When asked to present to a group dedicated to Knowledge Management, you might feel a little overwhelmed or confused. That's understandable, this is a rapidly growing and changing field and the exact definition of "Knowledge Management" tends to change depending on who you ask.

To make things a little easier, here are some suggestions and information for the presenter that may make your life a little easier.

I. What do I talk about?

Here are a few topics/questions that you can discuss in your presentation to help get you thinking along KM lines.

• Selection: How did you decide what data/resources to include in your system.
• Validation: Tying into selection, what process did/do you use to validate your information sources? Presumably this is an ongoing activity. How is it done on a day-to-day basis?
• Software: What software do you use and how did you select it? 
• Impact/Metrics: What impact has the system had? How are you measuring success? Pure hit count? Is there a customer satisfaction feedback loop somewhere?

II. How many people will there be?

It varies. Sometimes we have only a handful, other times we may have twenty or more. We are still in the growth process, so we hope this will increase.

III. Who will be there?

Just about anyone from the NIH community interested in KM or your topic could attend. We have folks from the scientific side and from the administrative side, plus a few techies thrown in for good measure.

IV. Where are meetings held and how do I get there?

The meetings are usually held on the NIH campus in Building 12B, second floor conference room. This is a venue change as of May 2003. Complete directions and information can be found here.

If you require special accomodations to speak at the meeting, please be sure to let the chair know this when you are making the arrangements.

V. What audiovisual, computer and networking facilities will I have access to?

The 12B conference room can be arranged in just about any technological manner that a speaker may need. Available options include Internet connectivity, projector, laptop, or just about anything you can dream up. Our default configuration consists of an Internet-connected, PowerPoint-enabled laptop and an attached projector. If you require more than this, please be sure to let the chair know and we will make the appropriate arrangements.

VI. How much time will I have?

Usually, we ask that the presenter plan on speaking for 20 to 25 minutes. This will allow 10 to 15 minutes for questions and discussion.

VII. Who do I contact with other questions?

The chairperson of the KMIG is Geoffrey Marsh. He can be reached via email at geoffm@nih.gov (your best bet) or via phone/voicemail at 301-594-9683.

Return to KMIG Home Page

Knowledge Management Interest Group
http://www.nih.gov/sigs/kmig
Contact: Geoffrey Marsh
geoffm@nih.gov