Designing a Knowledge Management Approach for the CAMRA Community of Science

Abstract

CAMRA is the EPA–DHS jointly funded Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment. CAMRA gathers a community of scientists that investigate several stages in the life cycle of bacterial agents of concern. This paper describes the knowledge management (KM) approach adopted for CAMRA's community of scientists. The approach includes knowledge facilitators, a web-and repository-based KM system, scientific processes, and use-centered design. The approach relies on a KM methodology that addresses the most common causes of failures in KM approaches that was complemented with a use-centered design methodology. The resulting combined methodology represents a unique way of implementing KM to promote knowledge sharing, collaboration, and integration. We describe the principles in our design and the initial steps undertaken to implement it for CAMRA. We conclude by laying out our future steps.