Know-IT Encyclopedia)
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Knowledge Management and Information Technology (Know-IT Encyclopedia) Neal Pollock Published by the Defense Acquisition University Press, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, for the Program Executive Office for Information Technology First Edition September 2002 1 2 Navigation Tool: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X 1 ACRONYM LIST INTRODUCTION As knowledge management (KM) and information technology (IT) have developed and grown, they have evolved numerous technical terms and phrases that those not intimately involved in these disciplines may find difficult to understand. These terms are useful in efficiently communicating among professionals, but they can be difficult to absorb in a rapid manner, and it can be difficult to obtain consistent definitions. There is a spectrum of tools to address different aspects of the jargon development phenomenon. At the low end of the range are lists that define each letter of an acronym but do not usually provide much else—they are essentially data-level tools. Many glossaries provide short definitions of terms and phrases; they are essentially information-level tools. Unless one has an idea or context already, it is difficult to truly understand when only provided with information. This encyclopedia addresses a void in the present spectrum. It is an attempt to create and distribute a knowledge-level tool, although it is not as voluminous as a full-boat encyclopedia (which would be impossible to adequately distribute). This encyclopedia was constructed using a number of different sources. Much of it, however, is tacit knowledge taken from my experience on-the-job at the Program Executive Office for Information Technology (PEO-IT), the Department of the Navy (DON) Chief Information Office (CIO), and from courses taken at the Information Resources Management College (IRMC) to achieve certifications (CIO and National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Instruction [NSTISSI] 4011). This document is not all-inclusive, but it provides a first step at capturing and elucidating many commonly used KM and IT terms and phrases. Descriptions are limited to KM and IT word usage though some words have other meanings (not addressed here) as well. A Web version is hosted on the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and PEO-IT Web sites at http://www.dau.mil/pubs/pubs-main.asp and http://www.peo-it.navy.mil, and included in future versions of the DON Knowledge Centric Organization (KCO) Toolkit CD. The online version will be maintained and periodically updated. Please help keep the online version current by submitting additional terms and comments via the Web site. For more information, feedback, or to submit changes, please contact me at 703-601-3061, 703-946-2731, or [email protected]. I have added a considerable number of quotations from various sources to enhance the encyclopedia. They are an attempt to extend the knowledge inherent in this document into the longer scope of human knowledge and into the realm of wisdom. I anticipate that some readers will find them of particular value and interest while others will find them perplexing or even 3 annoying. I have differentiated them from the text via differing font size and placement at the end of each entry. However, similar to Zen Buddhist koans, the quotations that may appear the least relevant may be the very ones to shed light where it is needed most (though I had to stretch a bit to find a quote for a few of the entries). I hope you find them enjoyable as well as enlightening. As Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) stated: “Every quotation contributes something to the stability or enlargement of the language” (from The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Oxford University Press, New York, 1980, p. 281, No. 7) and Pettibone Poole said, “He who laughs, lasts” (from A Glass Eye at the Keyhole, 1938 as quoted by Robert Byrne in The 637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said, Atheneum, NY, 1982, #72). USES This encyclopedia can, of course, be used as a reference document (similar to the Encyclopedia Britannica or Americana) for KM and IT terms and phrases. It can also be used as a training aid for KM and IT courses. In addition, in can be used as an INDOC (indoctrination) tool for new employees. Such usage can provide the person new to IT or KM with basic knowledge from which to build and can elicit informed questions to expand the person’s personal knowledge base by eliciting implicit or tacit knowledge from more experienced employees. In addition, PEO-IT intends to employ the encyclopedia as part of its Enterprise Solutions outreach program. NAVIGATION An alphabetic banner at the start of the document provides hyperlinks to the letters of the alphabet within the document as well as to the acronym list. Depending upon your software, you may have to hit the “control” key while clicking the left mouse button to reach the desired location. The letters and acronym list may also be directly accessed through “Insert” on the tool bar, followed by “Bookmark,” selecting the element desired, and then “Go to.” The acronym list is attached at the beginning of the document. It includes references to where acronyms are used within the encyclopedia and can, therefore, be used as an abbreviated index. Searches in Microsoft Word can also be made. These can be facilitated (if searching for entries) by selecting “advanced search,” “font,” and “bold” since the entry headers are all in bold. Thus, only the entry headers (which are repeated in the acronym list) will be found via this search. DISCLAIMER Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of the Navy or any other U.S. government agency. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited (from Information Age Anthology: Part Four, International Affairs, David Alberts and Daniel Papp, Eds., National Defense University (NDU) Press, Washington, DC, 1987, p. iv). 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The idea for this document came from my former boss, John DeSalme, former DON program executive officer for space, communications, and sensors (PEO-SCS) while he was attending our DON CIO electronic Business/Knowledge Fair 2001 on August 30, 2001. The effort to create this encyclopedia was encouraged by our deputy chief information officer, Ms. Alex Bennet, without whose support it would certainly not have been possible. I thank Messrs. Joseph Cipriano and Steven Ehrler (PEO-IT) and Dan Porter (DON CIO), who supported my request for a rotational assignment at the DON CIO, and Ms. Eileen Roberson for her continued support that enabled me to complete the encyclopedia. I also wish to thank my instructors at the IRMC: Jay Alden, LTC Carr, Dr. Chang, Norm Crane, Pete Denega, Jack Egan, Ed Fitzpatrick, Gerry Gingrich, Bill Hodson, Phil Irish, LTC Craig Kaucher, Howard Looney, Dr. M. L. Martin, LTC McNamara, John Michel, Robert Norris, Jerome Paige, Les Pang, Phil Parsons, Blair Peterson, Linda Polydys, MAJ Cliff Poole, CAPT Jean Sando, John Saunders, Geoff Seaver, Carolyn Strano, Brian Sutton, Dwight Toavs, Charles Tompkins, Nancy Wills, N. Wood, et al., and the many individual contributors to this pocket encyclopedia: DON CIO Contributors: Karen Danis, Jill Garcia, Floyd Groce, Matthew Hart, CAPT James Kantner, Debbie Lemmeyer, Jean Pate, Lynda Pierce, Sandra Smith, and Frank Sowa. Other Contributors: David Akin (University of Maryland), John Andre (GSA), Richard Burk (HUD), Dr. Robert Burkuhl (SOCOM), Charles Cather (HQDA, U.S. Army), Ken Creighton (IIT Research Institute), Matt D'Antuono (SSC Charleston, Washington Navy Yard), Clay Dean (NAVFAC), Walt Dyer (PEO-IT), Becky Fitzgerald (CINCPACFLT, U.S. Navy), Virgil Frizzel (George Mason University), Karen Gilmore (DAU), Beth Gramoy (SPAWAR Systems Center, San Diego), Gary Hacker (OPM), Janice Herd (Library of Congress), John Hickok (DAU), Hans Jerrell (DAU), Erik Johnson (PEO-IT), Seth Kahan (World Bank), Geoff Malafsky (TII Corp.), Dr. Margaret Myers (ASD (C3I)), Dick Opp (PEO-IT), Lisa Pirone (EDO Corp.), Mike Rauscher (U.S. Forest Service), Dr. Vincent Ribiere (American University), Harriet Riofrio (OSD), Charles Rogers (SSC Charleston, Washington Navy Yard), Janet Scheitle (U.S. Army), Susan Tarr (Library of Congress), Susan Turnbull (GSA), Bob Turner (FAA), Peter Williams (Utah State University), and Bill Windhurst (SPAWAR). A special thank you to my publisher, Greg Caruth, and editors Martha Polkey and Debbie Gonzalez of the DAU, who have vastly improved the readability and usefulness of this book, and to everyone who helped make this dream into a reality. Neal J. Pollock 5 6 Acronyms Note: encyclopedia entries (headers) are in bold ABC Activity-Based Costing ACAT Acquisition CATegory—see CBR, CCA, DAE, PM, and 8121 ACWP Actual Cost of Work Performed—see EVM ADA Americans with Disabilities Act—see Section 508 ADP Automated Data Processing—see IT AFB Air Force Base—see DSS AFIT Air Force Institute of Technology—see DSS AFP Approval for Full Production—see Buzzword Compliant AHP Analytical Hierarchy Process AI Artificial Intelligence AII Assuring the Information Infrastructure—IRMC Course AIS Automated Information System—see IT AMPS Analog Mobile Phone Service ANOVA ANalysis Of VAriance ANSI American National Standards Institute AOL America OnLine—see ISP, P2P, Vortal AP Access Point APC Acquisition Professional Corps—see DAWIA API Application Programming Interface APMC Advanced Program Management Course—see Decision Theory, PM, Systems Engineering APP Application