**3.1 Personal trinity model – Social and psychological aspect**

Authors have proposed a PKMS development approach taking into account several influencing factors of individuals (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b). This approach is named the personal trinity model (PTM) approach. It has three views:


144 New Research on Knowledge Management Technology

By conducting PKMS analysis it is also determined that there are several PKMS development approaches, for example, Maier's pier-to-pier KMS (Maier, 2004) with focus on individual level, Apshvalka's developed one based on brain functionality PKMS conceptual model (Apshvalka, 2004), Smedley's conceptual PKMS (Smedley, 2009) based on theoretical models in KM (Nonaka & Konno, 1999) and in learning (Kolb, 1984), Wright conceptual PKMS (Wright, 2005, 2008) based on four mutually connected scopes (analytical, information, social, learning). In the case of Smedley conceptual PKMS very important is that a knowledge sharing process is the trust factor (Smedley, 2009), but in Wright's

approach very important is tight collaboration and networking (Wright, 2005, 2008).

systems development and would combine previously mentioned three PKM aspects.

An appearance of innovations and new ideas in the knowledge worker (KW) level happens in all environments and in all moments over individual's time frame. For the KW it is important to have a PKMS support. A PKMS only from technological aspect will not make a successful system's integration and usage for backing the KW's task supporting process. It is important that individual himself / herself is willing to use a PKMS and is willing to stick with PKM guidelines. Here stand out the social and psychological aspects of PKMS. It is important to realize individual's everyday needs, motivation and task accomplishing

A well-known hierarchy of needs was published more than fifty years ago (Maslow, 1954). Maslow proposed that individual's needs are hierarchically ordered in five levels: biological and physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization. This hierarchy usually is depicted in the form of pyramid where at its basic level are positioned biological and physiological needs (Chapman, 1995). In 1970-s hierarchy of needs was extended with levels of cognitive and aesthetic needs, but in 1990-s there was added level of

The theory of hierarchy of needs has been also criticized being subjective and the order of needs levels being not appropriate (Boeree, 2006). However from a PKMS perspective the Maslow hierarchy order is not important. More essential is to realize that such individual needs exist and they clearly have an impact on the KW. Thus these needs have to be taken

Maslow realized the existence of attitude problems regarding workers such that they have certain human basic needs and that they have the rights for self-actualization (Chapman, 1995). There are also some other problems KW-s have to deal with (Etzel & Thomas, 1996). KW-s have to identify problems within themselves and should be willing to tackle them.

Thus they can improve PKMS performance from all of its three aspects.

**3. Personal knowledge management system's conception** 

transcendence needs (Maslow, 1954; Chapman, 1995).

into account when developing a PKMS.

satisfaction.

So far created PKMS development approaches based on desktop and on Web social applications are applicable in PKM. However these approaches only partially support PKM requirements and conditions, and they do not combine all three PKMS aspects: social, psychological and technological. These PKMS are not scalable and / or are not adjustable to the particular knowledge worker and to his / her knowledge work and area of interest. Current PKMS can be considered as only a bit more than PKM productivity tools. Based on (Jefferson, 2006) there are needed systems with ability to adjust to individual style and working methods. By evaluating available information, we have to conclude, that so far are not known wholesome PKMS development approaches, which would focus directly on

PKMS development point of view.

Whole-human simulation point of view of PTM is described first. A personal knowledge is not a set of notifications, settings, expressions or actions that are stored for later use. "As organic beings we are embedded in situations and culturally formed, and we developmentally acquire and extend the learned activities that come to constitute our being in the world" (Day, 2007). As follows individuals act on behalf of their experience according to their surrounding customs and habits. An individual is developing as an oak tree which grows out of acorn with its encoding (i.e. having roots, trunk, branches and leaves). While growing it is affected by surrounding environment – sun and amount of warmth, precipitation and seasons. Similarly it is with individuals with their own initial "encoding" and further development influenced by surrounding environment. Thus the PTM can be considered as a symbolic simulation of human entirety in direct and indirect meaning. There are three basic parts: head, hart and body. The head part relates to a human cognitive and exploring aspect. The hart part relates to a human social, emotional and cultural aspect, while the body part relates to a human physiologic aspect.

From the whole-human simulation point of view authors will look more closely at the head part. Johnson talks about innovation and new ideas. He states that at the beginning there is a hunch (Johnson, 2010) in the mind of an individual. There it incubates. A new idea has not born yet. After a while another hunch appears in the mind of this individual. In the process of exchanging thoughts two or more hunches create a base for creation of new idea or directly foster it (Johnson, 2010). A thoughts exchange can take place within an individual herself / himself or among several individuals in the process of knowledge sharing. A hunch can be located in the mind of one individual or the same hunch can come up in the minds of several individuals.

Authors have defined the knowledge substance concept (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b). Based on the square of known-unknown (Frappaolo, 2004) the knowledge substance concept encompasses a breadth of all knowledge all around individuals and around the environment they live in as a community by communicating and interacting with each other. The knowledge substance is integrity of all knowledge, and it is not further dividable in knowledge sub-substances but only in knowledge elements (KE). In addition knowledge an individual is striving to acquire in the context of knowledge substance can not be seen only as a dichotomous item (or items) as it is in the case of knowledge domain stated in the

Agent Based Personal Knowledge Management

his / her life areas.

but also the spirit of knowledge.

System Supported by Mobile Technology Cross-Platform Solution 147

market a KW has to acquire a qualitatively new knowledge even in shorter periods of time if to compare that with previous knowledge acquisition cycles or PKCS twines. That is similar to the coherence described by Moor's law regarding computer development (Intel, 2011). This pattern of even shorter spiral twines bears a potential side effect. Such pattern can indicate the potential of KW burn-out. Thus the PKCS not only describes nowadays the common pattern of even shorter periods of knowledge acquisition, but also may serve as warning signal built in the PKMS for a KW to adjust his / her learning intensity in order to avoid potential burn-out symptoms. This serves as an example that by using a PTM in development process and in execution of PKMS a KW has a support to voluntary leverage

Regarding the PTM heads part there are proposed three more principles (Osis &

**The third principle**: in order to successfully acquire new KE-s an individual has to work out

**The fourth principle**: there is a better chance to acquire new knowledge elements by collaborating (e.g. within communities of practice) rather than to try it alone. It is easier to maintain ones knowledge level by being within a group and by collaborating while by being

**The fifth principle**: sharing tacit knowledge is best accomplished by using analogies and similarities. In this way it is possible to transfer not only the direct meaning of knowledge

The PTM - individual needs point of view. The PTM is projected on the eight-level Maslow needs hierarchy described above. Accordingly individual needs are grouped into three parts, which correspond to the PTM three views (i.e. head – cognitive needs; heart – transcendence, self-actualization, esteem needs, aesthetic needs, belongingness and love

Usually it is important for a KW to reach needs stated in self-actualization level within hierarchy of needs. In this regard Maslow states that it is important to strive for specific set of fifteen values in order to be happy and to reach self-actualization (Maslow, 1954). However Boeree does not agree with this proposition. Rather he argues that individual being in such critical situations as war or economic crisis his / her desire to strive for this set of primary values will not exist due to more primary needs as food, warmth and home (Boeree, 2006). By taking into account these arguments authors propose that a knowledge workers should strive for other super-set of individual improving values (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b; Concordia,

By taking into account human weaknesses, lust, etc. it is clear that this super-set is a running target which will never be reached. However the important point for an individual is to start

alone knowledge gradually fades unless much more effort is applied to prevent that.

Grundspenkis, 2011b) related with knowledge sharing and acquisition:

a desire to acquire them and to strive for this knowledge.

needs; body – safety needs, physiological needs).

 meekness and not being hot-headed; politeness and not being rude; wishing well and not being envious; simplicity and not being flatulent; low-keyed and not being indecent; unselfish and not being selfish; not being easily angered;

1986) encompassing love for others and for themselves (LFO-FT):

forgiveness and not to remember/remind mischief;

joy about truth and not delight about evil.

knowledge space theory (DeRose, 2005; Cognitive Science Section, 2007). Meaning that there exist such KE-s which can not be fully cognizable or can not be identifiable at all. However they are also part of knowledge substance. Based on this concept authors have proposed five knowledge acquisition principles (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b) to support a PKM and knowledge elements acquisition.

**The first principle**: a KW has to posses an intuition to come to verity about those KE-s, which in a foreseeable time manner can not be find out or known, for example, NP complete problems (Fortnow, 2009), or which can not be known at all thus leaving them in a semifind-out state (i.e. even they are found out in a hunch level though they stay as tacit knowledge, which further can not be explicated).

**The second principle**: an individual does not need to strive to find out and to pierce each and every surrounding KE till the last detail. They are too many. Instead one has to strive to common understanding about particular knowledge area to a certain level and to get additional knowledge how to acquire more detailed knowledge about this area in case it is needed later.

Nowadays regarding KE acquisition a KW is facing an increasing intensity tempo of acquiring new knowledge in particular time frame. Earlier individual obtained knowledge and all the main skills for his / her life during childhood or young adulthood. Once becoming an adult individual usually also possessed a craftsmanship to be relied upon for entire life. However nowadays there are much more dynamics in economics. Similarly as before much of knowledge is acquired in childhood or young adulthood. However it may turn out to be not good enough in our current world. Thus individual might have to be forced or stimulated to change occupation or to retrain pressed by economics, society or by other means. That means to learn substantially new knowledge and skills (i.e. vertical growth) as depicted in Figure 2 based on the proposed personal knowledge cone-spiral (PKCS).

For nowadays individual such additional knowledge and skills acquisition stages or spiral twines are more comparing with people centuries before. In order to be competitive in job

Fig. 2. Personal knowledge cone-spiral (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b)

knowledge space theory (DeRose, 2005; Cognitive Science Section, 2007). Meaning that there exist such KE-s which can not be fully cognizable or can not be identifiable at all. However they are also part of knowledge substance. Based on this concept authors have proposed five knowledge acquisition principles (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b) to support a PKM and

**The first principle**: a KW has to posses an intuition to come to verity about those KE-s, which in a foreseeable time manner can not be find out or known, for example, NP complete problems (Fortnow, 2009), or which can not be known at all thus leaving them in a semifind-out state (i.e. even they are found out in a hunch level though they stay as tacit

**The second principle**: an individual does not need to strive to find out and to pierce each and every surrounding KE till the last detail. They are too many. Instead one has to strive to common understanding about particular knowledge area to a certain level and to get additional knowledge how to acquire more detailed knowledge about this area in case it is

Nowadays regarding KE acquisition a KW is facing an increasing intensity tempo of acquiring new knowledge in particular time frame. Earlier individual obtained knowledge and all the main skills for his / her life during childhood or young adulthood. Once becoming an adult individual usually also possessed a craftsmanship to be relied upon for entire life. However nowadays there are much more dynamics in economics. Similarly as before much of knowledge is acquired in childhood or young adulthood. However it may turn out to be not good enough in our current world. Thus individual might have to be forced or stimulated to change occupation or to retrain pressed by economics, society or by other means. That means to learn substantially new knowledge and skills (i.e. vertical growth) as depicted in Figure 2

For nowadays individual such additional knowledge and skills acquisition stages or spiral twines are more comparing with people centuries before. In order to be competitive in job

knowledge elements acquisition.

needed later.

knowledge, which further can not be explicated).

based on the proposed personal knowledge cone-spiral (PKCS).

Fig. 2. Personal knowledge cone-spiral (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b)

market a KW has to acquire a qualitatively new knowledge even in shorter periods of time if to compare that with previous knowledge acquisition cycles or PKCS twines. That is similar to the coherence described by Moor's law regarding computer development (Intel, 2011). This pattern of even shorter spiral twines bears a potential side effect. Such pattern can indicate the potential of KW burn-out. Thus the PKCS not only describes nowadays the common pattern of even shorter periods of knowledge acquisition, but also may serve as warning signal built in the PKMS for a KW to adjust his / her learning intensity in order to avoid potential burn-out symptoms. This serves as an example that by using a PTM in development process and in execution of PKMS a KW has a support to voluntary leverage his / her life areas.

Regarding the PTM heads part there are proposed three more principles (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b) related with knowledge sharing and acquisition:

**The third principle**: in order to successfully acquire new KE-s an individual has to work out a desire to acquire them and to strive for this knowledge.

**The fourth principle**: there is a better chance to acquire new knowledge elements by collaborating (e.g. within communities of practice) rather than to try it alone. It is easier to maintain ones knowledge level by being within a group and by collaborating while by being alone knowledge gradually fades unless much more effort is applied to prevent that.

**The fifth principle**: sharing tacit knowledge is best accomplished by using analogies and similarities. In this way it is possible to transfer not only the direct meaning of knowledge but also the spirit of knowledge.

The PTM - individual needs point of view. The PTM is projected on the eight-level Maslow needs hierarchy described above. Accordingly individual needs are grouped into three parts, which correspond to the PTM three views (i.e. head – cognitive needs; heart – transcendence, self-actualization, esteem needs, aesthetic needs, belongingness and love needs; body – safety needs, physiological needs).

Usually it is important for a KW to reach needs stated in self-actualization level within hierarchy of needs. In this regard Maslow states that it is important to strive for specific set of fifteen values in order to be happy and to reach self-actualization (Maslow, 1954). However Boeree does not agree with this proposition. Rather he argues that individual being in such critical situations as war or economic crisis his / her desire to strive for this set of primary values will not exist due to more primary needs as food, warmth and home (Boeree, 2006). By taking into account these arguments authors propose that a knowledge workers should strive for other super-set of individual improving values (Osis & Grundspenkis, 2011b; Concordia, 1986) encompassing love for others and for themselves (LFO-FT):


By taking into account human weaknesses, lust, etc. it is clear that this super-set is a running target which will never be reached. However the important point for an individual is to start

Agent Based Personal Knowledge Management

Fig. 3. PKMS aspects general development approaches

System Supported by Mobile Technology Cross-Platform Solution 149

to strive for this super-set of values constantly trying to achieve them. Then that will be the real gain for a KW from the individual perspective and even more valuable from collaboration with others perspective. Especially that applies to the 5th principle stated above.

The PTM - PKMS development point of view is described next. PKMS general development approaches based on robust framework and the PTM are dividable into two directions. First one focuses development principles and PKMS aspects including following PTM approach guidelines. This direction is dividable into two more parts – the PKMS social aspect and psychological aspect, and the technological aspect.

The PKMS social aspect and psychological aspect based on PTM focuses directly on a KW himself / herself. Partially they are connected with the technological aspect (note: this partial connection is true in opposite direction as well) by using previously defined 9 PKMS processes as a transition link. As a solution basis for these two aspects is previously described LFO-FT set of characteristics and 5 KE-s acquisition supporting principles. The PKMS technological aspect has a modular approach. Agent and mobile technologies are a solution basis for the technological aspect. In more details it is described in the fourth section of this chapter. PKMS general development approaches are depicted in Figure 3.

Another development direction focuses on a KW and his / her availability to further develop / customize PKMS by using 1st and 2nd level adjusting options. Thus a KW can develop his / her individual PKMS and also trying to include all three aspects of PKM – technical, social and psychological. These development approaches should be perceived as robust road maps for PKMS development.

### **3.2 Modular personal knowledge management system – The technological aspect**

Modular PKMS architecture consists of basic module and several additional modules. The basic module contains basic functionality, which supports PKMS basic processing. This module contains knowledge worker's, so called, knowledge card or knowledge profile, user's card or user's profile, information and knowledge element searching, tacit knowledge elements externalization support tool, personal knowledge cone-spiral functionality, as well as time scheduling tool. The PKMS basic module from the architecture point of view is described in more details in fourth section.

#### **3.2.1 Frequently used modules**

PKMS additional modules are divided into two groups: frequently used modules and specific area modules. Frequently used modules contain modules suggested for minimal / small size PKMS while in the same time still maintaining scalability. Specific area modules contain such PKMS modules, which are considered for one or another group of KW-s with particular specifics of activities. For example, for ice cream development support (i.e. for developing a new ice recipe, solving with quality assurance tasks, external knowledge acquisition regarding competitors production development, and following development of European Union laws regarding diary area) in a milk processing company.

While keeping a PKMS size possibly small as frequently used modules are set the following ones: "goals and tasks management module" and "collaboration management module". Goals and tasks management module from a goal perspective allows a KW to set up personal goals in a simplified way, by using specific goals setting templates depending from chosen goal's type and specifics. From a tasks perspective this additional module supports a Agent Based Personal Knowledge Management System Supported by Mobile Technology Cross-Platform Solution 149

148 New Research on Knowledge Management Technology

to strive for this super-set of values constantly trying to achieve them. Then that will be the real gain for a KW from the individual perspective and even more valuable from collaboration with others perspective. Especially that applies to the 5th principle stated

The PTM - PKMS development point of view is described next. PKMS general development approaches based on robust framework and the PTM are dividable into two directions. First one focuses development principles and PKMS aspects including following PTM approach guidelines. This direction is dividable into two more parts – the PKMS social aspect and

The PKMS social aspect and psychological aspect based on PTM focuses directly on a KW himself / herself. Partially they are connected with the technological aspect (note: this partial connection is true in opposite direction as well) by using previously defined 9 PKMS processes as a transition link. As a solution basis for these two aspects is previously described LFO-FT set of characteristics and 5 KE-s acquisition supporting principles. The PKMS technological aspect has a modular approach. Agent and mobile technologies are a solution basis for the technological aspect. In more details it is described in the fourth section of this chapter. PKMS general development approaches are depicted in Figure 3. Another development direction focuses on a KW and his / her availability to further develop / customize PKMS by using 1st and 2nd level adjusting options. Thus a KW can develop his / her individual PKMS and also trying to include all three aspects of PKM – technical, social and psychological. These development approaches should be perceived as

**3.2 Modular personal knowledge management system – The technological aspect**  Modular PKMS architecture consists of basic module and several additional modules. The basic module contains basic functionality, which supports PKMS basic processing. This module contains knowledge worker's, so called, knowledge card or knowledge profile, user's card or user's profile, information and knowledge element searching, tacit knowledge elements externalization support tool, personal knowledge cone-spiral functionality, as well as time scheduling tool. The PKMS basic module from the architecture point of view is

PKMS additional modules are divided into two groups: frequently used modules and specific area modules. Frequently used modules contain modules suggested for minimal / small size PKMS while in the same time still maintaining scalability. Specific area modules contain such PKMS modules, which are considered for one or another group of KW-s with particular specifics of activities. For example, for ice cream development support (i.e. for developing a new ice recipe, solving with quality assurance tasks, external knowledge acquisition regarding competitors production development, and following development of

While keeping a PKMS size possibly small as frequently used modules are set the following ones: "goals and tasks management module" and "collaboration management module". Goals and tasks management module from a goal perspective allows a KW to set up personal goals in a simplified way, by using specific goals setting templates depending from chosen goal's type and specifics. From a tasks perspective this additional module supports a

European Union laws regarding diary area) in a milk processing company.

psychological aspect, and the technological aspect.

robust road maps for PKMS development.

described in more details in fourth section.

**3.2.1 Frequently used modules** 

above.

Fig. 3. PKMS aspects general development approaches

Agent Based Personal Knowledge Management

environment elements.

**Communication and data transfer types** 

**Data transfer speed download** 

Bluetooth 2.0 2.1 Mb/s Operation range till 10m.

4G 3GPP LTE 100 Mb/s Not widely available yet.

Type, generation

Basictypes

2G

3G

System Supported by Mobile Technology Cross-Platform Solution 151

security process and on safety needs level (see PTM whole-human imitation point of view – body part) as another important characteristic can be named mobile device security functionality from unauthorized access to device point of view. An additional important point of view to look at is a PKMS ability to function on different mobile devices, i.e. reducing PKMS dependence from one particular mobile device model or even platform. Within this work have been conducted mobile device summary and analysis, and have been determined that currently there are available many different mobile devices. That included many different mobile device platforms. Each of them represents one mobile device operating system. As most used operating systems can be named Android, Symbian, iPhone OS, RIM and Microsoft developed mobile device operating systems (Gartner, 2011). Mobile device platforms and application development environments are also analysed. Within this aspect there is large diversity. Often development environments are specifically suited for particular platform. However in addition to mobile device basic platform no matter what operating system it runs on frequently there is provided support for Java environment. This is one of the reasons, which fosters to choose Java application developing environment for the PKMS development based on mobile devices. Later on we describe main Java mobile

One of actual features of mobile devices is their ability to provide wireless communication and data transfer. Nowadays mobile devices usually are used for communication and data transfer with other mobile devices, for Web access or data synchronization with personal computer or notebook. Within our work we have determined and systematized mobile device communication and data transfer types in different parts of the World. In Table 2 these communication and data transfer types are depicted by focussing on European region.

Wi-Fi (802.11n) 600 Mb/s Operation range in indoors is till 46m, outdoors till 92m.

GSM 9.5 Kb/s Operation range till 35km. Limited data transfer options. GPRS 53.6 Kb/s GPRS is GSM extension (not available without GSM). EDGE/EGPRS 384 Kb/s Mainly used as transition standard from GSM to UMTS.

CDMA2000 3.1 Mb/s Limited amount of parallel connections – i.e., if a tight

Usually knowledge worker conducts its work in company premises or in open air territory of company. Assuming company is located in populated area or within its vicinity and

IrDA 115.2 Kb/s Short range operation; required direct visibility.

UMTS 1920 Kb/s Data transfer rate 384 Kb/s for mobile phones. HSDPA 8-10 Mb/s Only for download; upload not supported.

WiMAX 75 Mb/s Currently a comparably expensive service.

UMB 275 Mb/s Unclear future perspective can be discarded. Table 2. Wireless communication and data transfer types in European region context

**Specifics and constraints** 

Mobile device requires wireless network adapter.

num. of clients, then some will be left without a service.

KW to set up to do tasks for himself / herself as well as for a PKMS. The collaboration management module provides support of several communication types (see user card – social aspect part) for knowledge worker's collaboration with other individual or for a PKMS collaboration agent with particular individual's PKMS representing agent. More detailed description about agent usage and frequently used modules from architecture and the technical solution perspective is given in fourth section of this chapter.
