Latest News:
TACIT CONNEXIONS - PRESS RELEASE
Tacit Connexions forms new integration business, addressing knowledge-based business improvement and transformation
"(Wokingham, UK. – November 1, 2007) – Tacit Connexions Limited today announced its formation, concluding a co-venturing phase that brings together the business improvement skills of Thought Leaders Limited with the world leading software and specialist services of Epistemics Holdings Limited. As an end-to-end service business, the new company will focus on applying the latest semantic technologies in combination with its proven suite of knowledge capture and knowledge engineering software led by PCPACK. Building and exploiting sustainable enterprise-level knowledge cultures, using this combination of tools and techniques, will enable its clients to prosper within the emergent Knowledge Economy.
The formation of the Wokingham-headquartered company adds a new dimension to the Thames Valley’s technology skill base, introducing some of the most recent developments in Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies and applying them to accelerate organisational transformation. The move will support the steady growth of specialist knowledge engineering consultants serving a rapidly increasing market demand for proven capability around these evolving technologies.
The excellent reputation of Epistemics’ toolset, methodology and knowledge management infrastructure is leveraged by the skills of Tacit Connexions consultants in delivering a new range of private and public sector enterprise-level knowledge engineering solutions.
Tacit Connexions specialises in four major areas -- Enterprise Architecture and Governance, Business Productivity & Collaboration, Corporate Risk & Vulnerability, and Knowledge Accelerated Transformation. The company builds, implements and operates knowledge-based infrastructures for its customers. It can already point to a successful portfolio of solutions in the UK and overseas for major private and public sector organisations. A number of Value-Added Reseller organisations are being appointed to develop and take to market their specialist applications that exploit Tacit Connexions technologies.
Professor Nigel Shadbolt, President of Tacit Connexions and Professor and Deputy Head of the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, said: "Tacit Connexions provides the ideal vehicle to move the knowledge engineering business forward. At a time when knowledge management is undergoing its third phase of evolution, this formation boosts our ability to supply world class knowledge engineering services to major corporations and governments globally. Tacit Connexions sets out with the strategic goal of becoming a global leader in a knowledge-engineered economy."
Selected Archive of Past News Items:
Knowledge Acquisition in Practice
[July 2007] Knowledge Architect at Epistemics, Dr Nick Milton, is the author of a new book published by Springer called "Knowledge Acquisition in Practice". For more information on this book, click here.
Epistemics Delivers Semantic Web Components for IPAS
[March 2007] Epistemics have delivered software to provide semantic web components for the IPAS project. The software allows databases in various formats of Excel spreadsheets to be transformed into a common XML format, using customisable ontologies.
Professor Shadbolt becomes President of the BCS
[October 2006] Chairman and co-founder of Epistemics, Professor Nigel Shadbolt, has become president of the British Computer Society. This accolade denotes Professor as a leader in the field of AI and Semantic Web technologies.
Pegasus Project
[July 2006] Epistemics has begun work on Pegasus, an EU-funded project to improve manufacturing capabilities in the automotive sector. Amongst the other partners on the project are the adhesives company Bostik and the car company Smart. Epistemics will provide knowledge acquisition, modelling and management expertise for the development of new software systems.
Epistemics Achieves ISO9001 Status[July 2006] Epistemics has achieved BS EN ISO 9001:2000 status (Certification number GB 1390). This is a key step towards full ISO9001 accreditation for our software products and quality procedures. To view our certificate, click here. |
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Epistemics launches iDEAS
[Mar 2006] Epistemics has launched iDEAS, a decision support and rationale editor. The tool provides a simple and quick way for individuals or groups of people to use a highly diagrammatic approach to decision making. The tool facilitates better decision making and captures the reasons why certain options were selected or rejected.
Epistemics launches PCPACK5
[Feb 2006] Epistemics has officially launched PCPACK5, a network version of PCPACK. This allows multiple users to access, edit, view and use knowledgebases. This provides large organisations with a knowledge management tool that supports the capturing, retaining and sharing of expertise vital to the organisation.
Epistemics awarded contract with BAE SYSTEMS
[Jan 2006] Following the completion of a successful knowledge workshop, the Underwater Systems Division of BAE SYSTEMS has awarded Epistemics a yearly contract to provide Knowledge Management capabilities to the organisation. This includes the provision of PCPACK licenses, training for knowledge engineers, technical support and consultancy. The plans for 2006, include training 40 knowledge engineers who will undertake 60 knowledge projects that will provide benefits to all aspects of the business.
Epistemics working with international law firm
[Dec 2005] Epistemics has completed two successful knowledge workshop with the international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton LLP. These projects covered the areas of leveraged finance and the Prospectus Directive. This work was very well recieved and is likely to lead to more work in 2006, including projects at Cleary's New York offices.
Epistemics support for HKE
[Dec 2005] Epistemics are supporting Heathgate Knowledge Engineering in a number of projects with Thales and BAE SYSTEMS. This has included training, provision of PCPACK software and consultancy on knowledge capture projects.
Workflow Wizard Tools for Geodise
[October 2003] Epistemics has developed a set of knowledge tools for the Geodise e-science project. These tools allow domain experts to create knowledgebases, and to publish this knowledge to create wizard tools. These wizard tools make use of flow charts, web pages and forms to guide less experienced practitioners when making complex decisions. In the case of Geodise, this involves expertise in search and optimisation techniques for design engineering.
I-KEW Portal Launched
[May 2003] Epistemics has created and launched a web portal to be used as part of the DTI-Kappa project. It also provides a forum for partners and customers of Epistemics to share information. The URL for the new portal is http://www.i-kew.com.
Airbus Training Reaches a Century
[April 2003] Epistemics has now trained over 100 knowledge engineers at Airbus in Knowledge Acquisition skills and the use of PCPACK. The training has taken place in Bristol, England and Toulouse, France. Each trainee has completed 4 days of training with Epistemics. A number of managers have also been trained in Knowledge Management.
Knowledge-Based System Demonstrated to Military
[Feb 2003] Epistemics has completed work on a new Knowledge-Based System for military air-ground attack missions. The system was successfully demonstrated to the British and American military research agencies (QinetiQ and DARPA). The work is part of the Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) project.
Large EUREKA-Funded Project
[Nov 2002] Epistemics has won a large contract on a DTI-funded EUREKA project. Epistemics will collaborate on the project with Kappa Valor International to develop a knowledge acquisition interface for a knowledge management platform.
Epistemics in the Press:
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KNOWLEDGE TECHNOLOGIES Several technologies are emerging that provide new ways to capture, store, present and use knowledge. This book by Dr Nick Milton is the first to provide a comprehensive introduction to the most important of these technologies: Knowledge Based Systems, KBE Systems, Knowledge Webs, Ontologies and Semantic Technologies. For each of these, answers are given to a number of key questions. |
Publication: Knowledge Technologies, February 2008 |
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KNOWLEDGE ACQUISTION IN PRACTICE A detailed description of the techniques used at Epistemics on knowledge acquisition projects has been published in this book by Dr Nick Milton. The book provides a detailed step-by-step guide to the methods and practical aspects of acquiring, modelling, storing and sharing knowledge. The reader is led through 47 steps from the inception of a project to its successful conclusion. Each step is described in terms of the reasons for the step, the required resources, the activities to be undertaken, and the solutions to common problems. In addition, each step has a checklist which lists the key items that should be achieved during the step. |
Publication: Knowledge Acquisition in Practice: A Step-by-step Guide, July 2007 |
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USE IT OR LOSE IT A full-page article describing how Epistemics has helped Rolls-Royce to create a structured methdology for capturing, modelling and publishing expert knowledge. A number of business benefits are described such as accelerated learning for new starters, higher levels of engineering work and increased productivity. |
Publication: Manufacturing Computer Solutions, January 2005 |
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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER A two-page article describing how Rolls-Royce, assisted by Epistemics, have created a structured methodology to capture, model and publish knowledge. The use of special acquisition techniques and PCPACK is described and how these allow tacit knowledge to be captured and disseminated. |
Publication: Engineering, November 2004 |
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THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE A two-page article describing the Solutions Forum of September 2004 run by Solass and Epistemics. Includes descriptions of presentations by a number of Epistemics' employees, such as Prof Nigel Shadbolt, Dr Nick Milton and Steve Swallow. |
Publication: Professional Engineering, October 2004 |
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COGNITIVE COCKPIT ENGINEERING "This chapter describes a program of research in cognitive systems engineering that seeks to couple pilot functional state assessment, knowledge-based systems for situation assessment and decision support, with concepts and technologies for adaptive automation and cockpit adaptive interfaces." More... |
Publication: "Cognitive Systems Engineering in Military Aviation Environments" Edited by M. McNeese and M. Vidulich. April 2002. (Chapter 8) |
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KNOWLEDGE ELICITATION TECHNIQUES "Knowledge elicitation comprises a set of techniques and methods that attempt to elicit knowledge of a domain specialist through some form of interaction with that expert. This chapter discusses the problem of knowledge elicitation and looks at a range of methods and techniques for elicitation. We illustrate the use of these techniques with an example of an elicitation scenario. In the example we make use of a knowledge elicitation tool set called PCPACK, which supports the use of the techniques." |
Publication: Knowledge Engineering and Management: The CommonKADS Methodology, Schreiber et al., 2000, MIT Press. (Chapter 8) |
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SITUATION ASSESSOR SUPPORT SYSTEM "This paper describes a knowledge-based systems approach to pilot aiding. The development of a Situation Assessor Support System by Epistemics is covered with a focus on the elicitation methods that were used." |
Publication: Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society on Temporary Ergonomics - July 2000 |
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FROM KNOWLEDGE ENGINEERING TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT "We show how many of the methods and tools used in the branch of artificial intelligence known as Knowledge Engineering can be adapted to provide a knowledge-oriented technology, and lead to significant benefits for organisations." Full paper in pdf (640k) |
Publication: British Journal of Management - Volume 10, 1999 |
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TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT "Knowledge Management is crucial to organisational survival, yet is a difficult task requiring large expenditure of resources. Information Technology solutions, such as email, document management and intranets, are proving very useful in certain areas. However, many important problems still exist providing opportunities for new techniques and tools more oriented towards knowledge. We refer to this as Knowledge Technology." |
Publication: International Journal of Human-Computer Studies - Volume 51, 1999 |
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PCPACK KNOWLEDGE TOOL "This paper describes the PCPACK suite of tools (version 2). Each tool is described and examples are presented." |
Publication: AI Watch - Volume 5(7), 1996 |
Press Releases:
5 March 2005
Knowledge-Based Decision Support for Military Fast-Jet Pilots
Advances in military aircraft and missile technologies mean that aircrew must assimilate large amounts of data and perform complex tasks, often under extreme conditions. To reduce this load on pilots and ensure that they are able to perform at their optimum, the UK Ministry of Defence, in conjunction with QinetiQ and Epistemics, established a program of applied research into the development of cockpit automation and decision aiding for military fast-jet pilots.
20 September 2004
Helping Rolls-Royce to capture, retain and share expertise
Rolls-Royce plc is renowned for its world leadership in jet engines and gas turbines, but how can such a company at the forefront of innovation harness the knowledge of their experts and enable a new generation of engineers to continue advancing the boundaries? To address this issue, Rolls-Royce embarked on an ambitious programme starting in the late 1990’s to capture, model and publish the knowledge assets within the organisation. Today, they are reaping the benefits of that programme in which Epistemics played a significant role.
5 July 2004
Finding your way through the info-smog
Epistemics, a leading developer of knowledge acquisition, modelling and management tools, and Solass, who provide enterprise applications consultancy to many of the world's largest organisations, today announced a partnership whereby Solass will use and deploy the Epistemics PCPack product suite to help organisations achieve more effective and productive use of their corporate applications through understanding and extracting the inherent value within ever increasing volumes of data.
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