AIIM taking a shot at KM standards

AIIM International has identified four knowledge management projects as worthy pursuits for standards work.

Those areas include: the coming to a consensus on what knowledge management is (definition); developing a glossary of terms for the KM market (commonality of language); how to design an RFP for KM systems (procurement); and how to model KM in an organization (deployment).

"The feedback we are getting is that (our members) would like to see some standards work begun with knowledge management," said Marilyn Wright, VP of standards and technical services for AIIM.

That work began in earnest at the Knowledge Management Forum, hosted by AIIM and the Knowledge Management Consortium late last month in Washington. The results of the event remain somewhat blurred, but the organizations will no longer continue formal work together.

However, AIIM, an ANSI/ISO certified organization, has invited the more-than 100 Forum attendees to continue work on the four projects at the AIIM '99 show in Atlanta, April 11-15.

Many of those attendees are KMC members, and as an organization the KMC will continue to work on the AIIM standards issues as part of their 10 overall projects.

The KMC is currently deciding whether to support AIIM in the process, and according to KMC president Ed Swanstrom, is in the process of becoming certified with the help of another ANSI/ISO organization that is "more KM-like than AIIM."

AIIM is taking a technology focused approach to the standards, while the KMC has more of a scientific or academic focus. It remains to be seen what overlap will occur as the organizations work toward KM standards.

At AIIM' 99, attendees will be able to see and participate in some of the early work between AIIM and the KMC in the Standards-At-Work pavilion