A spatial knowledge sharing platform. Using the visualization approach

Abstract

Applications of information technologies have significantly improved efficiency of electronic document processing and management. The speed and amount of knowledge accumulation in cyberspace have exceeded what common users can perceive. In order to enhance the efficiency and accuracy for knowledge receivers to acquire domain knowledge, an appropriate knowledge representation scheme is required. Most of the traditional schemes for explicit knowledge representation are text-oriented and much time is required for knowledge receivers to recognize the contents, especially for the spatial knowledge (e.g. the geographical or assembly information). This research develops a knowledge visualization methodology that computer systems can automatically convert the textual knowledge into visualized display. In addition to the proposed methodology, a Web-based prototype system is developed to support spatial knowledge sharing. In the prototype system, the free-form documents with spatial knowledge can be converted into formatted ones and the corresponding visualized display can be established based on the formatted contents. Feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model are evaluated via a demonstration case. The goal of this research is to provide a knowledge visualization approach that can be widely applied in enterprise e-training to enhance the effectiveness of enterprise knowledge reuse.

Keywords:

• Knowledge visualization
• Knowledge management
• Knowledge representation
• Fragmentation
• Virtual reality modeling language (VRML)