier to understand how to move around on a blog. Sometimes when you are looking for information on our KMS (intranet) you cannot find it easily or quickly.
Rose S
Hi Rose,
ReplyDeleteI also think that if you are using a blog that is linked to your intranet that only the employees can see would be easier than having an open blog posted on the Internet, especially if you are asking specific questions relating to your workplace :)
Nicole K
I think there are some definite positives in using a blog, but I don’t think it can be a true KMS.
ReplyDeleteThe ability and ease of being able to share knowledge and information with other staff at any time, whether it be your own department or others in the organisation, is a wonderful tool that can be added to other forms of knowledge sharing like holding meetings, sending out info, etc. However, it can’t hold all the information required by an Organisation, particularly if it is of a sensitive nature.
I think that a blog can hold a wealth of knowledge, as it can give you the advice, help or confirmation about whatever it is you need to know. And also gives you the chance to share tacit knowledge.
Some of the negatives would be that information may not be up to date or accessed often enough to help the blog stay current and useful. And that staff members may not feel confident enough in using a blog if they haven’t had the training or been shown how a blog works.
I have never had a particular interest in blogs and have only really used it since this course has started. To me the personal benefits of this blog, have been knowing that I am heading in the right direction and for the first time feel included and part of a class. It has been a real pleasure.
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteI believe that blogs can be very useful in discussing new items or problems on more common and less formal area, which does encourage everyone to openly express their opinions.
But when compared to KMS it may be hard to verify if the information supplied on a blog is true and correct when compared to policies and procedures. Or if the information supplied is valid and practical but not exactly how the workplace approves for action to be taken. So over time help and brief instructions supplied on blogs may become confusing, to help prevent this may be the information noted could also contains a link to the policy or procedure to help ensure that the approved information still correct and written very clearly.
Hi Kelly
DeleteYou're right, blogs are like a conversation, just without the voices!
You would probably be more likely to get a broader range of information, as perhaps those who are less likely to speak up in a face to face setting, may find it easier to share their ideas via a blog.
Hi all
ReplyDeleteI think a blog cannot be compared to an official KMS. Week 2 10th Sept at 15.11 I post a comment about Wiki - as with a Wiki I belive a blog is a knowledge base of information but it is not a file storage system.
Mark P McDonald of Gartner writes in his article "social Media versus knowledge management" http://blogs.gartner.com/mark_mcdonald/2013/05/09/social-media-versus-knowledge-management/
"Knowledge may originate anywhere in the organization, but under knowledge management it is channeled and gathered together in a knowledge base (cistern) where it is distributed based on a predefined set of channels, processes and protocols.
Social media looks chaotic in comparison. There is no predefined index, now pre qualified knowledge creators, no knowledge managers, ostensibly little to no structure. Where an organization has a roof, gutters and cistern to capture knowledge, a social media organization has no roof allowing the rain to fall directly into the house collecting in puddles wherever they happen to form. That can be quite messy and organizations abhor a mess".
In summary - I don't think a blog is a classic Knowledge management system. I belive it is good for knowledge sharing but a KMS is something like Sharepoint.
Ellen R
Interesting context of KM & Social Media. One I haven't seen before and does make sense! Good work Ellen :)
DeleteKeep sharing,
Melisa Z-G
The field of Knowledge Management is a relatively new one and consequently there are a number of different definitions of what constitutes a Knowledge Management Systems (KMS).
ReplyDeleteAlan Frost, on his website, KMT, an educational KM site, states “there is no consensus as to what constitutes a knowledge management system”.
Consequently how one defines KMS will determine whether blogs constitutes a complete KMS.
My own personal definition of a complete Knowledge Management System is the management of information, tacit knowledge, data and IT records that belong to an organization and are shared throughout the organization in a managed way.
There is not a doubt in my mind that blogs can facilitate useful discussion. This has been proved by others in this class who have contributed some really great comments. However, the blog cannot hold every type of information, there can only be discussion about it, so in the end, the blog is not a COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
I apologise to you all for not contributing until now. I too, am one who has found it difficult to ‘tip my toe in’ and get going.
Glenys Pylypenko
I really enjoyed reading your comments Glenys. You have provided some interesting points which i will further investigate :)
DeleteThanks for sharing.
Melisa Z-G
Hi Glenys,
DeleteWelcome to the Blog!!!
Enjoyed your comments. I agree with your thoughts regarding the blog not being a complete KMS.
Cheers, Debbie N
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteA blog is not a complete KMS. I feel that it is a good forum for sharing ideas and helping others with situations by sharing tacit knowledge(as in this Blog). I personally would not use a blog if it were introduced to my workplace. I would rather speak face to face/over the phone or email other members of staff to assist them by providing Records Management advice. I am old school I guess. Reading through posts and comments takes a considerable amount of time, but beneficial in this Cert III course. Policies & Procedures are currently being updated and captured into Synergy where the latest version will be easily located. Those with tacit knowledge, in my Agency, would not use a blog but would pass the information on by conversation. I don’t know how you would capture that, apart from passing the info from one person to another. Maybe that second person would write a memo and capture it into the EDRMS. I hope I don’t sound too negative, I’m just being honest with you. Some Agencies include many staff who are still lagging behind the technology age, but still manage to perform their duties very well without the use of a Blog or Intranet. Once an Intranet is established within our Agency it is hoped that many staff (in time)will come to understand it’s worthiness and the assistance it could provide to the Agency as a whole.
Cheers, Debbie N
In my opinion a blog is not a complete KMS as it is not necessarily a planned system that has been implemented across an organisation. Blogs are generally written up on a daily basis and only accessed by people who are interested. Unlike an intranet a blog does not necessarily contain policies and procedures relevant to the organisation. Information posted on a blog is also not necessarily correct or up to date. Cheers Maryann C.
ReplyDeleteI think if a blog is set out properly it could be a useful KMS system but I do not think is is a complete system. The body of the blog can be very useful to communicate information to people and if kept updated can be great source. This Cert III blog for instance was well set out for each of our subjects and divided into chapters to share knowledge with us all. I do feel lots of useful information can get lost within the comments too especially when there are a lot of replies. I feel it is more of a discussion platform where ideas can be shared - depending on the users of a blog information contained in comments can be unreliable.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the workings behind the scenes of a blog but from my understanding it is a public forum anyone can access - this is not really the place for certain organisational information to be stored. I'm guessing volumes of documents cannot be uploaded such as policies which is the type of thing I would expect on a KMS. Also there can be delays in information sharing if comments that contain updated info or seeking info etc need to wait for approval. Searching for the piece of information you want can be difficult also if it is contained in a large amount of text (can blogs be searchable?)
Privacy could be an issue to if anybody can access the site.
Overall a blog can be a useful tool for discussion and sharing opinions but not a complete KMS that stores all the organisations documents and knowledge.
Kathy L
A blog, to me, is not a complete KMS. It has its uses in knowledge sharing however these are limited.
ReplyDeleteA blog is useful for sharing ideas with others in the industry. It is good for gaining a different perspective, advice and learning from other's experiences. However, a blog will only survive if people are engaged with it. It is difficult to keep a blog active and people actively engaged.
For me, a Knowledge Management System should exceed beyond a knowledge sharing platform. A blog could form part of a bigger KMS but to me, is not one on its own. A Knowledge Management System should encompass knowledge sharing, managing information, the retrieval of information, disposal of information, access restrictions etc.
I find that I agree with Glenys Pylypenko's views about what a KMS should encompass.