Knowledge alliance

 

The Knowledge alliance is a partnership of existing organisations, currently being initiated in the United Kingdom (UK). It will have two boards, the alliance coordination board, and the networks coordination board. The alliance coordination board will bring together expertise from providers across the ECHAsystem, including the Operational Wisdom Library administration, knowledge management experts, universities, and funders. It will rely on a coordination officer, liaising between the alliance partners and the networks partners. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​​​

The networks coordinating board is made up by leading ECHAsystem organisations that represent user and provider networks for each of the 16 operational drums and the 15 habitats. The combination of user and provider perspectives brings a more comprehensive understanding of knowledge resource needs and gaps. The overlapping of operations and habitats also brings beneficial perspectives; how does an operation apply across the 15 habitats, and how does each habitat manages across the 16 operations. The deliberate overlap creates knowledge redundancy, allowing people to understand and appreciate what others do (and why, and how) (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995). 

​​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

Each of the 31 operational knowledge curation networks could:

​

-review and approve their network’s knowledge resources to be added to the OWL.

​

-review feedback on their resources and have an updating schedule for all the resources of their network (supported by the administration team).

​

-lead grant applications to create new resources to fill gaps and needs as required for their networks.

 

Operational Wisdom Library (OWL)

 

The platform is termed Operational Wisdom Library (OWL), and its content the operational knowledge collection. It will have knowledge management and learning management system functions. It is envisaged as a free library, in which one of every approved resource is deposited, and the resources could also be available in the originators’ websites. Depositing necessitates that all knowledge resources have metadata for effective filtering during search, and for AI search and training. Open access licence would be a requisite to enable users to adopt and adapt the content in whole or in part. 

​​​
A useful range of filter functions would enable each organisation to find knowledge resources suitable specifically for their organisation, focused on their unique organisational sustainability fingerprint and for their priority operational drums. A range of media will be used to cover access needs and learning styles. It will have ongoing technical support, and provide software that can be used by all partner provider organisations to develop a high quality range of knowledge resources. ​​​​​

​

Consultation is currently taking place with potential partners in the UK for the development of the knowledge alliance, networks, and OWL. To be involved or for more information, please contact Ari Volanakis on the email provided below.