Innovative Technologies for Knowledge Capture and Transfer in Space Systems Product Development

The purpose of this project is to research and develop advanced multi-modal information technologies for knowledge capture and transfer that can feed a lessons-learned knowledge base for life cycle product development. In order to overcome the obstacles associated with current lessons-learned systems, the proposed approach shifts the current paradigm from the management of documents, to the management of knowledge. The new paradigm recognizes that knowledge is exchanged primarily in sensory-rich stories, conversations, and actions, rather than in documents. To accomplish this shift, key concepts, methods, practices, constructs/mechanisms, and technologies will be identified and developed. The approach provides a process for managing knowledge that will enable the user organization to capture, elicit, refine, create, share, apply, and discover knowledge before, during, and after each project life cycle phase. Tacit project knowledge, experience, and expertise are drawn from domain experts and senior practitioners, using multi-modal knowledge elicitation techniques and knowledge representation schema. Knowledge about performing everyday tasks, research and analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making is modularized, organized, and refined into re-usable knowledge “nuggets” employing a variety of modalities, making critical knowledge available in forms that can be readily accessed, shared with others, and applied to enhance mission performance and broaden organizational capabilities.