KMWorld launches Knowledge Community

In what is expected to become the focal point for groundbreaking KM industry trends, issues and testing ground for new knowledge management-related applications, KMWorld and Orbital Software announce a joint venture, the KMWorld Knowledge Community an industry-first Web site and online discussion forum for the KM industry. The Web site allows professionals in the field to ask KM-related questions, receive answers, connect with experts and share practical experiences. It also provides an environment to test new ideas, find timely assistance on KM projects and create opportunities for new business development.

The KMWorld Knowledge Community enables visitors to spot emerging trends in the KM community through a question and answer forum meant to efficiently share expertise and knowledge. Developed using Orbital Software's expertise-sharing technology, Organik, the site provides tailored answers to specific questions and/or accurately directs users to experts within the KM field.

"The KMWorld Knowledge Community offers an unprecedented opportunity to brainstorm new ideas and trends, troubleshoot, create new opportunities for partnership and test new implementations of technology," says Hugh McKellar, KMWorld executive editor. "It makes perfect sense for the KM industry to collaborate and share knowledge using this technology."

The KMWorld Knowledge Community has been created with initial categories or communities based in part on the KMWorld 2001 (Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 in Santa Clara, CA) speaking tracks. Discussions on the site are already in progress as a result of this year's speakers previewing and using the system over the past few weeks. Current discussion topics, to be expanded over time, include:

• KM Strategies, Processes and Models;

• KM Tools and Technology;

• KM and Content Management;

• Culture and KM;

• KM and Life-Long Learning; and

• KM in the Real Business World.

  Encouraging an easy registration process, KMWorld and Orbital Software will support a membership drive at KMWorld 2001, where attendees can register via Internet kiosks located at various sites on the show floor. As part of this drive, Orbital Software and KMWorld are sponsoring a give-away offer to new registrants. If interested participants register on the site from now through Nov. 30, they will be automatically eligible to win a BlackBerry wireless e-mail solution. (More details on this giveaway are located on the KMWorld Knowledge Community Web site.)

  "We hope the site removes the shroud of mystery that has surrounded knowledge management technology in terms of its definition and benefits and sets a stage for further interpretation and exploration," said Brian Gray, COO at Orbital Software. "Our partnership is indicative of our ability to build expert-based communities that encourage participation through our easy-to-use software and can scale dynamically as experts feed the system and as knowledge is shared."