**9. Conclusions**

210 New Research on Knowledge Management Technology

their opinions of the system via the questionnaire. To evaluate system function and satisfaction with system capabilities, questionnaires were distributed, and the system users were asked to separately rate the conditions of system, system function and system capability, in comparison with the previous system using a five-point Likert scale. A 1, 3 and 5 on the Likert scale corresponded with "not useful", "moderately useful" and "very useful," respectively. Table 1 shows system evaluation result. Some comments for future improvements in the CWTKM system were also obtained from the project participants.

> **The functionality of system Mean Score** Ease of knowledge sharing 4.6 Reliability 4.2 Applicable to Construction Industry 4.1

> **The use of system Mean Score** Ease of Use 4.5 User Interface 3.9 Over System Usefulness 4.5

> **The capability of system Mean Score** Reduce Rework Problems 4.3 Reduce Unnecessary Costs 4.2 Reduce Happening Mistake Percentage 4.1 Ease of finding previous experience 4.2 Improve Problems Solutions 4.1 Enhance the relationship of knowledge and people 3.9 Improve Experience Sharing Problems 4.5 Note: the mean score is calculated from respondents' feedback on

fivescale questionnaire: 1(Strongly Disagree), 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Strongly Agree)

The integration of mind mapping and TBM technique to share and illustrate available experience significantly enhanced the efficiency of KM processes. Based on the user satisfaction survey, most users agreed that the CWTKM system enables engineers to exchange and share previous experience and knowledge using TBM to express their ideas and thoughts. Furthermore, the TBM provided clear and dynamic representations of experience and effectively identified Map units with experience and knowledge related to the project. The survey revealed a user satisfaction rate of 87 %, indicating that the CWTKM system is useful for assisting engineers in editing their previous knowledge through the

Table 1. System Evaluation Result

This study proposed a novel and practical methodology for capturing and representing the experience and project knowledge of engineers by utilizing mind mapping and TBM approach. Furthermore, this study developed a Construction Topic-based Map Knowledge Management (CWTKM) system for engineers that provides a concept experience exchange and management service for the reuse of domain knowledge and experience. TBM divide knowledge into map units, thus forming an effective knowledge management tool in construction projects. Effective integration of web technology in CWTKM system has been demonstrated in the case study in the Taiwan construction building project. The CWTKM system enables engineers to exchange and share previous knowledge using TBM to express their ideas and knowledge. Furthermore, the CWTKM system enables users to request knowledge support and to exchange knowledge with selected engineers or all enterprise engineers by submitting problem descriptions through TBM. Novice engineers directly accessing the system can effectively share and exchange knowledge. The integration of the TBM and mind mapping appears to be a promising means of enhancing construction KM during the construction phase of a project. In summary, the CWTKM system can assist engineers in illustrating their ideas clearly and sharing their knowledge. Furthermore, CWTKM system and TBM approach enable users to survey and access effectively the tacit and explicit knowledge of previous engineers and experts in similar projects.

Although further effort is needed to update the explicit/tacit knowledge related to various projects, the proposed system benefits construction knowledge management by (1) providing an effective and efficient web-based environment for exchanging knowledge specifically regarding construction projects; and (2) providing users options by requesting assistance from selected engineers or all engineers in the enterprise who have relevant knowledge by submitting a problem description.

The use of the TBM approach integrated with mind mapping in the study mainly provides assistance to help engineers illustrate their own knowledge easily and effectively. The questionnaire results indicate that the primary advantages of TBM in the system are as follows: (1) the TBM provide clear and dynamic representations, thus identifying the experience and knowledge of engineers relevant to the project, (2) the TBM clearly identify the available engineers or experience to request for experience exchange regarding the special knowledge in the current project and (3) users can locate needed knowledge easily and effectively based on TBM illustration.

**13** 

*1Canada* 

**Knowledge Integration to Support** 

*1Public Health Agency of Canada* 

 *2United States of America* 

*2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention* 

**Networking for Laboratory Preparedness** 

Shamir N. Mukhi1, Lai King Ng1, Theodore I. Kuschak1 and May Chu2

Laboratories play a critical role in facilitating timely recognition of and response to public health threats. However, capabilities and capacities vary widely among laboratories around the world. The scientific community recognizes that: 1) no single laboratory or network can effectively cover all health hazard threats and 2) connecting laboratories through networks enables scientific communities to harness and contribute their expertise in response to public health threats, while adding value and enhancing opportunities to enrich their own work. However, a consolidated and accessible inventory of laboratories that would enable

Public health laboratories serve the essential function of identifying etiologic agents of disease in an accurate and timely manner. However, the practicality and potential of these laboratories in the detection, monitoring, and reporting of threats over a wider geographic range is limited by unclear case definitions, inadequate laboratory capacity, and often, limited political will of local authorities to comply with International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 (Baker and Fidler, 2006) to be prepared to respond to public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC). Furthermore, some countries are not member states of World Health Organization (WHO) and therefore have no obligation to comply with IHR. Global, regional, and national laboratory networks serve to alleviate these issues by streamlining the detection, monitoring, and reporting procedures for communicable diseases in order to effectively and significantly reduce the global or regional burden of disease. Laboratory networks are useful in establishing and maintaining standards such as molecular disease confirmation by providing member laboratories with standardized testing and reporting procedures, reagents, equipment, training, reference materials, quality control indicators, and technical support. Such collaboration between and among laboratories facilitated by networks allows for rapid and accurate provision of information regarding the magnitude of disease and the strains that are circulating in particular regions, leading to faster response and more effective control of the threat. Some example networks include the Global Polio Network (Hull et al, 1997) and the Global Measles and Rubella Network

**1. Introduction** 

this to happen does not exist.

(Featherstone et al, 2003).

**and Response to Emerging Pathogens** 

During field tests phase, most engineers need to handle the knowledge management progress directly in the jobsite. Therefore, the CWTKM system will be developed for smart phones or Tablet PCs use to enable jobsite engineers edit knowledge and experience directly in the jobsite in the future.

#### **10. References**

