Ariadne: Supporting Coordination through a Flexible Use of the Knowledge on Work Processes

Carla Simone (Dip. di Informatica, Universita' di Torino, Italy)

Monica Divitini (IDI - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway)

Abstract: Knowledge of the cooperative work processes characterizing an organization is a fundamental patrimony not only for people involved in their automation but also for the whole organization in performing its everyday activities. The paper focuses on workflow technology as a set of tools both supporting coordination and enhancing management of the knowledge of work and learning processes within a group of people coordinating their own activities. The paper presents a framework for the construction of coordination mechanisms whose design principles and tools make them a technology enabling the sharing of knowledge about processes and the incremental learning of people within the organization. These claims are illustrated through a working example.

Keywords: CSCW, coordination mechanisms, knowledge management, multi-agent systems

Categories: H.1, H.4, I.2