Abstract

Executive Summary
This report details an investigation by RMIT researchers into the knowledge capture and knowledge sharing procedures used by Solve Disability Solutions (Solve) which aimed to facilitate their operations and better support their volunteer network.

Solve offers assistive technology solutions to clients with disabilities, chronic disease and age-related conditions to improve quality and life and enhance mobility and independence.

Solve’s client support activities are delivered by a small team of Occupational Therapists (OTs) working in collaboration with a large volunteer network; many of whom are retired engineers and fabricators, with specific and relevant knowledge and skill sets.

These volunteers work from their own premises to collaboratively design, develop and prototype and fabricate Assistive Technology enabling solutions for Solve clients.

This system enables Solve to benefit from access to a large network of expertise, but it is possibly vulnerable in regard to critical knowledge and expertise being held outside the organisation, mostly within an ageing volunteer network.

Whilst rudimentary knowledge capture procedures are in place to record project outcomes, it is difficult to accurately capture the full technical specification of complex solutions and many volunteers do not fully complete the process, due to a variety of reasons as detailed within this report.