Knowledge Center
Knowledge Center
(OP)
I had an interesting discussion today with my boss about how to be confident about the designs and develop a knowledge center (if you will) about things you learn at work on a daily basis. He was recommending me to maintain a word document about technical knowledge that I gain EVERYDAY. I want to know from you people that has anybody practiced this sort of thing. I also want to know if it would really help me in the future. Please advice me.
"Does the man make the journey or does the journey make the man" - Mark Twain





RE: Knowledge Center
At one time I started keeping file folders (paper) of examples, methodology, etc. That kinda fell by the wayside as I started doing it all electronically. Now I wish I had more of the paper back up. Based on this I suggest using a ring binder to keep record of technical knowledge, you can print your Word document(s) and have handy access to them.
RE: Knowledge Center
An engineer I worked with did this for 30 years and handed me his folder when he retired. He returned as a consultant and I gave it back to him when I left.
I started it once, but was too busy to continue it.
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Knowledge Center
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Knowledge Center
Instead, I've maintained a MathCad file with annotated equations and methods I've used over the years. Basically when I finish a project I look at the calcs and see if any of them need to go in the big file (it is 3 MB now and takes a few seconds to open). I just wish I could understand how to put a table of contents in it (they have a way, but I keep getting lost in the instructions). This MathCad technique ensures that I have a live, working calculation to refer back to and to copy/paste into the next project. I'm reasonably careful to cite references in it so that at the start of a project I can compare Code dates with the current Codes. It works pretty well for me, there is rarely a day that I don't open it.
David
RE: Knowledge Center
RE: Knowledge Center
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Knowledge Center
Human nature is an ugly thing.
David
RE: Knowledge Center
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Knowledge Center
RE: Knowledge Center
we actually have those at work... along with usenet-like groups, and (coming soon) blogs! who'd have thought.
RE: Knowledge Center
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Knowledge Center
The wonders of today's management.
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Knowledge Center
Many departments have their own local wiki, but these are generally maintained by a single person and evaporate/stagnate when that person gets his cards.
- Steve
RE: Knowledge Center
RE: Knowledge Center
I don't have to do much calculations in my work, but I routinely have all of our site QC personnel CC me on any inquiries regarding how to handle ASME code or any welding/PWHT issues that arise that I'm not directly involved with.
I keep all the e-mails in a separate folder, and make a table of contents with the issue/date. There are often some important specifics that would be lost if the issues were to be summarized, which is why I prefer to keep the e-mails in their entirety, rather than simply cut them up into a synopsis.
RE: Knowledge Center
I do 2 things:
A hardcover notebook on which I write little rules of thumb/observations/lessons learnt as I go along.
A few ring binders of photocopied articles that I will find useful in future.
We are in a knowledge industry and you cannot possibly keep it all in your head, a few notes to jog your memory of something you havent done for 5 years are essential!
RE: Knowledge Center
Like Greg said, saved my asking the same question twice - at least sometimes.
I don't use it for anything 'insignificant' but significant notes be they project specific or general get put in there. It's rare I go to any kind of meeting or into a lab or onto the shop floor etc. without it.
I haven't been as dilligent with it lately as I used to be, should probably work on that.
KENAT,
Have you reminded yourself of FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies recently, or taken a look at posting policies: http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Knowledge Center
Centralized database is good as well if you are dealing with workgroups in different time zones or working across different shifts
RE: Knowledge Center
The downside is keeping it updated. I was told after I had left no one updated it and now after 2 years no one even remembers how to log in and edit pages
One thing I did find was useful is I would either scan to pdf or print pdf's of documents and directly link them instead of having the whole document open up
RE: Knowledge Center
RE: Knowledge Center
RE: Knowledge Center
Evernote's real power is that it can search within images and notes, even some cursive handwriting (although not my normal scratch. Block cap headers are no problem though.) I have different notebooks for project activity and general learning curve stuff (e.g. I've recently had to start thinking about scrubbers after a long time away from them, and drop thoughts and article clippings etc. directly into evernote). There are browser and OS plugins that make the info clipping transparent and very fast.
There's a free version to try, I recommend giving it a look.
I'd like to set up an office wiki or other brain-content-management-system, but I rather suspect that usage will be erratic and not ultimately too useful. Save that battle for another day.