Where it started
AFAC Knowledge Web was developed as part of the Bushfire CRC’s Fire Knowledge Network after they received additional funding from DEST in 2004 for increased communication and public outreach programs. The primary audience for the Fire Knowledge Network was the fire and land management agencies around Australasia and the general public. A joint partnership between the Bushfire CRC and AFAC, this concept was expanded to draw in the operational knowledge of fire, land management and emergency service organisations in Australia and New Zealand, creating an online source of knowledge and sharing for the industry.What is it about
The intent of the Fire Knowledge Network was to be user driven by the needs of the agencies and to become a permanent, long term entity that acts as the focal point for fire knowledge within Australia, New Zealand and globally. Its value would be in its ability to link research and knowledge to practice and to create an inclusive community for the exchange of information and experience.
The Fire Knowledge Network project took a holistic approach to knowledge sharing by incorporating the various aspects of people, technology, process and content as part of its overall development. One key element of this project was a series of events, run by the Bushfire CRC, as part the Network’s public outreach program. Between 2004 and 2007 the Bushfire CRC ran approximately 20 events, including the Bushfire Forum held in Canberra in 2007.
The second key element of the Network was a web based application (now known as the Knowledge Web) for the sharing of fire and emergency knowledge and experiences. Finally a third element was a range of publications generated by the Network’s activities and outputs of the Bushfire CRC.
Considerable effort went into the development of the website with a large amount of agency consultation undertaken to understand user needs and what agencies would value in a Fire Knowledge Network website. The results of these consultations were captured in various reports which then fed into the development of a prototype website design. The prototype was further developed and refined through additional testing with agencies.
During this time marketing and branding activities were conducted to raise the awareness and profile of the Network and a range of executive briefings, public forums and workshops were conducted. After the consultation process, some core elements were developed for the Fire Knowledge Network website project.
As the Bushfire CRC entered its fifth year it began to move into its knowledge transfer and adoption stage. For the Fire Knowledge Network project this meant taking the concepts developed from the research and consultation stage of the project and making them a reality.
To achieve this, in October 2007 Bushfire CRC began discussions with AFAC on the best means of delivering the website aspect of the Fire Knowledge Network. Both organisations decided to undertake a collaborative approach to the project with AFAC coming on board to provide the infrastructure, people networks and content development skills to make it a reality.
Ongoing Development
The AFAC Knowledge Web is designed to facilitate the transfer of information through interaction, collaboration and sharing. AFAC groups will use the website to progress their work in an online environment. Each group has its own collaborative work space where they can share documents, post comments and co-author papers. The site's forum function allows AFAC to seek a wider array of comment and feedback when developing positions on national issues.
The website will also use the forum features to develop (over time) a range of communities of interest who can share experiences in an online environment. As the website is utilising an enterprise content management system the natural evolution of the site will see each agency being able to contribute, author and edit its own content; ensuring this web resource is owned, operated and developed for the industry, by the industry.
For more information contact:
Kent MacCarter, Online Content and Knowledge Web Manager
