SERENDIB: a software tool for capturing the information and knowledge interactions of engineers

摘要

This paper presents an improvment in the understanding of the information and knowledge interactions of engineers. Through the use of a software-based tool it is possible to analyse their information acquistion and to record the information and knowledge access history of past design efforts. By using this tool these interactions can be compared against the design situation in which the activity is being undertaken including; design type (original, adaptive, variant), design state (nw, previously done), and design difficulty (simple, complex). Subsequent analysis enables a compant to critique their existing information management systems and target areas for improvement.