Understanding knowledge work and the performance potential of its computerization - Master's thesis (2013) - Lampelto
- 1. UNDERSTANDING KNOWLEDGE WORK AND THE PERFORMANCE POTENTIAL OF ITS COMPUTERIZATION CASE IBM’S WATSON Pekka Lampelto Master’s Thesis (2013) Supervisor: Dr. Kari Lohivesi Management and Organization University of Tampere Link: https://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/94436/GRADU-1381326360.pdf?sequence=3 University of Tampere
- 2. In short • Method: Thematic interview and grounded theory • Sample: 5 knowledge workers • Results: – formulation of a knowledge work task typology – construction of a framework for knowledge work agent’s capabilities – analysis of IBM Watson's performance potential in various knowledge work task types
- 3. Analysis of jobs, roles and tasks of 5 knowledge workers
- 9. Formulation of a knowledge work task typology
- 11. Knowledge work task typology Analytical tasks: • Checking and approving / disapproving • Investigating • Gathering data and information • Monitoring • Recognizing patterns and possibilities • Scheduling • Testing programs • Using analyzing tools to create information and insights • Visual analysis Synthetical tasks • Evaluating and deciding • Generating ideas and alternative solutions • Hypothesizing Communicative tasks • Answering questions • Delegating • Directing discussion • Discussing and deciding together • Information disseminating • Explaining knowledge • Persuading and negotiating Prompting people • Requesting information Operative tasks • Handling sudden problems / fire fighting • Making changes in systems • Operating machines • Compiling documents •
- 12. A framework for knowledge work agent’s capabilities
- 14. Comparison of humans and IBM Watson
- 17. Analysis of IBM Watson’s knowledge work task capability coverage in the framework of knowledge work task typology • Most benefits in • Answering questions • using analyzing tools to create information and insights • information disseminating • Least benefits in • directing discussion • persuading and negotiating • discussing and deciding together
- 18. Business implications • Computerizing knowledge work may become one of the most important competitiveness-driving factors for companies as technology develops to enable it – Especially in knowledge intensive organizations that rely highly on knowledge workers • Because certain high-level knowledge work roles and tasks can currently be performed only by a small number of knowledge workers, introduction of artificially intelligent computer systems can enhance high-skill knowledge workers’ effectiveness through outsourcing some of their more mundane tasks to the computer systems. • To model and computerize different types of knowledge work, knowledge work tasks should be recorded in various ways to produce data. From the data, automatized computer systems capable of learning can be developed and introduced to business processes. • Knowledge work should be studied on an economy level as well. The unit of research in this should be at task-level, process-level, and cognitive-level, rather than at job-level.
- 20. Thank you! -Link to thesis: https://tampub.uta.fi/handle/10024/94436 Pekka Lampelto