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[Knowledge Management Weblog]

Paperless world

Oct 31

Posted by Admin in Document management | No Comments

According to the text (The document is a process, Delphi white paper, 1994), that was more than a decade ago. The concept of intelligent document, e-document and single point of access that emerges attracts the attendees. As cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_document , intelligent document is general term to describe web document that have multifunctional better than paper document. This document usually in electronic form and they are interactive. Intelligent document is more promising in the future because it form can change by request , so it’s suitable for supporting business process, improve customer service, and make a quick decision making. Following that the single point of access will help user to gain the information in various form in the same time.

Nowadays e-document management system is widely used by some organization especially big organization. Based on my experience, as a customer for the one of Australian organization that has already implemented the intelligent document system, that’s very helpful for us as user. For instance, when we register our self to the hospital, the staff will automatically put our data into the online form, they record our name, address, health history, insurance number, picture, what disease that we got, our signature, and many more. They put our data in one single form, so if the doctor needs data about their patient they just simply look at the online document on their computer, or if the administrations need information about the patient for payment matter they don’t need to open the file cabinet and search by name. This document is not fixed anymore but the staff can add some new information, change the information about the patient, change address, phone number, insurance number, etc. How much time and money that organization saves by use intelligent document, the improving of customer services, it’s precious. As a customer I feel the improvement of services is very satisfaction. It’s just a simple experience about of being part of the implementation of electronic document, so if we look back to 1994 when this concept was made and now we realize that the concept is real.

However, in another personal experience while dealing with document, the concept of intelligent document is very far from my documentation activity. In my organization where I was working a year ago, e-document is hardly use and found. Many documents are still on paper based. My organization is a big and well known in my home country, but we still use paper based document to record the staff history, student detail, financial report, lectures timetable, and most of organization activity. That was very irritating while we deal with the new information or when we need to change the old document, in this case we should make a new document with a new record and dispose the old document. Lost of document are a common thing and the possibility of misuse the document is increase. So in this condition document is static.

Some paper documents are now converted into electronic one, but still not solve the problem because of inconsistency. Converting the paper document into electronic document is a proof that the organization try to apply the modern electronic document management concept, even though it’s very simple process while many modern documentation concept is appear such as intelligent document, online document, and web document. The new concept of the e-document is hardly implemented because of the lack of knowledge workers, lack of financial support, and management support.

To answer this question I have two different experience of the realization of the modern concept of document. One experience is very close to the realization concept even though I just the outsider of the organization, and another experience I have involve with the organization that very far away with the modern concept. For my own point of view, electronic document is 100 times more helpful. But we can’t expect all of the organization in the world will change from paper based to electronic document easily because every organization has their own nature, culture, and goals. But sooner or later, every organization needs to change to e-document management.

Reference:
Intelligent document, Retrieved March, 12 2007 from the World Wide Web:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_document

(1994). The document is the process. Delphi White Paper. NY: CMP Publications Inc.

available on www.re-imaginary.blogspot.com

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The prospect of 3D online store

Oct 16

Posted by Admin in E-commerce | No Comments

kinset2project_110_m

E-commerce web technology improve rapidly, many online stores are built every day. The cheaper website domain and its applications drive people to start their business online. Even small medium companies start their luck in the online environment. It is weird when a company didn’t have online store or even just website. The most common online stores at this moment are in 2 dimension bases, usually only use picture and animation in the catalogs. No interactive content, lack of human sense, customer has a problem to see the real product, unconvincing picture.

What is 3D online store?

According to Gill, 2002, 3D e-commerce brings a real stuff on the internet so customer can see it as they see the stuff on the real world. For instance, if you want to buy clothes online, you can see the clothes from different angle (from 360 degree environment); you can also mix and match the clothes with other accessories such as shoes, bag, jacket, and anything. 3D online catalog is very helpful to support selling products like clothes, shoes, real estate, and services like tourism. People likes to buy clothes, and try it first before purchase, the 2D store didn’t provides ‘try it first’ facility, however the 3D store offers unique shopping experience where customers can create an avatar that has the same size (weight, height) to try the clothes from the store.

Avatar as agent technology

The concept ofvirtual reality online shopping mall using avatar as agent technology is proposed by Papadopoulu, 2006. The developing avatar as agent technology in online store is worth to try. Avatars offers interactivity and act like human as customer services compare to text based welcome greeting. User can sign up as a member and can create their own avatar after login. It is very interesting idea, the user (avatar) can walking around the mall and meets other user (avatar), meet the customer service (avatar), and see, touch, asking the product detail, payment method, and any related information. The avatar can be operated by mouse to all places within the store.

Prospect and constraints

3D technology offers unique shopping experience to the user, 3D interface attracts more user’s attention, creates real shopping environment experience, and help to increase the revenue. Papadopoulu believes that the use of virtual reality on e-commerce also can increase the customers trust on the store. It is also good opportunity for online store to develop their 3D store since there are many 3D developers in the world. To sum up, 3D online store will brigs a lot of benefits both for seller and buyer. However, 3D technology is not simple application and much more expensive to implement compare to 2D or regular e-commerce.  The 3D store developers should take consideration on store accessibility, for instance to access the 3D store might need high speed internet connection because it maybe contain huge animations and special plug-ins. Should accommodates both novice and experience users, so user will not frustrate to navigate the website.
References:

Gill, L. (2002). The future of 3D e-commerce. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/19868.html

Papadopoulu, P. (2006). Applying virtual reality for trust building e-commerce environment. Virtual Reality, Vol. 11:107-127.

Image sources:

Kinset: http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/kinset2.png
Tommy Hillfiger: http://www.virtualshowrooms.co.za/projectpage.php?cp=110

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The cheap solution to develop e-learning system

Oct 10

Posted by Admin in E-learning, Web | No Comments

I knew and used online learning facility since I study Master of Information Management in Monash University in 2006. he online learning facility not only in text based, but also audio where we can hear the lecture at home. This is very helpful especially for international students who speak English as second language. Student can hears the lecture, repeated, until they understand. The one thing that make me feel happy with online learning system is the delivery of lecture material, all of the lecturers always upload the material a few days before the class commence, so we have time to read the lecture notes. The lecturer often provides important links to give additional reading for student.

The assignment also delivered online where student can download and submit the assignment. For student, is is cheaper because they don’t need to print out the assignment and go the campus to submits. The feedback and grading system also conducted through online, it is faster and student can easily look at their feedback online, do not need to go to school. The online learning also provides discussion forum, where student can interact and discuss the lecture material with teacher and other student.

As a lecturer in one of state university in Surabaya, I’m interesting to implement online learning at my class. Since then, I’m start to browse the suitable technology–consider in low budget and easy to use technology. Firstly, I choose free discussion forum such as makeforum, freeforum, etc. However, those forum have some drawbacks, such as there is no limitation on user, in this case everyone (non member) still can read the threads. So, I withdraw the discussion forum idea, regardless that the discussion forum is so powerful tool on e-learning.

It was on April 2008, when my lecturer introduces moodle to deliver online learning in class. And I become more interesting to know that the software is free and easy to install. I’m starting develop moodle in my webpage {currently unavailable} and it is good e-learning tool, I can found the integrated online lecture features, we can upload file in html, pdf, doc, text, or multimedia format, assignment boxes also available both for individual and group assignment, also discussion forum that very interesting one, online chat facility, and email. This system is cheap regarding to it price and easy to use. The only need is buying a web hosting that cost you at least Rp.300.000 per year, with 250 mb database, I think this should be enough for small classes (not for the whole university of course). While you got the domain, just download the moodle software from moodle.org, and installed. In a few minutes you already have online learning media, and start to navigate around to set up the moodle that suits you.

I plan to use moodle online learning by next semester, hopefully this will bring significance different in delivering the lecture and the most importantly will encourages student to become more active and gain more understanding on particular topic.

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Heuristic vs User Testing

Oct 7

Posted by Admin in Interaction design | No Comments

I wrote about heuristic and user testing in previous post, however, this is still become an interesting usability topic to discuss. I will compare the heuristic versus user testing in detail based on five criterias:

a. Based on number of evaluator and user involved

In heuristic evaluation that involves the experts in usability and interaction design, the number of problem founding increase when the number of evaluator increase (Kantner & Rosenbaum, 1997). Therefore, with 3 evaluators may found more that 60% of the usability problem and 15 evaluators will found almost 90% of usability problems.  However, in usability testing that involves user, we don’t need to increase the number of respondent in order to gain the same problem. We use 5 respondents that will found up to 85% usability problems (Galitz 2002, p.724). The main point is, in heuristic evaluation usually involving 2 or 3 evaluators to generate the good evaluation, on the other hand, in usability testing the more users are tested they will lead to the same problems and it means wasting time and money. For example based on the Harvey World cases, the 3 evaluators found usability problem in various area, and three of the evaluators successfully finding the different problem (we found 20 usability problems), however, in usability testing from 5 user most of the respondent said that the problem comes from the HOTEL search, and giving the search function with the lowest rating 2.6. (See table 4).

b. Based on the effectiveness and efficiency

Usability testing tends to be more time and money consuming compare to heuristic test that offers short cut to find the usability problem (Straub, 2003). Furthermore, the user testing problem finding will be discussed with the usability expert. However, the author agrees that user testing can give factual information since they test the real user while using real system. The example is our evaluation team can give a recommendation quickly based on our problem finding in harveyworld.com.au, however in usability testing, we need to collect data, information, and conduct user testing then analyze the problem occurs before deciding the recommendations, and it takes more time to do those task, but the result is real comes from a typical user with their expectation and problem. For time indicator, the evaluators spent approximately 4 hours each to conduct heuristic evaluation, compare to user testing that need more than 4 days to setting the task, select the respondent, spread the questionnaire and interpret the result.

c. Is it the real problem or not?

Both heuristic and usability testing has uniqueness to found the usability problem. In heuristic evaluation sometimes the usability problem’s finding is not a problem at all (Bailey, 2001). He adds that only 46% usability problem is the real problem and 54% is usability problem that not a problem. Hence, the evaluators should be careful to determine which is the problem that lead to real problem and problem that not a problem for a user. This awareness can help to safe budget by maintain only the real problem. In Harvey World case, the real problem is in search function, loading speed, and navigation. Those problems are founded in usability testing and heuristic evaluation. However, heuristic evaluation also found many other problems that may not be a problem at all, such as color usage, menu arrangement, and other minor problem that should be all right.

d. Major and minor usability problem

Heuristic evaluation usually dominated by minor problem, from our result oh heuristic problem which is 20 problems only 3 problems are major. However, Usability testing is easy to found major problem rather than minor problem, such as the search function problem, navigation system, and form filling.

e. General comparison result

The result usability testing result shows that the user mostly did not recognize the aesthetic problem, such as the color choosing, the menu scheme, information organization, and lay out design. User aware on the time spent while executes the task, the easier to find the information needed, and major problem that occur during completed the task. The important thing in user point of view is how to find accurate information quickly. However, in expert point of view (heuristic evaluation), the usability problem both minor and major should be overcome (Nielsen & Mack, 1994; 56). During the website evaluation, the experts found both minor and major usability problem, such as the menu structure, the inconsistent hyperlink, the contrast color that influence the readability, furthermore the major usability problem are founded such as the bad search function on HOTEL menu, bad third party link that confuse the users, and no default search function under DESTINATION menu.

Heuristic evaluation and user testing should be walking hand in hand and fill the gap that may occurs in one and another (Nielson, 200u). For some reason heuristic evaluation is more efficient (faster and less expensive), hence usability testing could be more effective to found the real problem. Harvey World that categorized as e-commerce website that offers product and services should focus on users need. In some area, user testing is more accurate because it use the real user and real task, and the problem finding is more real, compare to heuristic test that may find some false positive, which mean that maybe an expert suggest one solution for the particular problem will be the best for user, but for user perspective the solution may did not affect them to complete the task. Therefore the usability test that involve actual user to do the task is important to support the heuristic evaluation. Overall, heuristic evaluation and user testing can be used as an alternate method in order to find different problem and deliver better evaluation on usability.

References:

Bailey, B. (2001). Heuristic evaluations vs. usability testing part 1. http://www.webusability.com/article_heuristic_evaluation_part1_2_2001.htm

Kantner, L. & Rosenbaum, S. (1997). Usability studies of WWW sites: heuristic evaluation vs. laboratory testing. http://www.teced.com/PDFs/sigdoc97.pdf

Nielsen, J. (200u). Characteristics of usability problems found by heuristic evaluation. http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/usability_problems.html

NIelsen, J. & Mack, RL. (1994). Usability inspection methods. John Willey & Sons, Inc.

Straub, K. (2003) Pitting usability testing against heuristic. http://www.humanfactors.com/downloads/sep03.asp#kath.  UI Design Newsletter

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The readiness of e-learning implementation in Indonesian education institutions

Oct 4

Posted by Admin in E-learning | No Comments

E-learning has become an interesting topic to discuss this moment. Almost all education in developed countries has implemented the e-learning system to support the education by providing online material that can be visited anytime by the students. When traditional classroom based system student only heard the lecture once they attend the class and cannot revise the material. According to (Howe, 1970; Johnstone & Sue, 1994 past research in Pale et.al., 2007) students only write 52% of the important information during the lecture, and memorize 10% orally during the lecture, and it will be different result if the lecture speak fast, quite, or has foreign accent. Therefore, the e-learning will brings benefit to students in order to help them reviewing the lecture material.

Ideally the e-learning is not just delivered by digitize the lecture materials, but it is important to make those material online. Thus, e-learning web based software and PC with internet connection is recommended. When readiness is measured by the information infrastructure, the thing that we need to know is the data about the technology that we have. I will make comparison between developed countries that already implement e-learning widely. The US with population more than 300 millions with over 200 millions or 70% use the internet, based on 2007 statistical data. In Europe, Norway has become the largest internet user nation by 88% or from 4.627.926 populations, and 4.074.100 are internet user. Another example is Australia, more than 75% or 15 millions of internet users, from 20 millions population. Compare to Indonesia with more than 230 millions population, only 20 millions of internet user or less than 10%. Indonesian internet usage still much better compare to Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, and some developing countries from ex-Soviet Union. Therefore, there is no doubt that in developed countries the e-learning is fast growing and widely adopted.

The second variable is the readiness of human resources or knowledge workers. Peter Dracker states that academic professional, researcher, and teacher are include as a knowledge worker. People who works with computer and other information technology also categorized as knowledge worker (Davenport, 2005). The technology skill needed in order to support the better e-learning, because once lecturer commit to delivers the lecture online, he/she needs to prepare the material digitally, then uploaded prior the lecture commences, monitoring the discussion forum, giving feedback to any question, added some important link or multimedia. It seems that the future lecturer will have to work hard, so they will adapt with the technology changing. In my point of view, there are many intellectual lecturer but lack of technology skill especially older generation. From students perspective, the technology skill is not a big deal since they life with computer and internet, and usually the young generation is easy learner.

The third is governance or organization obligation to implement e-learning. Some of universities are already build their e-learning such as UI, UNAIR, ITS, ITB, UGM, etc, it shows the willingness to reform the traditional education system into online. The organization also realize the important to reforms the system to keep sustain in global competition.

To developed solid e-learning system there some issues that need to overcome, whereas technology infrastructure, human resources, and organization’s policy. For technology infrastructure problem especially internet, it is recommended that government working together with internet provider to provides cheap internet connection for the citizen and education institution particularly. Furthermore, government should ensure that internet also reached the rural area, not only in the city. Gives computer skill for student earlier at class. Problem with human resources, the education institution might conducted training or workshop on e-learning. The last thing, organization’s policy should support the improvement of education.

Sources:

Australia internet usage: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats6.htm

Indonesia internet usage: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm

Knowledge worker definition: (http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci212450,00.html)

Predrag Pale, Ivan Miletic, Zvonko Kostanjcar, Hrvoje Pandzic, Branko Jeren.(2007)Pyramidia-An integrative e-learning tool. TheInternational Conferenceon“ComputerasaTool” Warsaw, September9-12, 2007.

Norway internet usage: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats4.htm#europe

The US internet usage: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats14.htm

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The power of e-discussion forum to support e-learning process

Oct 1

Posted by Admin in E-learning | No Comments

The enhance on information communication technology bring positive impact on educational field, especially in higher education level. In the past education is delivered manually, face to face meeting without sophisticated media. Nowadays, the education is improving by emerging of technology especially internet and web technology. Education now delivered in many ways, thus supports long life learning and re-learning for everyone. E-learning has become a popular issue in 21st century in many countries, including in Indonesia. Some higher educational institutions has already implement e-learning in their syllabus.

Many information technology people, lecturers, teachers, web designers, even students feel the euphoria  of the e-learning and use the technology to support the e-learning. Furthermore, the easy access to the internet (for some areas) also triggers to the changing concept of learning. The increasing of internet user in Indonesia from 2 millions in 2000 to 20 millions in 2007 also bring significant improvement on e-learning. One of medias to support e-learning in higher education is e-discussion forum, the idea is simple but it is powerful learning tool. Discussion forum will be useful for e-learning process if it used maximally. Following this will be discussed the benefits and issues of discussion forum, and implementation of discussion forum for e- learning process.

The benefits of e-discussion forum:

-Increasing student creativity and knowledge by peer to peer discussion, this is because some students are learning more when they discuss the course material with other fellow students. According to Patel & Aghayere, 2006 in their survey states that online discussion forum bring positive impact on e-learning for on campus student, and bring significant result for their grade.

-No shy student anymore, e-discussion forum encourages people creativity without showing who they are, this is bring benefit for student who shy to ask and answer a question at class (Patel & Aghayere, 2006). Because talking at class sometime is daunting moment for shy student, and it does not mean that they do not have something to offer.

-Provides repository, e-discussion provides repository for all posts, hence, student can easily to trace back the old threads for re-learning purposes. This is not available in traditional face to face discussion.

-Promotes mutual exchange, the system on discussion is ‘take and give’, where student can give information that they have, and learn from other student so they will be have more knowledge in particular course.

-Promotes active learning by write the idea in the discussion forum (Hein & Irvine, 200u).

-Faster feedback, e-discussion gives faster feedback anytime of day both from other student and teacher, this will improves the learning process.

-All about course material can be discuss in e-discussion, about assignment, lecture material, important news, reading lists, and important links.

The issues of e-discussion forum:

-Digital divide, before implementing e-discussion forum, the educational institution should  be aware of the information technology skill and availability both for teachers and students. The sophisticated technology will mean nothing if they are not used. People’s skill in IT is different some of them are expert, moderate or novice, therefore, the e-discussion should caters all of those categories.

-Accessibility, not all students or teachers have internet connection at home, so they cannot login to the discussion anytime, or the slow connection that leads to unopened file. Those problem should be considered before implementing e-discussion forum.

-The teacher should have the ability to deliver good and high quality of discussion topic. Gives a quick response if needed, and encourages the students to use the discussion forum.

Implementation:

I put two case studies to help understanding about the implementation of e-discussion forum in higher education or university in order to support the learning process.

Faculty of IT, Monash University.

The discussion board is available for every unit through blackboard and some units are prefer moodle discussion forum, in this place students can interact with other student as well as lecturer or tutor. The subjects are range from general discussion, assignment, exam, and any interesting topic based on the subject. However, some units are setting the discussion board as one of assessment method, where students should post some threads (the topic is given by the lecturer) and reply to other post in certain time. In this case students should use discussion forum to express their idea and to learn more about the topic. The assessment method is based on the number of thread posted and reply. This is help student’s understanding and critical thinking on a topic that been selected. The result was very significant, compare to general discussion forum (without assessment) the discussion forum based on assessment brings more traffic and new ideas and increase user’s knowledge on that unit.

Northern Arizona University

Called ’screen porch’ as their online discussion that allows students to post multimedia link and supports graphic user interface. The discussion topics are available every week provided by web course, and student should responses one or two ended question. The student’s group project also should be posted in discussion forum.

The successful of e-discussion forum depends on how teacher encourage students to use it. As I mentioned before, the technology it self will mean nothing without human presence. Technology only a tool to help human to increase learning process. Hopefully through e-discussion forum, even though this is a common technology but if it implemented and maintained properly, this will brings significant different on educational field.

References:

Indonesian internet user statistic: http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia.htm#id

Jimmy Patel and Abi Aghayere. (2006). Student’s perspective on the impact of a web-based discussion forum on student learning. 36th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, October 28-31, 2006, San Diego, CA.

Teresa L Hein, & Sarah E Irvine. (200u). Assessment of student understanding using online discussion groups. http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie98/papers/1375.pdfanother student questions (circle all that apply)?

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Building trust on e-commerce environment

Sep 23

Posted by Admin in E-commerce | No Comments

The internet technology brings significant change to how people deliver business. Many companies expand businesses from brick and mortar in to click and mortar and we call it e-commerce. Internet supports easiness, time flexibility, more interactive, worldwide customers, and better services. In mid 90s many people starting business online. They found the effectiveness by using internet such as they can use interactive online catalog, reduce operational cost—telephone, electricity, employee, more time flexible, and interactive (Wiggins, 2004). Now mostly medium to large organizations have a website (Turban, et al., 2004). People feel the euphoria of the new business innovation and not yet to realize that the internet and information technology is not cheap. Many companies are bankrupt after build their online store for instance eToys, Xpeditor, MarchFirts, and many more (Turban, et al. 2004), and in early 2000 there were an e-commerce bubble burst where people start pessimist on e-commerce prospect.

In mid 2000 the e-commerce was booming with many new online stores are built, those stores offer new look, new shopping experience, and new hope of success. However, online environment is vulnerable; hence building trust in the customers is one key success. The nature of Online business is distinct to traditional business where buyer and seller met face to face and communicate to each other, in so doing a company that conduct e-commerce should be able to replace the absence of human in order to built customers’ trust. In e-commerce human presence is substituted by an agent / technology that not as flexible as human. Buyers who shopping online only face the website page as a store and use the search /browse facility to choose the product, make orders and pay the item by typing their credit card number, or sending electronic check then the product will be delivered upon payment.

Trust is become the crucial thing in business transaction, buyer would not eagerly spent their money to buy product if they not trust the seller. In traditional market seller can easily builds trust by face to face communication with buyer, provides clear information about the product, and buyer can see and even touch the product. Those characteristics are not available in the online market. Despite e-commerce offers shopping flexibility but the risks also very high. Seller may cheat not deliver the item that been paid, or misuses the buyer’s personal information. Those activities bring disadvantages on buyer position and they might not come back to the store.

There are some factors that can be used to increase customers trust in e-commerce:
- Improve website security and state the privacy policy clearly on the website so user can read it and feel more secure during the transaction. Build cooperation with third party to enhance trust and security on the website.
- Provides physical contact, such as telephone number, mail address, e-mail, fax, and store address.
- Fulfillment factors ensure the user will receive the item once they made payment.
- Show the clear information about the product, like picture, price, dimension, specifications, and other related information.
- Update the website regularly
- Provide community feedback, this is usually become a valid source for the user if they want to know everything about the store, product, and any related issue. The feedback is coming from users who already use the store services.
- Design the user friendly website that caters both novice and expert user, easy to navigate when placing orders, use common terms and language.

References:
Nielsen, J., et al. (200u ). E-commerce user experience: Trust. Nielsen Norman Group.
Turban, E., et al. (2004). Electronic commerce a managerial perspective. Pearson Prentice Hall.
Wilson S. (1997). Certificates and trust in electronic commerce. Information Management & Computer Security, Vol. 5/5, pp. 175-181.

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KM enablers

Sep 16

Posted by Admin in Knowledge management (KM) | No Comments

Knowledge management enablers (KM enablers) are tools, techniques, and activities that used during the knowledge management implementation. There are many types of enabler that can be implemented by the organization. Organization might choose the enablers that suitable with their context, characteristic, and readiness. Following is the list of some enablers that might be used during knowledge management implementation:

Champions–are people or group of people who are selected to motivate, promote, and ensure the implementation of knowledge management is working. The champion should has a leadership skill, good knowledge management concept, strong personal credibility and popular within the organization. Hence, champion could be either the formal leader, or other people who appointed by the KM team to be a champion.

Communities of practice (CoP)–are group of people who has the same interest that build a networking to share ideas, knowledge, experience, and best practices.

Knowledge mapping–is a tool that used to overview the knowledge asset, process, flows, gaps, and barriers within organization. Through knowledge mapping organization will gaining a clear description about the organizational knowledge, hence, organization can takes a good decision on knowledge management implementation.

Reward system—is giving reward for everyone who has contribution on knowledge sharing, the reward either tangible or intangible. This method is good to increase employees’ creativity and encourage knowledge sharing in organization.

Story telling—is a technique used to deliver knowledge, experience, and best practice in-depth among employees.

ICT—information communication technology, is important tool in knowledge management implementation in order to share knowledge. ICT diminish geographical barrier, time differences, and space. People can easily communicate with other anywhere and anytime.

Search engine—this tools is important for knowledge creating. The search engine connect knowledge worker to information both in intranet and extranet.

Document management tools—help knowledge worker to organize, store, recall, and sharing document within organization. Document management increases efficiency and transparency, and much effective.

Data analysis and reporting tools—this tool can transfers all of the information that smartly analysis to the top management’ desktop in order to help them in decision making. The technology that might be used is OLAP that able to analysis data.

References:
Australian standard on knowledge management-a guide. AS 5037-2005
Binney, D. (2001). The knowledge management spectrum—understanding the KM landscape. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1), pp. 32-42.

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Motivating employees to share what they know

Sep 11

Posted by Admin in Knowledge management (KM) | No Comments

In knowledge management, sharing is one key success. However, it’s not easy to embraces the whole staff in organization to exchange knowledge that they have. Exposes what we know is still hard to do, especially in high competitive environment. Employee needs to keep the knowledge as their speciality that increases their value for the company. To overcome this problem, a management should be clever to persuade their employees to give what they know or knowledge in the head. This is not an easy thing, but if the management successful to ensure all organization member to do knowledge sharing, that will brings a lot of benefits for the organization and its employee.

What will organization got from knowledge sharing activity? of course it will increase their organizational knowledge. Organization will have a ‘bank knowledge’ that comes from their employees, that ready to use anytime and by anyone. The bank knowledge will be embedded into organization forever, even though the key person retire or leave. The organizational knowledge can be used to improve productivity, where staff can used it anytime they found similar cases, so they do not need to draw the same solution. The organization can learn from the past, so they will easily to move on. This is happen when organization had failed in one project, thus, they will learning what is the causing of the failures. Organization also can predict the future through knowledge that they have, and promotes innovation of the product and servives.

Now, what is the benefits of sharing knowledge activity for the employee. This is a big question that appears in employees’ mind. Do I get benefits from sharing what I know? do I get a reward if I exchange my expertise? or will I lost my specialty and good position if I share my knowledge. Many questions pop up before the employee sure that sharing knowledge will bring benefits not only for organization but employee as individual. Through sharing knowledge, employee will get new skill, ability and experience, can solve the problem quickly, increases individual credibility and adds positive value. The employee also become more competent and easily to replace each other.

After describing the benefits of sharing knowledge from both organization and employee perspective, it is time for the management to creates sharing knowledge culture and motivates the employees to do so. There are some ways that can be implemented:

1. Develop trust between management and employees, and among the employees. Trust is important thing, where employee feels save to give their knowledge to the other without worried of losing it, or afraid that the organization is cheated on them.

2. Provides open minded environment, this is another way to encourage employee to share knowledge. Open minded environment is a condition where everybody is willingness to give what they have to each other.

3. Promotes reward system, rewards could be either financial or non-financial. Financial is related to money, bonus, and incentives. On the other hand, non financial includes promotion and compliment. Reward system is applied for whom conduct knowledge sharing within the organization.

4. Direct approaches from management to employees, it could be any action that showing the closed relationship between management and employees. Good and friendly communication is one example.

5. Creates’ family’ environment, the one key success of Japanese companies is by treating colleague as a one big family. When we work in a ‘family’ environment it will increase trust and willingness to share and help the other.

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Online auction (eBay) trust building

Sep 7

Posted by Admin in E-commerce | No Comments

There are two popular tools used in online auction to build trust among the customer, whereas feedback system and forum community. These tools are believed will bring positive effect to the user. Unlike e-commerce trust building, online auction trust building is more complex, this is because online auction involving many sellers that buyer never know who they are. Therefore, the chance being cheated in online auction is high. Following this, I will discuss the feedback system and forum community in order to increases customer trust, the advantages and disadvantages. Why use eBay? I think everybody already know that eBay is the king of online auction, so I think this is will become a good example.

Feedback system

The most significance tool to pull up user’s trust on eBay is by using feedback system. The purpose of feedback system is both seller and buyer can give a testimonial about their activities during the transaction. Feedback system allows user to give evaluation after the transaction ending. In eBay, there are three feedback’s categories positive, negative, and neutral. Hence, user can leave negative or positive, or neutral feedback based on their experience during transaction. Negative feedback will be given to whom that cheats during transaction; it could be either buyer or seller. The feedback history will remain on the user’s account and can be seen by the future users. Seller who receives positive feedback will have good reputation and it leads to increasing the number of bidder (potential buyer) (Livingston, 2005). Positive feedback for seller is absolute since the positive feedback has impact on price (Brown & Morgan, 2006).

The feedback system also can be used as an assessment tool for both buyer and seller before transaction, because feedback system also contains of descriptive evaluation such as ‘good e-buyer’, ‘smooth transaction, nice to deal with’, etc. Seller can take advantage from feedback as well, they can approach the potential user with positive feedback based on user’s feedback history, and attract them with some promotion stuff (Dholaika, 2004). Seller got more confidence to sell their product without risk of fake bidder. Buyer can use the seller feedback description history so ensure that the buyer has goodwill.

Forum community

EBay also develops forum community that consists of interactive services where user can interact with other user. The services are, eBay my world that using social networking concept. User can found people who have similar interest in particular product, brand, and other stuff.  Discussion board is a place where user can discuss everything about eBay product, system, and can ask some question about everything. Discussion board is very helpful media for user to gather particular information about product, selling and buying, seller reputation, and whatsoever. Answer center, the center provides quick help to answer user question, this center is a communication media between user and eBay staff as well as with other eBay user. The question could be about technical issues, tools, registration, bidding and buying, eBay stores, and many more. The last services is eBay blog, the blog is unique value for eBay. User can use it to write their story about their experience while using eBay, sometimes is positive experience but sometimes it’s talking about bad experience. Other user can take advantages by reading the user’s blog.

The advantages of feedback and forum community system

1.     Help user to make a decision, eBay dealing with many anonymous individual from all around the globe. Users never know each other, and have no idea where they live. The chance to be cheated or fraudulence is high. There is no strict control on users, once user is registered on eBay, they can sell and buy stuff there. Feedback system help user by giving real evidence from real people and the evidence will help them to make a decision whether they purchase on eBay or not.

2.     Increase price, through positive feedback history, seller can attract more buyer therefore the product price will increase.

3.     Develops good reputation, feedback system has function to build the user’s reputation. Good reputation will lead to increasing the buyer trust.

4.     Gives quick response to every question, user has 24/7 ‘hotline service’ that be able to answer their question anytime.

5.     User got a lot of information about the bad / cheat seller in the forum, so they can avoid to make transaction with them.

The disadvantages of feedback system and forum community:

1.     Seller has opportunity to manipulate their positive feedback or to boost their positive feedback by cheating on it. For example, seller may sells very cheap items in a big number in order to yield positive feedback, once they got positive feedback then the seller start to sell expensive item. On eBay user has role as seller and buyer in one time, so, sometimes seller combine their feedback (from seller and buyer).

2.     Seller can easily change identity when they got negative feedback from buyer. There is no strict regulation from eBay on registration process. So people can easily change address, phone number, and email.

3.     User can use the negative feedback to its competitor without any good reason. The intention is to make the competitor bankrupt.

4.     Some people are afraid to gives negative feedback to other user because they will hit them back with negative feedback as well, so they just let the feedback neutral.

5.     The information quality, even though answer center provides quick response, but the information quality is questionable. The reason is, there are many new and inexperience eBay user that might reply to the question. So, user must ensure the source of the answer before they take an action.

Discussion

The online auction company like eBay must be has a good system to increase user’s trust and minimize the fraudulence. Those two methods are still become the good solution for online auction. EBay leave all of the decision to the community (eBay member/user), the user should think critically before shopping on eBay because eBay system is like a free market where individual seller and buyer is in there. It is impossible to eBay to teach all of novice users individually. Compare to online store, where buyer is treated specially from choosing until paying the staff. The eBay user should be proactive and have knowledge to determine whether the seller is trusted or not.

Feedback system is one of the examples of tools to increase user’s trust on eBay, and seller particularly. However, eBay also can develop other method such as provides clear policy statement that guarantee to covers all of user’s lost. Provides statement about the punishment scheme for every fraud happen on eBay. Ebay should improves the information quality, including information about product and services, improve the interaction quality with the user, and integrated view of website quality (Barnes & Vedgen, 2001).

References:

Barnes, SJ. & Vedgen, RT. (2001). Assessing the quality of auction websites. Proceedings of the 34th Hawaii International Conference on System Science.

Brown, J & Morgan, J. (2006). Reputation in online auctions: the market for trust. California Management Review, Vol. 49.

Dholakia, UM. (2004). The usefulness of bidder’s reputation ratings to sellers in online auctions. Journal of Interactive Marketing, Vol. 19 No. 1.

Livingston, JA. (2005). How valuable is a good reputation? A sample selection model of internet auction. The Review of Economic and Statistic, Vol. 87, No. 3.

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Are incentives in knowledge management important??

Aug 27

Posted by Admin in Knowledge management (KM) | No Comments

A staff in ‘ABC’ enterprise refuses to share their intellectual knowledge and to use the available knowledge to support organization human resource. This is because the enterprise did not give rewards for every contribution that he/she given. Knowledge sharing culture that occurs in the enterprise is no rewards culture, and the enterprise argues that staff responsibility is giving their knowledge to organization without any reward because they are already being paid. In this situation staff feel there is no advantages for them whether they share ideas or not. In my opinion, giving rewards or incentive is very important thing in knowledge sharing culture. Incentive also motivates staff to do share knowledge and willing to learn new things. (Does this mean that only they give incentives people will share their knowledge. Is it true of everyone?)

Knowledge sharing is very important for organization, because without knowledge sharing activities organization cannot sustain and organization gradually will loose its competitive edge. (Zhang, 2005). And one of the method that been used by organization to motivate its employees is using incentives scheme.

According to www.wikipedia.org incentive has meaning as any factor (financial or non-financial) that provides a motive for a particular course of action, or counts as a reason for preferring one choice to the alternatives. In knowledge management approach, incentive both material and immaterial is being used to motivate staff to share their knowledge. There are two types of incentives namely intrinsic incentive and extrinsic incentive. Extrinsic incentive consist of material (such as money and goods) and immaterial (career, leadership, working environment, qualification). Intrinsic incentive strongly correlated with the work itself. (Semar,2004).

Feurstein et.al. state that when there is no explicit reward in enterprise incentive scheme, the employees prefer to hide their intellectual knowledge rather that share to public.(Feurstein et.al., 2001). It is obvious that employees more appreciate to share their intellect if they are assured on being rewarded.. Employees also think that their intellect is not free. Muller at.al. adding that incentive brings the positive effect on knowledge sharing. (Muller et.al., 25). Through the incentive scheme employees feel more motivated and challenged to learn and share new things. Employees enjoy take and give environment as well as the increase their creativity. Furthermore Dell and Grayson (1998) in (Taylor, 2006) indicate that incentives can encourage knowledge sharing before developing a knowledge sharing culture. Giving financial incentive also can motivate employee helping each other. (Taylor, 2006).

Incentive can be given both to individual and group employee. The group incentive will motivate the team work task and increase the helps other intensity since one task is done by some people. However, individual incentive or usually called tournament based incentive will increase the individualistic and encourage competition. Bonner et al, 2000 in Taylor, 2006). This is quite complicated for the organization when apply an incentive for its employees, sometimes some employees have a conflict to each other because of competition.

Another opinion, applying financial incentive is ineffective (Herzberg, 1968, Bonner & Sprinkle, 2002) in (Taylor, 2006). It supported by Bock & Kim (2002)and Bock et al (2005) that found an expected reward is unrelated with knowledge sharing attitudes.(Taylor, 2006) . Furthermore, Dixon, 2000 said that financial incentive do not promote knowledge sharing. (Taylor, 2006).

In conclusion, incentive both material and immaterial still becomes the primary method to increase and motivate knowledge sharing activities in organization. Employees feel that rewards & incentives is an appropriate barter method.

References:
Anonymous. Incentive. Retrieved May 3, 2007 from World Wide Web http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incentive

Feurstein, M., et.al., (2001). Incentive to share knowledge. Proceedings of the 34th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Retrieved from

Muller, R M., et.al.,(2005). The influence of incentive and culture in knowledge sharing. Proceedings of the 38th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Retrieved from

Semar, W,(2004).:Incentive systems in knowledge management to support cooperative distributed forms of creating and acquiring knowledge. Proceedings of the International Conference on Information and Knowledge Engineering – IKE’04. Retrieved May 3, 2007 from World Wide Web http://www.inf-wiss.uni-konstanz.de/People/WS/ike04-cc.pdf

Taylor, E.Z,(2006). The Effect of Incentives on Knowledge Sharing in Computer-Mediated Communication: An Experimental Investigation. Journal of Information Systems. (20)1: 103-116. Retrieved from

Zhang, Z,(2005). Managing knowledge assets in organizations: Role of incentives and information systems. DAI-A 66/12, Jun 2006.

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Heuristic evaluation and user testing

Aug 23

Posted by Admin in Interaction design, Usability | No Comments

There are two popular methods that can be used to found usability problem. Heuristic evaluation which is involving usability and interface design expertise to do website evaluation in order to find usability problem. Heuristic evaluation was founded by Nielsen15 years ago, and applying ten heuristic rules as an evaluation guideline. The second method is user testing where website users are tested to complete particular task and draw the problem occurs.

Purposes:

Both of them has purpose to find usability problem but with different emphasis. Heuristic evaluation mostly found minor usability problems, and even though the heuristic also found some major problems but the number of minor problem still outweigh the major problem. However, in user testing, user hardly found minor usability problem, but they really aware of major usability problem.

The number of people involves:

There is no strict number of evaluator who will involve during the evaluation. It is good to have more than one expert to do evaluation. The reason is the number of problem founding will increase when the number of evaluator increase (Kantner & Rosenbaum, 1997). For example with three evaluators may found more that 60% of the usability problem and 15 evaluators will found almost 90% of usability problems. But the ideal number of evaluator is 2-3 evaluators; in fact, some companies only need one evaluator to evaluate usability. In usability testing that involves user, increase the number of respondent in order to gain the same problem it’s not necessary. With 5 respondents will found up to 85% usability problems.

Advantages and disadvantages

Heuristic evaluation is the easiest method to found usability problem, it’s efficient where each evaluator may spent four hours to evaluate a website, and less expensive and faster. The disadvantage is sometimes we found ‘false positives’ or we found problem that not a problem. Usability testing could be more effective to found the real problem, very user centrist that focus on users need. In some area, user testing is more accurate because it use the real user and real task, and the problem finding is more real, compare to heuristic test that may find some false positive. However, user testing is more time and money consuming, from develop the task, choosing the right user, conduct the user testing, and interpret the result.

Conclusion:

Usability problem can be found either using heuristic evaluation or usability testing. Both of the methods have advantages and drawbacks. In fact those two methods can be used together to gain better result to identify usability problem. Heuristic evaluation offers easy way and quick finding of usability problem, but user testing can give more accurate information about the usability problem may occurs from real task and real user perspective. It is clear that matching of reality (user perspective) and standard convention (heuristic evaluation/expertise overview) is the best way to increase usability and overcome the problem.

References:

Bailey, B. (2001). Heuristic evaluations vs. usability testing part 1             http://www.webusability.com/article_heuristic_evaluation_part1_2_2001.htm

Kantner, L. & Rosenbaum, S. (1997). Usability studies of WWW sites: heuristic evaluation vs. laboratory testing. http://www.teced.com/PDFs/sigdoc97.pdf

Nielsen, J. (200u). Characteristics of usability problems found by heuristic evaluation. http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/usability_problems.html

Nielsen, J. & Mack, RL. (1994). Usability inspection methods. John Willey & Sons, Inc.

Straub, K. (2003) Pitting usability testing against heuristic. http://www.humanfactors.com/downloads/sep03.asp#kath.   UI Design Newsletter

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Issues in web accessibility

Aug 20

Posted by Admin in Web | No Comments

Through web technology information is easily to be uploaded and deployed. Many information now available online on the website. However, those information will mean nothing if unaccessible. Besides usability, accessibility has become the crucial thing on online information. Accessibility based on W3C consortium is to make the web accessible to all by promoting technologies that take into account the vast difference in culture, languages, education, ability, material resources, access devices, and physical limitation of users. Thatcher, added that accessibility is technology that accessible and can be used effectively by people with disabilities as by those without. We realize that user in the world are various, with their own characteristic. If in the past people not really concern about accessibility issues, now they must be aware since the web technology not only used by people without disabilities. People with disability should has the same chances to access information on the web.Issues in accessibility

Permanent or temporary disabilities, this could be physical disabilities such as hearing, vision, cognitive, and motoric impairments, blind. Ageing problem, where old people who cannot read small text or cannot use mouse. Bandwidth problem where affected on slower loading time, cannot open audio visual, slower to opening page that contain animation. Cognitive problem, such as dislexia or reading problem because the brain processes written and spoken language differently. Another accessibility issues are on digital divide such as language differences, remote area that there is no internet connection, the expensive of the technology, and disability to operate computer. Environmental problem where people hardly accesses information because there are many noises, such as people who working near machine.

Those digital divide problem are easily to be solved, such as in language differences there are software that can translate from one language to another, reduce the technology and connection price so everybody can access the information is solution for remote area.

The sollutions

W3C has develop a guidelines on web accessibility to everyone, hence, nowadays, the web developer should take more consideration on accessibility problem. In some countries there are laws that guarantee the similarity on information access without exception. Such as in Australia, the US, the UK, Hongkong, India, Japan, for full list see http://www.w3.org/WAI/Policy/. Hopefully through these policy web developers understand the web requirements on improving the accessibility.

Some people disabilities might have problem with navigator, for instance, problem with vision impairment and blind is hardly to use mouse to navigate the website, they likely to use keyboard voice control to navigate the website around. That is need screen reader, magnification software and braille display to deliver information. This is only one example how people with disabilities interact with website, therefore, its important for the web developer to provides good navigation system.

In fact that there are many website that not aware on accessibility. This is because the lack of usability awareness by web developer, system analyst, programer, content creator, and stakeholder, a survey on web accessibility awareness in Brazil that conducted by Freire, Russo, Fortes (2008), that involves coordinator, system analyst, manager, researcher, technical staff, programmer, and designer found that most of them are do not have accessibility training, and do not know how to develop page for blind people, furthermore, only 19.90% who willing to take consideration on web accessibility with reasons it’s not organization requirement and lack of training.

That is only one of example how accessibility become unimportant thing on web environment. Most web developer only see users in general and never care with other user who has disabilities to access information. Yet it is very expensive to develop such a system that caters all users, such as provides printable in braille version, provides special keyboard for blind people and using audio to help them accessing information, should considers to operate a website from keyboard for whom who cannot use mouse. But through the innovation in information technology, perhaps problems in accessibility could be overcome soon and many people who has skills and knowledge to develop such a technology to support accessibility.

References:

Andre P. Freire, Cibele M. Russo, Renata P. M. For tes. A Survey on the Accessibility Awareness of People Involved in Web Development Projects in Brazil. Accessed through Monash University Library, on May 2008.

Accessible web content: http://www.enabledweb.org/AWC.htm#AWC

Accessibility W3C: http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.php

Accessibility, Thatcher: http://www.jimthatcher.com/webcourse1.htm

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The strategies of knowledge sharing across culture

Aug 16

Posted by Admin in Knowledge management (KM) | No Comments

This article also appears in re-imaginary

The globalization issue and ICT development make some organization expand their business globally. The implementation of the ICT can solve the time and boundaries problem. One organization can communicate to the other organization easily, and the staff can work telecommuting from their home. A global organization may have headquarter in Melbourne, the administrative in Tokyo, and marketing in South Africa, this is just because they want to reach as many markets as they can. The organization not only employs Australian people but people around the world, with different language, different culture, and different experience. Another example is Monash University in Australia has branches in Malaysia, South Africa, and Italia. Australia as a country with western culture while Malaysia is eastern culture brings many differences.
Since the main organization should share their knowledge to the whole branches organization which is have different language, culture, and custom. In my point of view, knowledge sharing among different culture is very difficult and the most challenging for a manager in an organisation. The obvious example is during the lecture, many students are international student with non English speaking language when the lecturer is English speaking. This problem can influence the knowledge sharing quality, some student may only receive less than the lecturer expected. This also happen while delivering the organization task instruction from the main organization to the other branches, there some difficulties to interpret the task. Main organization cannot treat their branches same as they do because the branches’ staff have different culture, language, and experience. For Australian organization may apply open (western centric) knowledge sharing but Malaysia branches may more closed and shy to share their knowledge (not to share centric),(Chowdhury,2006), so the manager cannot apply the same system to encourage knowledge sharing among the staff.
The purpose of knowledge sharing is to gain the individual knowledge and use it as organization assets. Knowledge sharing could be everywhere and by everyone. Everywhere meaning there is no boundaries of time and place. However culture can be a barrier in knowledge sharing process. (Li & Scullion,2006). A manager should aware of this condition because a manager should make sure that knowledge sharing succeeds. According to Yamazaki & Kayes, 2004 in Kayes, Kayes & Yamazaki, 2005 the seven cross cultural learning competencies that helps a manager to share knowledge across culture are:
1. Valuing different.
2. Building relationship in the host.
3. Listening and observing.
4. Coping with.
5. Translating complex.
6. Taking action
7. Managing others (Kayes et.al.,2005).
Ellis in her article ‘Sharing best practice’ states that the organization should ensure that the all organization location (branches) has the same access to follow the instruction and uniform procedures.(Ellis,2001). This indicates that wherever the branches of organization is held they should get the same information and knowledge with the main organization.
Understanding a new culture and custom is a key to knowledge sharing across culture. Through the culture we learn people’s characteristic and diversity. The way people share their knowledge is very different, it depends on their experience and culture. Many organizations are going global and gain success because they learn the host culture.

References:
Chowdhury, N.,(2006). Knowledge management in Malaysia—why sow adaption?. Knowledge Board. Retrieved April 23, 2007 from World Wide Web http://www.knowledgeboard.com/item/2643

Ellis, K,(2001). Sharing best practice. Training, 38(7):32-38

Kayes A.B., Kayes D.C., Yamazaki Y.(2005). Transferring knowledge across cultures: a learning competencies approach. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 18(4) pp.87-100

Lehaney B, [et al].(2003). Beyond knowledge management. Idea Group Publishing, London.

Li, S., Scullion, H.,(2006). Bridging the distance: managing cross-border knowledge holders. Asia Pacific J Manage. Retrieved April 23, 2007 from World Wide Web http://www.springerlink.com/content/
63m17w01r628nq52/fulltext.pdf

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Promotes e-learning in higher education institution

Aug 14

Posted by Admin in E-learning, Technology | No Comments

There are many articles on e-learning that talking about what is e-learning, the technology that support e-learning, and some example of e-learning implementation in educational institution. However, not many people discuss the implication and issue on e-learning especially how people interacts with information communication technology as their daily activity. When new technology emerges, lecturer is charged to be able to use it without exception. It is the same condition when a higher education institution tries to implement ICT to support learning, their assumption is all the staff willing to use it. But the the fact that not all people who work as a lecturer/teacher will have open minded with the new comer–technology.

Yet human has become an important element during the e-learning implementation, and technology should makes them comfortable and improves productivity, not the confusing technology that frustrates and slowest their activity. The e-learning technology that been adopted by some educational institutions should accommodate all type of users. The problem occurs when some users are resist to use the new technology to deliver their activity (teaching) because they not used to it, or some staff might be to old to interact with new technology while, the young generation is so enthusiastic. The gap between young and old generation might triggers some problems when they not managed properly. This is the management task to assessing and evaluating their human resources before implement new technology into their learning system.

To merges the new system into the existing one is not and easy thing. Lecturers who used to teach with classroom based system and never uses any learning technology will feel clumsy when they are asked to change to the new system. The old teacher who never uses technology also feel the difficulty to move. But the learning system should be changing. To overcome those problems, the management should have a good strategy and always encouraging their staff to accept the changing. There are some steps to promotes e-learning in educational institutional that must be taken when they want to implement e-learning system.By applying good strategy the new learning system will be embedded and become part of daily activity of the institution. The steps will be discussed below:

Technology mapping–in this step, the management should gathering the data from all of their staff especially their technology skill. The data gathering is either through questioner or interview on staff’s technological skills. This is important data to help management to take further action. After the data collected, then classify them into some level (such as expert, moderate, novice) depend on the staff’s technology awareness level.

Designing and installation process–after understanding the user, it is time to find the right e-learning technology that suitable for the user and institution goal. For institution with unlimited budget can outsource the e-learning system with reputable vendor, however institution with limited budget may build in house e-learning system with free e-learning software that available, or for the institution that have a good IT team might develop their e-learning system. All of them have advantages and disadvantages.

Implementation, promotion, and training–this stage is very important to determines the successful of implementation. Promotion makes all staffs aware the existence of the new e-learning system. Encourages all staffs to use the new system, explain the main purposes why staffs should use the system, develops reward culture for everyone who enthusiast on using new system. However, promotion alone is not enough, the staff also need to be trained, and supported with 24/7 help desk, online tutorial, and other technical support.

Evaluation and monitoring–evaluation and monitoring is needed to discover the problem occurs during implementation. This is good method to finding information from the user about the difficulties and flaws as well as the new solution or other good thing of the system. Monitoring the user is a must, the management will know who uses and not uses the e-learning system, then they can ask them why and find a solution to encourage all staff to use it.

I believe with a good strategy and promotion the implementation of e-learning in higher education institution will be successful. If currently there are not many institution that develop e-learning in Indonesia, hopefully in the next few years there will be a lot of institution that implement professional e-learning to deliver better education.

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