A Web-Portal Based Approach for Knowledge Networks in Support of the Pathfinder Programme

Abstract : Technical activity program MSG-027 "Pathfinder Integration Environment" has the task of bringing the integration knowledge required to build a federation to whatever organization is charged with a federating task. In order to effectively have all federates, the organization must have access to the knowledge needed to work with the federates. The knowledge could be shared via training and education programs, however the number of systems make a universal training program unrealistic. A better goal is to have necessary information available to all eligible organizations that need access. This is a perfect problem for knowledge delivery via the internet, and for the future such knowledge delivery will help to guide not only the building of Federations but even NATO activities in general. To facilitate the integration of purpose-built Federations from different National Federates the knowledge needed will need to be captured and managed. It also requires the development and presentation of a web portal that will make all specialized information and knowledge required available. A web portal that can satisfy that description must have a number of different functional pillars. The first is a community of users that will rely on that portal for knowledge and information. The second is a community of subject matter experts who are willing to prepare their knowledge for presentation by the web portal. The third pillar is a small staff to manage the knowledge, keep it manageable and up-to-date, and to ensure that it is presented from the subject matter experts, to the user community, in a useful format. MSG-027 has sought to provide a web portal, as well as tools to enable management of knowledge captured. This paper will discuss the activities structuring such a portal, the means by which all three functional pillars of that portal can be supported, and the future of how such work can assist with other NATO MSG activities.