M.A. / This research paper sets out to explore the possibility that a knowledge audit methodology could be successfully implemented within a professional services enterprise in order to establish what core knowledge content requirements exist. By identifying this core knowledge, the researcher asserts that sales and professional staff should be enabled to enhance their ability to win business and improve the process of client service delivery. Using the knowledge economy as a backdrop, the researcher examines the impact this has had on the knowledge and information needs of the enterprise. The value of purely technology-based solutions to resolve the knowledge deficit within an enterprise is examined following on from which, the process of implementing a knowledge audit is discussed. Thereafter, the proposed knowledge audit methodology is developed and subsequently applied at an enterprise-wide level for a large professional services enterprise. The researcher explores the business case for implementing a knowledge management initiative. An analysis is then made of the results gathered from the knowledge audit. The existing infrastructure and resources are evaluated against any resultant knowledge management requirements. This is followed by an assessment of the current status of knowledge management within the enterprise. The researcher then provides a framework for the management of content that was identified during the knowledge audit. The importance of processes and policies in supporting the management of identified content is emphasised. This is followed by an assessment of any suitable opportunities for “quick win” projects. The researcher then examines whether the key research objectives were achieved. In closing, some additional suggestions are made regarding the future of the initiative and potential steps that might be taken to further entrench KM within the enterprise.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The emergence of information exchange and act of offering features through external interfaces is a vast but immensely valuable challenge, and essential elements of learning environments cannot be excluded. Nowadays, there are a lot of different service providers working in the learning systems market and each of them has their own advantages. On that premise, in today's world even large learning management systems are trying to cooperate with each other in order to be best. For instance, Instructure is a substantial company and can easily employ a dedicated team tasked with the development of a video conferencing functionality, but it chooses to use an open source alternative instead: The BigBlueButton. Unfortunately, different learning system manufacturers are using different technologies for various reasons, making integration that much harder. Standards in learning environments have come to resolve problems regarding exchanging information, providing and consuming functionalities externally and simultaneously minimizing the amount of effort needed to integrate systems. In addition to defining and simplifying these standards, careful consideration is essential when designing new, comprehensive and useful systems, as well as adding interoperability to existing systems, all which subsequently took part in this research. In this research I have reviewed most of the standards and protocols for integration in learning environments and proposed a revised approach for app stores in learning environments. Finally, as a case study, a learning tool has been developed to avail essential functionalities of a social educational learning management system integrated with other learning management systems. This tool supports the dominant and most popular standards for interoperability and can be added to learning management systems within seconds.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In 2009, Indianapolis Emergency Medical Service (I-EMS, formerly Wishard Ambulance Service) launched an electronic medical record system within their ambulances and started to exchange patient data with the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC). This unique system allows EMS personnel in an ambulance to get important medical information prior to the patient’s arrival to the accepting hospital from incident scene. In this retrospective cohort study, we found EMS personnel made 3,021 patient data requests (14%) of 21,215 EMS transports during a one-year period, with a “success” match rate of 46%, and a match “failure” rate of 17%. The three major factors for causing match “failure” were (1) ZIP code 55%, (2) Patient Name 22%, and (3) Birth Date 12%. This study shows that the ZIP code is not a robust identifier in the patient identification process and Non-ZIP code identifiers may be a better choice due to inaccuracies and changes of the ZIP code in a patient’s record.