WO2003017132A1

WO2003017132A1 - Knowledge management system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2003017132A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/001107
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roderick James Moore
Original assignee: Gunrock Knowledge Concepts Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-08-17
Filing date: 2002-08-16
Publication date: 2003-02-27
Also published as: AUPR710801A0

Abstract

The invention relates to knowledge management systems, and in particular to a knowledge management system and method which allows users to index, search and manage the information available electronically to them, including notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages, in a common and familiar environment. The knowledge management system allows searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources. It includes a database storing a plurality of records, the records selected from the group of note records and link records, each note record including a keyword field and a text field, each link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to a unique one of said data items. The system further includes a user interface adapted to display some or all of the records, and a search engine adapted to search the database and pass retrieved records to the interface, the keyword field of each record containing one or more keywords, the search engine configured to search the database and retrieve records according to their keywords. The invention also embraces methods for populating the database, for managing knowledge using the system, for generating new note records according to record templates, and for generating keyword lists.

Description

Knowledge Management System and Method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to knowledge management systems, and in particular to a knowledge management system and method which allows users to index, search and manage the information available electronically to them, including notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages, in a common and familiar environment.

The invention is particularly suitable for use as a knowledge management tool on a personal computer and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of application.

Background Art

At present, humans receive a vast amount of information via their computers every day. Such digital information comes in the form of daily communications such as emails, reference files such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations and images, as well as web pages accessed via the Internet. These different types of information are stored and managed by way of different applications. Daily communications such as emails are typically stored and managed using a personal information manager (PIM) such as Microsoft Oudook (Outlook). Reference files are usually stored and managed in a file manager utility such as Microsoft Windows Explorer (Windows Explorer). Web pages are usually viewed using browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer) and a Netscape Navigator (Navigator) . References to web pages which are of particular interest are conventionally stored using 'favourites' and 'bookmark' options in such browsers.

The three types of software applications mentioned above (PIMS, file manager utilities and browsers) store information in completely different ways, ignoring the relationships which may exist between pieces of information stored using each of these tools. Whilst there are some levels of compatibility between at least a number of commonly used office software products, this is generally extremely limited, and does not afford adequate searching and information retrieval across separate applications. Because of the segmentation, it is not possible to view relationships that may exist between information stored using the different tools, thereby severely limiting the usefulness of that information. This segmentation also makes it very difficult to electronically collate and store information from the different applications. In view of the considerable volume of information received in a typical workplace daily, once it is segmented and stored in the , different types of applications, users readily lose track of information and thus find it difficult to manage and retrieve emails, files or web pages that they might know are stored somewhere ih their computer.

Apart from the division of information between PIMs, file manager utilities and browsers, each of these applications has its own individual shortcomings. For example, it is difficult to search and manage files in Windows Explorer due to its hierarchical folder structure. Similarly, it is difficult to search and manage emails and attachments in Oudook, partly because of the sheer volume of emails received by a typical user daily, as well as its restrictive hierarchical folder structure. Browsers also have inherent limitations in their ability to search and manage favourite or bookmarked web pages. In addition, personal information such as files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages on a PC often lack context and meaning, or such context and meaning exist only tacidy with the user of the PC.

It is an object of the present invention to address one or more of the above disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a knowledge management system allowing-searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the system including:

(a) a database storing a plurality of records, the records selected from the group of note records and link records, each note record including a keyword field and a text field, each link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to a unique one of said data items;

(b) a user interface adapted to display some or all of the records; and

(c) a search engine adapted to search the database and pass retrieved records to the interface, wherein the keyword field of each record contains one or more keywords, and the search engine is configured to search the database and retrieve records according to their keywords.

The database is independent of the different platforms on which the various attachments reside, and thus is able to provide an easily navigable and user friendly reference aid linking to the various items of information stored on the different systems used by the user.

Each note record preferably further includes a relationship field containing an association with one or more link records, the association enabling a user to access the data item(s) represented by the one or more link records using said user interface. Additionally, the relationship field of each note record can contain an association with one or more other note records.

The invention, then, provides far more powerful, flexible and intuitive means for knowledge workers to personalise their information space than hitherto available. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of automatically populating a knowledge management system from a data item storage medium in order to allow searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources including said file storage medium, the storage medium including at least one folder which holds at least one data item, the folder having a folder name and the data item having a data item name, and wherein the method includes the steps of:

(a) providing a knowledge management system including a database adapted to store a plurality of records each having a keyword field and a data item identifier field;

(b) identifying a data item in a folder; (c) generating a new record in the database;

(d) storing a link to a unique one of said data items in the data item identifier field of the new record; and

(e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until a record has been created for each identified data item. In this form of the invention, the use of a folder name (or sub-folder name) as a keyword in the keyword field of a record relating to the file contained therein has the distinct advantage that a term which was selected by the user (the folder or sub-folder name) can be used in subsequent keyword-based information retrieval. The hierarchical folder structure of conventional file management tools such as Internet Explorer has hitherto made effective file retrieval - at least on a platform-independent medium - impossible. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of managing knowledge using a knowledge management system, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a knowledge management system including:

(i) a database adapted to store a plurality of records, the records selected from the group of note records and link records, each note record including a keyword field and a text field, each link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to a unique one of said data items; and

(ii) a user interface including:

A) a keyword display; B) a record path display; and

(C) a record display;

(b) displaying a keyword list in the keyword display;

(c) receiving a selection of a first keyword from a user; and

(d) displaying a first keyword sublist in the record path display. This aspect of the invention provides a highly intuitive way of performing keyword searches, and accessing the information relating to the records located in such searches.

Preferably, the method includes the additional steps of receiving a selection of a second keyword from a user, and displaying a second keyword sublist in the record path display, and these steps may be repeated for subsequent selected keywords and subsequent keyword sublists, until the most recendy displayed keyword sublist contains only one keyword.

Preferably, the step of displaying a first, second or subsequent keyword sublist in the record path display also includes the step of displaying a set of corresponding records in the record display. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of managing knowledge using a knowledge management system allowing searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the method including the steps of: (a) providing a knowledge management system including:

(ii) a user interface including:

(A) a complete keyword display;

(B) an active keyword display; and

(C) a record display; (b) displaying a complete keyword list in the keyword display;

(c) receiving a selection of a first keyword from a user;

(d) displaying a first keyword sublist in the keyword display;

(e) displaying the first keyword in the active keyword display; and

(f) displaying a first set of corresponding records in the record display. The user interface preferably includes an association display, and each record includes a relationship field containing an association with one or more link records or with one or more other note records. If any of the records in said first set of corresponding records includes one or more associations in its relationship field, the method includes the step of displaying said link/note record(s) in the association display. According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of generating a new note record for use in a knowledge management system allowing searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a new note record template having: ' (i) a template format; (ii) a template keyword field;

(iii) a template text field; and

(iv) a template relationship field;

(b) receiving a new note request from a user; (c) generating a new note record having the same fields and format as the new note template;

(d) displaying the new note record to the user;

(e) receiving one or more of: (i) a keyword; (ii) text; or

(iii) an association with a link record representing a data item or another note record from the user; and

(f) storing the keyword, text and/or association in the new note record's keyword field, text field and/or relationship field.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of generating a complete keyword list selected from a universal keyword list for use in a database, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a universal keyword list containing all keywords ever used in the database;

(b) calculating a keyword relevance weighting for each keyword in the universal keyword list according to a predetermined relevancy algorithm;

(c) identifying those keywords in the universal keyword list with a relevancy weighting higher that a predetermined weighting threshold; and adding those identified keywords to the complete keyword list.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: '

Figure 1 is a conceptual view of the relationships between the present invention and PIMs, file managers and Internet browsers;

Figures 2 and 2A show a Note screen in the process of creation of a new note; Figure 3 shows a Save As screen;

Figure 4 shows a Note Path screen;

Figures 5 and 5A show examples of Library screens; and

Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between a client and a server in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

It is to be noted that, throughout this document, the system of the invention is referred to as 'NoteStream', the trade mark which the applicant has chosen for this embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 schematically represents the present invention. NoteStream N contains note records 11, which are able to link through link records to data items (see below). Note records contain text fields for holding user-generated text information, whilst link records contain links to data items contained in PIMs, file managers, browsers and other data stores. Both types of records include keyword fields for holding keywords (words or terms) . NoteStream stores these note records and link records in the same way, allowing users to search and manage all information available to them, including notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages in the same way and in a common environment.

As will be explained in more detail below, the knowledge management system of the present invention has a user interface which allows users to perform a number of functions. Users can search and manage documents and files which appear in Windows Explorer, emails, contacts, tasks and appointments which appear in Oudook, and web page references (shortcuts) which appear as favourites or bookmarks in a browser application (eg Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) . Users can create notes, which can be customised for meetings, phone calls, journal entries, accounts, expenses and the like, and the notes allow the user to give context and meaning to all of their information. The invention allows users to index all their notes and links using intuitive relational keywords rather than the hierarchical folder names used in Windows Explorer, Oudook, Internet Explorer and Navigator. This common^'keyword indexing process in NoteStream facilitates the common searching and managing of information usually stored separately in different applications; PIMS, file managers, and Internet browsers. NoteStream allows users to index all their information including notes, documents and files, emails, tasks, appointments, contacts and web pages, and to access them via a screen known as the 'NoteStream Library' screen. The NoteStream Library is a common environment for searching and managing all of these types of information. The system allows notes to be used as 'containers' for relationships between items of information. Users can attach multiple notes and links to a note. A note or link attached to a note is said to be 'related' to that note, and in turn that note is related to its attachments) . Furthermore, links and notes attached to the same note are related to each other. The system also facilitates the searching of notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages using keywords, note types and link types, and relationship types. The invention

I also includes a 'Note Path' screen which allows the user to search and view multiple keyword search paths to his or her note records and link records. This screen allows users to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between the information available to them.

The present invention is not intended to replace PIMS, file manager utilities and browsers. Rather it serves to provide a common environment for searching and managing information stored in each of these applications. In a simple and practical way, NoteStream presents all of these different types of information in the same way, allowing the user to view and understand the relationships between notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages. The system also allows users to amend, expand and create new relationships between information.

The underlying information storage structure of the NoteStream system may be described as a knowledge management system, which includes a relational database to store a number of note records (or templates) and link records, a user interface which displays those note records and link records, and a search engine which enables searching of the database and passing of retrieved note records and link records to the interface.

Figure 2 show's a Note screen 10, appearing when a user wishes to create a new note record (or edit an existing one) . This screen is useful in illustrating the various fields of the note records, which are the building blocks of the present invention. As seen in the figure, each note record includes an active keyword field 1. When a user wishes to provide a particular keyword to a note record they can either select a keyword from a complete keyword list 2 (eg by double left-clicking a mouse), or type an existing or new keyword into the keyword entry field 3, and those keywords then appear in active keyword field 1. Each note record also includes a text field 4 which contains user- supplied note text 5. This text is any information the user wishes to record about a particular subject or event, and users can thus make notes about conversations, thoughts, telephone discussions, expenses and the like. The note record also includes an attachment field 6, for containing references to a number of data items, this information being stored in the note record as data capable of identifying (and so linking to) the

'attachment'. The references may be to other notes already existing in NoteStream, or to 'link records' (see below) associated with documents and files, email, contacts, tasks, appointments or web pages. The documents and files may be word processor files, spread sheet files, presentation files, graphics files, video files, sound files, or any other application program files. In particular, it is the link records which facilitate the linking of information usually stored separately in different applications; PIMS, file managers and Internet browsers.

Note screen 10 is associated with a separate 2-order attachment box 10', appearing when a user clicks on attachment button 8 in the taskbar. This attachment box provides a simple means of attaching data items to a note, as those items 7' can simply be dragged and dropped from other applications into attachment field 6', and box 10' is arranged to remain on top as the user clicks though onto other applications. When the user clicks on the attach button of box 10', a link record for the relevant data item is placed in a relationship field of the note. If such a link record does not exist, it is automatically created at this stage. In other words, the links associated with a note record may be existing link records in NoteStream, or may be newly created through the attachment process. As Figure 2A shows, once the data items 7 have been attached to the note they appear in attachment screen 6 of the note. Each note record 11 has a unique note identifier associated with it, and the link or reference from a first note record to a second involves storing the note identifier of the second note record in a relationship field of the first.

As shown in Figure 2, the note record also includes a subject field 13 which allows the user to record a subject for the particular note.

In the preferred embodiment, note records are of one or more different note types. These note types may correspond to particular note templates which determine the manner in which the note is displayed to the user. In the Note screen of Figure 2, a drop down menu 15 featuring a number of note type options are displayed. These options include 'meeting', 'phone call', 'contact', 'journal', 'account' and 'expense'. In this example, the 'meeting' option is selected, indicating that the new note displayed on the Note screen ("Meeting with Steve Jones") relates to a meeting. Alternative embodiments may have different or additional note type templates and options.

The method of generating a new note record involves a number of steps. The first step involves providing a new note template which has a template format, a template keyword field, a template text field, a template relationship field, and a subject field. When a new note request is received from a user, a new note record is generated, having the same fields and format as the new note template. The next step involves receiving one or more keywords, text, and/or attachment(s) from the user and storing these in the riew note record's keyword field, text field and/or relationship field respectively.

As mentioned above, the attachment may be notes and/or links. Each link may be to a document or a file, an email, a contact, a task, an appointment, and/or a URL. The document or file may be, for example, a word processor file, a spreadsheet file, a presentation file, a graphics file, a video file, a sound file and/or another application program file. Typically, then, the document or file is a file usually accessed via Microsoft's Windows Explorer software utility. Similarly, the email, contact, task or appointment is any personal information that might usually be accessed via Microsoft's Oudook software application, whilst the URL represents a web page that might usually be accessed via a web browser. As explained below, it is possible to search for notes according to a number of criteria, including keywords, note types and link types, using a Note Path screen 28 and a Library screen 29- Turning to link records, each link record includes a keyword field, a data item identifier field and a relationship field. The data item identifier field provides a reference to a particular document or file, email, contact, task, appointment or URL. The document or file is typically a word processor file, spreadsheet file, presentation file, graphics file, video file, sound file and/or other application program file. The relationship field contains a link or reference to one or more note records or link records which are related to that particular link record.

A link record is thus an independent entity in the NoteStream database, uniquely representing a data item available to the user. Each link record has its own keywords, but cannot of itself define a relationship between data items. Such relationships are provided by note records, as the relationship field of a note record identifies link records and other note records, allowing the user to create the relationships between data items.

As mentioned above, the database stores both note records and link records, both searchable by way of their keywords. The notes and links may exist independendy of one another. Links can be attached to notes, and notes can be attached to notes. In addition, a note can have multiple links and/or notes attached.

A note or link which is attached to a note may be described as being related to that note, and that note is related to the attached note or link. The links and notes attached to the same note may be described as being related to one another. These can be seen as 'primary' data relationships. As will be explained in greater detail below, the system also allows the user to search a note or link record (a 'searched record'), view any related items (related notes and links of the searched record), and then navigate to notes and links related to a related item beyond the searched record and other related items. These can be seen as 'secondary' data relationships. In this way, each note record acts as a container for the user's chosen relationships between data items, and user can move from container to container via common link records. Multiple note records can, of course, be associated with a single link. The bidirectional nature of the relationships between entities in the database enables the searching and navigational functionality of NoteStream. Both note records and link records may store auto-generated and user-formulated keywords in their respective keyword fields.

Figure 3 shows a 'Save As' screen 22. In one embodiment of the present invention, this screen appears automatically whenever a user chooses the 'save as' function in an application program (in addition to or as a substitute for other dialogue boxes that may appear as part of that application functionality) . Whether the user is in a Word document, a Powerpoint presentation, a web browser or in Outlook when he or she clicks 'file'; 'save as ...' on the application menu bar, this Save As screen 22 appears. The Save As screen shows the note record fields as displayed in the Note screen 10 (Figure 2), but in a somewhat different format. The user may enter a subject in the subject field 13 and comments as note text 5 in the text field 4. The user may also select any number of keywords 23 from a complete keyword list which is selectable via a dropdown button 24. Once selected from that list, or typed into the keyword entry field 3, the keywords 23 appear in keyword field 1. To illustrate an alternative display for of the

NoteStream function tools, the screen of Figure 3 shows note type selection provided by way of a column of buttons 15' rather than the drop down menu 15 or Figure 2.

When the Save As screen 22 is first opened from inside an application, the email, document or web page that the user was working in will automatically be attached and displayed as such in the attachment field 6. In this example, the user was working in an email 27 with an image file 25 and a word document 26 attached, when the 'save as' option was chosen. At that stage the newly created note record contains a subject, some note text, three attached files and a number of selected keywords, as shown in Figure 3. The searching functions of the present invention allow the user to search based on any of these information types, allowing the user to quickly and easily locate the information he or she seeks.

When the present invention is initially loaded onto a user's computer system, it can be used to automatically scan through the user's information, including folders, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and favourites on the user's computer or accessible by the user on a network, and creates new link records for each of these types of information. During the installation phase, the user is asked which folders and sub- folders from Windows Explorer he or she wishes to be 'compiled' in NoteStream. For example, the user's documents and files might typically appear in the 'My Documents' folder of Windows Explorer, and this folder may be selected for NoteStream compilation. This method of automatically populating the knowledge management system involves a number of steps. The first step involves providing a knowledge management system which includes a relational database capable of storing a number of note records and link records. The next step involves identifying a particular document or file in a particular folder. Next, a new link record is generated in the database and a link to the document or file is stored in the file identifier field of the new link record. The folder and sub-folder names in which the document or file is stored are identified and these names are stored as keywords in the keyword field. The process is then repeated until each document or file has a corresponding link record. At the end of this process there are therefore a number of link records, each linking to a particular file or document, and each having one or more keywords. These keywords, selected from the folder and sub-folder names, are thus system-generated keywords. The user is then able to add additional, user-supplied keywords to each of the link records at any time, in order to more easily search and retrieve links at a later stage.

Similar steps apply to the automatic population of emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and favourites into the knowledge management system. The system scans the relevant hierarchical data structures, chooses appropriate keywords based upon various prescribed criteria, including the folder and sub-folder names, and stores those keywords in the new link record, along with the necessary identifier of the relevant email, contact, task, appointment or favourite, as the case may be.

When initially created, the link record's relationship field is blank, but references to note records and to other link records may be added, indicating that those notes and links are related to the first mentioned link record. In this way, a link record is created that, unlike a note record, does not have a text field in which a user can write a note.

The search and retrieval functions of the present invention will now be described with reference to the Note Path screen 28 and Library screen 29 as shown in Figures 4 and 5 respectively.

Turning firsdy to Figure 4, the Note Path screen 28 allows the presentation to a user of the path to record information, and includes a keyword display 30, a note path display 31 and a note/link display 32 entided 'My Information'. When searching for information, or managing knowledge, the use of the Note Path screen 28 involves a number of steps. First, a complete keyword list 2 is displayed in keyword display 30. Next, a selection of a first keyword 33 is received from the user. In this case, the first keyword is the word "Graphics". A first keyword sub-list 34 is then displayed in note path display 31. When the first keyword sub list 34 is displayed, a set of corresponding note and link records 11 is displayed in the My Information display 32. Each of these corresponding records shares first keyword 33 as a common keyword. In this case the records displayed will all have the word "graphics" as a keyword.

These corresponding records 11 not only have the word "graphics" as a keyword, but also have a number of other keywords. These keywords are displayed in the first keyword sub- list 34 in note path display 31. In this case, those keywords include the words "domain names", "final tiffs", through to the word "projects". By displaying these related keywords, users are able to see and understand the multiple keyword search paths to their information, and therefore the relationships between their information. Rather than having to remember where their information is stored within a hierarchical structure, users can simply select a keyword, or series of keywords related to their information, and see the Note Path screen respond by narrowing their search. This Note Path screen gives the user a complete view of the search path they have taken, allowing them to reverse their search or adopt a different path at any time.

Once first keyword 33 has been selected and the first keyword sub-list 34 has been displayed in the note path display, and the corresponding note and link records 11 have been displayed in My Information display 32, the user can select a second keyword 35. In this example, the second keyword is the word "presentations". A second keyword sub-list 36 is then displayed in note path display 31. As this second keyword sub-list is displayed, a number of corresponding records 11 are displayed in My Information display 32. These corresponding records 11 each have both first keyword 33 and second keyword 35 as common keywords. That is, each of the records has both the words "graphics" and "presentations" as keywords. Those corresponding records 11 also have a number of other keywords. These other keywords are displayed in the second keyword sub-list 36. In this case, they include the words "final tiffs", through to "product description". As is clear from Figure 4, the method can involve repeating these selection steps until the final displayed keyword sub-list contains a single keyword. In this example, that keyword is the word "business plan templates". The records displayed in My Information display 32 all have the words "graphics", "presentations", "business model", "strategy" and "business plan templates" as common keywords. Of course, a user may find the particular note or link record he or she seeks once just one or two keywords have been selected.

That record can then be selected from My Information display 32 and its contents viewed.

In this preferred embodiment, the keyword sublists are displayed on the screen as partially overlapping one another. Additionally, the method includes the additional steps of receiving a deselection of a selected keyword from a user, and removing the selected keyword's corresponding keyword sublist from the note path display (with corresponding changes to the note and link records displayed) . In this way, a user is able to 'step back' along the path they have chosen and select a different keyword and proceed down a new path. As they step back, the system displays at each step a corresponding set of records in the My Information display 32. This usually result in the number of displayed records increasing at each step, since each set^'of records needs have one fewer keyword in common than the previous set.

The Note Path screen 28 also has a number of other features which allow users to more readily manage and locate desired information. The note and link type menu options 15 allow the user to filter the corresponding note and link records 11 found by their type. Note records can be filtered by note type, being a meeting, phone call, contact, journal, account or expense note type, whilst link types (signifying the type of document or file identified by that link record) include a Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, a Powerpoint presentation, an Adobe Acrobat document, an email, a sound file, a favourite internet page, a picture file or a video file. In this way the user can not only use keywords to readily locate their information, but can also filter the search results by note or link type. The filters can be applied at any iteration of a keyword search.

In the example shown in Figure 4, the My Information display 32 shows the corresponding note and link records (in the example shown, link records only have resulted from this search). In this format a number of pieces of information are displayed. These can include a Note Share icon 41 which indicates whether the record is available for viewing by other users on a network. The display also shows the subject 43 of the record (for a link record, this will be the name of the linked data item), and one or more attachment icons 44 which indicate the types of documents or files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages which appear in the attachment field 6 of the record (see Figure 2). The My Information display also shows time/date information 45, indicating the date and time the record was created or last modified.

Examples of the NoteStream Library screen 29 are shown in Figures 5 and 5A. Screen 29 includes a keyword display 30, an active keyword display 52; a My Information display 53 and an association display, referred to in NoteStream as a 'Related Items display' 54. The searching facilities provided by the Library screen work in a similar way to those of the Note Path screen 28 but are displayed in a somewhat different format. Users may choose to search for notes or links using either screen, and each screen may be preferable to the other depending upon the circumstances and/or the user's preferences. The information displayed includes record type icons 44 and file names 47, as well as association icons 42 readily identifying which records are related to other records. The Related Item display allows the NoteStream user to navigate readily through the relationships between information.

In the example of Figure 5, association icon 42 in the relationship field of the note record "Meeting with Steve Jones" indicates to the user that the note has associations, and these appear in the Related Items display; "Future Work", "Projections Summary", etc. In the screen of Figure 5A, the keyword search has resulted in a record list including the link record "Projections Summary", association icon 42 indicating that this link record has associations, these appearing in the Related Items display. As shown, the meeting note record "Meeting with Steve Jones" appears as one of the associated records, the other records displayed in this example being the link records also included in the relationship field of that note record. This illustrates how a note serves as a container of the relationship between different data items, and the user can locate that relationship from a variety of different directions.

The method of managing knowledge using Library screen 29 involves a number of steps. First, complete keyword list 2 is displayed in keyword display 30, and a user selects a first keyword 33- In this example, the first keyword is the term "ACCC Docs". A first keyword sublist 34 is then displayed in keyword display 30. First keyword 33 is displayed in the active keyword display 52 and a first set of corresponding note and/or link records 11 is displayed in the My Information display 53. The first set of corresponding records 11 share the first keyword (in this case the term "ACCC Docs") as a common keyword. In this way, the user is shown all of the records which have that first keyword as a common keyword. The user may see the note or link record in which they are interested immediately from that preliminary search and thereby be able to readily select the record of interest at this early stage. If, however, the first set of corresponding note and/or link records is too long, they can readily continue the process by selecting another keyword.

The method then involves the step of receiving a selection of a second keyword 35 from the user. A second keyword sublist 36 is then displayed in keyword display 30, and second keyword 35 is displayed in active keyword display 52, a second set of corresponding records being displayed in My Information display 53. This second set of corresponding note records is generally a shorter list than that generated from use of first keyword 33, as the records all share both first and second keywords as common keywords.

The second set of corresponding records contain a number of other keywords, those other keywords constituting a second keyword sublist 36 shown in keyword display 30. As mentioned above, the user can select a desired note or link record as soon as it appears in the My Information display, or can continue selecting keywords until keyword display 30 contains only one keyword. In that instance, active keyword display 52 will contain a number of active keywords and the records 11 displayed in the My Information display will have all of those active keywords as common keywords. As with the Note Path screen 28, the Library screen 29 also includes note and link type menu options, which allow a user to filter the records displayed according to note and link types.

As seen in Figure 5, when a particular record in the My Information display is selected by a user, the related notes and links 7 appear in a Related Items display 54 at the bottom of the screen.

Note and link records may be sorted in the displays by subject, attachment type and creation or last edit date by clicking on the subject 56 and date 58 buttons respectively. Records may also be sorted by Note Share and Related Items buttons (41 and 57 respectively). A back button 59 allows a user to deselect active keywords to step back in the searching process. The clear button 60 allows a user to start the search again. The new note button 61 brings up the New Note screen 10 and allows a user to create a new note. The note path button 62 brings up the Note Path screen 28 and allows a user to search using that facility. The Note Share button 63 introduces a number of features available in networked environments. Through the Note Share facility users can allow other users on the network to access and view their information including their notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages. It allows access rights to be restricted. Note Share allows users to share their information and to track changes to that information. The tracking facility of the present invention is known as Note Track. Using Note Track, a user is able to define a set of reporting parameters which indicate the circumstances in which they would like to be notified of other users viewing or changing their records. In the preferred embodiment, this notification occurs by a facility known as Note Flash. If the Note Flash facility is activated, the Note Stream icon 64 in the top left corner will flash red. This indicates that the user has an entry in Note Share. By clicking on the Note Share button 63 a Note Share window opens (not shown). This window is effectively an 'inbox'. Each time another user on the network views or changes a primary user's shared information, that primary user will receive a Note Flash. The primary user is then able to view the changes or the connected notes in Note Share. In another embodiment, notes and link records are shared between users on a network via email using an email manager such as Oudook. Conversely, if another user on the network wishes the primary user to view his or her shared information, the primary user will also receive a Note Flash and an entry in Note Share. In this way, the Note Share facility enables collaboration within user groups. Upon opening the shared note or link record, the primary user may save it in the NoteStream library together with the keywords nominated by the creator of the note or link record. The primary user may also add their own keywords to facilitate retrieval of that shared information in the future. It will be appreciated from this description that keywords for shared notes, documents and files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages form a network-wide master list of keywords which assist authorised network users to locate shared information. The number of auto-generated and user-formulated keywords in the NoteStream system may tend to grow rapidly, depending on the frequency of use of the invention and the interests of the user. Keywords are intended to improve search and retrieval of information over traditional methods, but the methodology can become less effective once the number of keywords expands beyond certain thresholds, e.g. when, for a given user, it becomes difficult to identify a keyword associated with a note or link record, due to the sheer volume of keywords.

Therefore, rules have been devised which allow for the automatic archiving of keywords. The rules, or keyword archiving algorithms, might be run on request by a user, daily, or at some other user-nominated interval. One embodiment of the system therefore involves a method of generating a complete keyword list selected from a universal keyword list for use in a database, the method including the steps of providing a universal keyword list containing all keywords ever used in the database, calculating a keyword relevance weighting for each keyword in the universal keyword list according to a predetermined relevancy algorithm, identifying those keywords in the universal keyword list with a relevancy weighting higher that a predetermined weighting threshold, and adding those identified keywords to the complete keyword list. The method may include the step of displaying the complete keyword list on a user interface.

The method may include the step of identifying those keywords in the universal keyword list with a relevancy weighting lower than the predetermined weighting threshold and adding those identified keywords to an archived keyword list. Preferably, the relevancy algorithm takes into account one or more of the following: keyword occurrence, keyword frequency; and keyword usefulness.

Preferably, the database includes a plurality of records and the keyword occurrence is the number of records in which a particular keyword appears. Since a keyword can only . occur in a particular record once, the occurrence is calculated as the number of records in which a particular (non-archived) keyword occurs. The only variable is the number of records (N).

Preferably, the database is used by a user and the keyword frequency is calculated with reference to the number of times said user uses the keyword over a predetermined period. This frequency is a weighting of keyword usage by the user over the predetermined period. According to this system, a keyword used recentiy is given a higher weighting than a keyword used months ago. Variables include the number of days in defined period, the weighting factor (which may be a function of the number of days in the defined period) and a weighted frequency which represents a percentage at which the rule is satisfied (F) . Preferably, a record may be located in the database using the keywords as search criteria. The keywords are entered by the user in a particular order. Even more preferably, the keyword usefulness is calculated with reference to the order in which the keywords are entered by the user when locating a particular record. This usefulness is therefore a weighting of the order of keywords used to access a particular record over a number of access events. In this system, a keyword is considered more relevant and therefore less likely to be archived if it is used more often at an earlier stage of a search than other keywords associated with the same record. Variables include the number of access events included and the weighted average percentage at which the rule is satisfied (LJ). 20

A number of rules are inherent within this weighting algorithm. These may be divided into 'Global Rules' which are keyword-specific and 'Local Rules' which are record-specific. According to this method a Global Rule can be qualified by a Local Rule, but not vice versa. An application of the Global Rules produces keyword candidates for archiving. If the Local Rules are then satisfied for a candidate and a given record, the relevant keyword is archived from that record.

For example, referring to the Global Rules, if either of the following rules is satisfied for a particular keyword, the keyword becomes a candidate for archiving:

(a) OCCURRENCE > [N] records; OR (b) FREQUENCY < [F]%

Referring to the Local Rules, if both of the following rules are satisfied for a particular keyword candidate in respect of a particular record, the keyword is archived from that record:

(a) the keyword is not the only keyword for that record; AND (b) USEFULNESS < [£/]%.

The following paragraphs discuss aspects of functionality and technical implementation of the system of the invention. Generally, any reference to the invention in the following discussion should be taken as a reference to the stand-alone form of the present invention. Any reference to NoteShare should be taken as a reference to the networked form of the present invention.

The invention Library screen shown in Figure 5 is displayed when NoteStream is started. It is intended to be kept running by the user while they are using their PC.

Save As, Open and Attach

Optionally, NoteStream intercepts all Save-As, Open and Attach operations, effectively providing a substitute for the standard Windows dialogs.

There is a range of options for the NoteStream application in terms of how much it intervenes in the operation of the Windows environment. This range extends over the application acting as a note-taking adjunct to the user's normal working habits, through to NoteStream acting as the whole interface to the user's file system, where location of files and notes is carried out entirely through NoteStream. These options include, but are not limited to: (a) Complete takeover of the file manager;

(b) Save in NoteStream as an option on the file menu of all applications in addition to the normal save operations; the "Open" action being carried out solely through NoteStream; (c) Use Windows Explorer or the application functions to open and save files, scanning of files is carried out through NoteStream, so that all files are available in NoteStream automatically.

(d) As for (c) but without document scanning.

Directory and Mail Scanning for Note source entries The user may specify one or more directories that are to be periodically scanned for newly created files that have not already been scanned and provided with link records in NoteStream. Typically, a user will specify the 'My Documents' directory in the Microsoft Windows operating system. The application uses the words in the sub-directory folder names and in the file name to automatically attach keywords to new link records. The application also tracks ongoing changes made by a user to folder names and file names in Windows Explorer, and the location of files in Windows Explorer, and automatically updates keywords and link records in NoteStream accordingly.

The application can also be arranged to periodically scan the Microsoft Oudook database to locate new emails, meetings, contacts, journal entries and other entries of interest. Link records for these are then created in NoteStream and indexed and updated.

NoteShare

Preferably, the invention supports voice, WAP/GPRS and HTTP clients. These are preferably built on top of the NoteShare engine.

This engine, in summary, needs to support generation of NoteFlash events, management of subscriptions to NoteFlash events, replication of indexing information including keywords, relationships and note contents; routing of file and note access requests; and management of security.

One embodiment places various engines around the core sharing engine which act as renderers and transaction sequencers. The engine is responsible for managing security including groups and users, generating NoteFlash events, retrieving shared notes and links on behalf of clients, and sharing indexing information with clients to enable a degree of disconnected operation.

This engine acts as a passive recipient of requests from another agent or client.

The clients are responsible for rendering data in various ways, and communicate with the server through XML over TCP IP sockets. XML is chosen to decouple the clients from the server to some extend and to. allow different content for requests of the same type, that are from different clients.

The function requests are forwarded in blocks to the server, with each function having an identifier that is unique within the block of requests. This supports replication and decoupled operation. Each request has an identifier that the client should (but is not required to) make unique, which will be returned with the batched responses. The server will not maintain client related state between these transactions. This will ensure that the server can be clustered and that service demand (the amount of CPU, memory and IO needed to run the application) is proportional to the number of users and the number of data items that are to be replicated between them.

Physically, an approach to this batching is to have a message handler component that sits on top of an API that is used both by the server and the clients. The API receives parameter lists that are passed in the XML document and generates responses packaged as XML entities and returned to the clients in response documents. Figure 6 illustrates this embodiment in diagram form.

At the present stage of development of NoteStream, the invention can be implemented in a number of different ways:

'NoteStream Personal': The personal desktop version, allowing users to personalise, coordinate, organise and relate files for rapid search and retrieval. 'NoteStreamNetwork': The enterprise version of NoteStream, allowing users on the same network to share notes and files.

'NoteStreamMobile': A mobile version, requiring that NoteStream Personal or NoteStream Network is installed. A user loads NoteStreamMobile onto a Handheld or PDA, and can then create notes away from their desktop environment, and then synchronise to update their PC/Network later. 'NoteStream Voice': A voice application, which requires NoteStream Network is installed. This allows a user to dictate notes remotely using a mobile phone, Handheld, PDA or a dedicated voicemail. The dictated notes are transmitted in real time and automatically converted to text notes in NoteStream on the user's PC, ready for editing and sharing upon the user's return to the office.

It will be appreciated from the above description that note records and link records are a powerful way to give information context and meaning because notes record a user's thoughts about a subject or event, and links, as shortcuts to existing information on a PC, allow rapid and informed access to relevant information. Note and link records therefore facilitate the capture of tacit information and knowledge. Existing note-taking systems, such as the Notes function in Oudook, have limited functionality and usually separate notes from other digital information such as files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages. The present invention, however, provides a single interface which enables a user to readily search and access all of these different types of information. The user need not change the way he or she works to use the invention. As described above, once it is loaded onto the user's computer system it automatically creates the links between the different items of information, and automatically updates those links as changes occur. The links are indexed in multiple ways, including by folder identity (derived from the Windows Explorer folder directory) and personal keywords (both auto- generated and user-formulated), thus allowing the user to search and manage notes, files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages in a manner not hitherto possible. The system has a familiar, intuitive and highly functional interface.

In a networked environment, the invention provides the benefits of the personal system, together with an enterprise system for sharing information and facilitating workgroup collaboration. Because NoteStream indexes shortcuts to information irrespective of where the information is actually stored, it solves the problem of searching information stored in separate locations under different hierarchical folder directories, a problem common to most businesses.

In managing email, NoteStream can be used to address the common information overload issue. Conventional systems have significant shortcomings when used to communicate or store knowledge, as there is no satisfactory way to store sent or received email, or index it with related documents and files (or other information types). Sorting through emails to distinguish real knowledge from transitory information is a difficult and time-consuming task. Note records in NoteStream offer a simple, powerful yet complementary variation on this process. Valuable thoughts can first be captured in a note record, which can be indexed in NoteStream, then shared with one or more network users as an attachment to email. Importandy, the knowledge created will be available and accessible to both the sender and recipient of the email in their NoteStream repositories, allowing them to build on the knowledge over time. In this respect, NoteStream is not a substitute for email, rather notes become an alternative way of capturing knowledge (as opposed to transitory information), while email remains the preferred transportation mode for internal and external communication of that knowledge. This approach allows email to be deleted rather than stockpiled, as the knowledge now resides as a note in NoteStream and can be easily searched and retrieved in the future. Furthermore, a PC user can drag or drop any email into NoteStream at any time, and index emails with all other information types.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A knowledge management system allowing searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the system including:

(e) a database storing a plurality of records, the records selected from the group of note records and link records, each note record including a keyword field and a text field, each link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to a unique one of said data items;

(f) a user interface adapted to display some or all of the records; and (g) a search engine adapted to search the database and pass retrieved records to the interface, wherein the keyword field of each record contains one or more keywords, and the search engine is configured to search the database and retrieve records according to their keywords.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the text field of each note record contains user- supplied note text and the user interface is adapted to allow input of text from a user.

3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each note record further includes a relationship field containing an association with one or more link records, the association enabling a user to access the data item or items represented by the one or more link records using said user interface.

4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the data items are selected from the group of files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages, and wherein the files may include at least one file selected from the group of word processor files, spreadsheet files, presentation files, graphics files, video files and sound files.

5. The system of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the relationship field of each note record also contains an association with one or more other note records.

6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the record includes a subject field and has a record type categorising the type of record.

7. The system of claim 6, the record being a note record, the record type being a note type selected from the group of a meeting type, a phone call type, a contact type, a task

> type, an appointment type, an account type, and an expense type.

8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the keyword field of each record contains one or more system-generated keywords.

9. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the user interface is adapted to enable a user to selectively supply keywords for each record.

10. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the search engine is further configured to search the database and retrieve records according to an attribute selected from the group of: note record type, categorising the type of note record; link record type, in accordance with the association with one or more data items; and association type, in accordance with whether two or more note records share a common association.

11. The system of any preceding claim, wherein each record includes a record identifier field for containing a unique identifier of that record to enable indexing of the record in the database.

12. The system of any preceding claim for use in a networked environment, wherein each recorcl includes a record-share field in order to indicate whether the record is available to multiple users in a networked environment.

13- The system of any preceding claim, wherein the database is a relational database.

14. ; A method of automatically populating a knowledge management system from a data item storage medium in order to allow searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources including said file storage medium, the storage medium including at least one folder which holds at least one data item, the folder having a folder name and the data item having a data item name, and wherein the method includes the steps of:

(a) providing a knowledge management system including a database adapted to store a plurality of records each having a keyword field and a data item identifier field; (b) identifying a data item in a folder; "

(c) generating a new record in the database;

(h) storing a link to a unique one of said data items in the data item identifier field of the new record; and

(e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until a record has been created for each identified data item.

15. The method of claim 14, each record also having a text field for storing user supplied note text.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, including the step of storing the folder name as a keyword in the keyword field of the new record.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each folder holds a sub-folder, the sub-folder having a sub-folder name, that sub-folder holding the data item, the method including the step of storing both the folder name and the sub-folder name as keywords in the keyword field of the new record.

18. The method of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein identifying step (b) includes the step of first receiving from a user a selection of a particular folder, indicating that the user wishes the contents of that folder to be automatically populated into the knowledge management system.

19- The method of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein each record includes a record identifier field for containing a unique identifier of that record.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each record contains a relationship field for containing an association with one or more other records.

21. The method of any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein link records are provided for data items selected from the group of files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages, wherein the files may include at least one file selected from the group of word processor files, spreadsheet files, presentation files, graphics files, video files and sound files.

22. A method of managing knowledge using a knowledge management system, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a knowledge management system including: (i) a database adapted to store a plurality of records, the records selected from the group of note records and link records, each note record including a keyword field and a text field, each link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to a unique one of said data items; and (ii) a user interface including:

A) a keyword display; B) ^' a record path display; and (C) a record display;

(b) displaying a keyword list in the keyword display;

(c) receiving a selection of a first keyword from a user; and (d) displaying a first keyword sublist in the record path display.

23. The method of claim 22 including the additional steps of:

(e) receiving a selection of a second keyword from a user; and

(f) displaying a second keyword sublist in the record path display.

24. The method of claim 23 including the steps of: (g) repeating steps (e) and (f) for subsequent selected keywords and subsequent keyword sublists.

25. The method of claim 24 including repeating step (g) until the most recendy displayed keyword sublist contains only one keyword.

26. The method of any one of claims 22 to 25, wherein the step of displaying a first, second or subsequent keyword sublist in the record path display also includes the step of displaying a set of corresponding records in the record display.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the records of a first set of corresponding records each has the first keyword as a common keyword in the respective keyword fields.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein, for the first set of corresponding records whose keyword fields also contain at least one other keyword, those other keywords constitute the first keyword sublist.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein those other keywords constituting the first keyword sublist are keywords common to one or more but not all records in said first set of corresponding records.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the records of a second set of corresponding records each has both the first and second keywords as common keywords in the respective keyword fields.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein, for the second set of corresponding records whose keyword fields also contain other keywords, those other keywords constitute the second keyword sublist.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein those other keywords constituting the second keyword sublist are keywords common to one or more but not all records in said second set of corresponding records.

33. The method of any one of claims 23 to 32, the keyword sublists displayed in the record path display in a successive spaced order, each sublist partially overlapping or being overlapped by the next.

34. The method of any one of claims 22 to 33 insofar as dependent thereon, the user interface including at least one selectable filtering function, each filtering function associated with corresponding filtering criteria, the method including the additional steps of:

(h) receiving a selection of a filtering function from a user; and (i) displaying in the record display only corresponding records which meet the corresponding filtering criteria.

35. The method of claim 34, the selectable filtering function provided in the user interface by way of a filter icon or a drop-down box.

36. The method of any one of claims 22 to 35 applied to a knowledge management system of any one of claims 1 to 13.

37. The method of any one of claims 22 to 36, the user interface including a selectable file view button, the method including the additional steps of:

(j) receiving a file view button selection from a user;

(k) removing the records from the record display; and (1) displaying attachments to those records in the record display.

38. The method of any one of claims 22 to 37, including the steps of:

(m) receiving a deselection of a selected keyword from a user;

(n) removing the selected keyword's corresponding keyword sublist from the record path display; and (o) displaying a corresponding set of records in the record display.

39. The method of any one of claims 22 to 38 for use in a networked environment, wherein each record includes a record-share field to indicate whether the record is available to multiple users in a networked environment.

40. A method of managing knowledge using a knowledge management system allowing searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a knowledge management system including:

(ii) a user interface including:

(A) a complete keyword display; (B) an active keyword display; and

(D) a record display;

(b) displaying a complete keyword list in the keyword display;

(c) receiving a selection of a first keyword from a user;

(d) displaying a first keyword sublist in the keyword display; (e) displaying the first keyword in the active keyword display; and

(f) displaying a first set of corresponding records in the record display.

41. The method of claim 40, the user interface including an association display.

42. The method of claim 40 or 41, wherein each record includes a relationship field containing an association with one or more link records or with one or more other note records, the association enabling a user to access the one or more note records or one or more data items represented by said link records using said user interface.

43- The method of claim 42, wherein the data items are selected from the group of files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages, and wherein the files may include at least one file selected from the group of word processor files, spreadsheet files, presentation files, graphics files, video files and sound files.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein, if any of the records in said first set of corresponding records includes one or more associations in its relationship field, the method includes the step of displaying said one or more link records or note records in the association display.

45. The method of any one of claims 40 to 44, wherein the records of the first set of corresponding records has the first keyword as a common keyword in the respective keyword fields.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein, for the first set of corresponding records whose keyword fields also contains other keywords, those other keywords constitute the first keyword sublist.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein those other keywords constituting the first keyword sublist are keywords common to one or more but not all records in said first set of corresponding records.

48. The method of any one of claims 40 to 47, including the additional steps of: (g) receiving a selection of a second keyword from a user;

(h) displaying a second keyword sublist in the keyword display;

(i) displaying the second keyword in the active keyword display; and

(j) displaying a second set of corresponding records in the record display.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the records of the second set of corresponding records each has both the first and second keywords as common keywords in the respective keyword fields.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein, for the records of the second set of corresponding records whose keyword fields also contain other keyword, those other keywords constitute the second keyword sublist.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein those other keywords constituting the second keyword sublist are keywords common to one or more but not all records in said second set of corresponding records.

52. The method according to any one of claims 48 to 51, wherein steps (g), (h), (i) and (j) are repeated until the keyword display contains only one keyword.

53- The method of any one of claims 40 to 52 wherein, if any of the records in said first set of corresponding records includes one or more associations, the method includes the step of displaying said one or more other link records or note records in the association display.

54. The method of any one of claims 40 to 53, including providing a user-selectable option to reverse the display of a set of corresponding records in the record display and any corresponding associations in the association display, so to display the records in the association display and the associations in the record display.

55. The method of any one of claims 40 to 54, the set of corresponding records having one or more associations with other note records, other link records, or other data items, the method including displaying both the records and said associations in the record display.

56. The method of any one of claims 40 to 55, for use in a networked environment, wherein each record includes a record-share field in order to indicate whether the record is available to multiple users in the networked environment.

57. A method of generating a new note record for use in a knowledge management system allowing searching of data items accessible to a user but stored in heterogeneous data resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a new note record template having: (i) a template format;

(ii) a template keyword field; (iii) a template text field; and (iv) a template relationship field;

(d) displaying the new note record to the user;

(e) receiving one or more of: (i) a keyword; (ii) text; or (iii) an association with a link record representing a data item or another note record from the user; and

58. The method of claim 57, the new note record template having a template format selected from the group of a meeting format, a phone call format, a contact format, a task format, an appointment format, an account format, and an expense format.

59. The method of claim 57 or 58, wherein said association with a data item involves an association between said new note record and a link record, the link record including a keyword field and a data item identifier field, the data item identifier field representing a link to said data item, the data item selected from the group of files, emails, contacts, tasks, appointments and web pages.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the one or more data items include at least one file selected from the group of word processor files, spreadsheet files, presentation files, graphics files, video files and sound files.

61. The method of any one of claims 59 or 60, including displaying to the user a graphical attachment space into which data items from computer applications used by the user can be dragged and dropped, in order to create additional associations of the note record.

62. A method of generating a complete keyword list selected from a universal keyword list for use in a database, the method including the steps of:

(d) providing a universal keyword list containing all keywords ever used in the database; (e) calculating a keyword relevance weighting for each keyword in the universal keyword list according to a predetermined relevancy algorithm;

(f) identifying those keywords in the universal keyword list with a relevancy weighting higher that a predetermined weighting threshold; and

(g) adding those identified keywords to the complete keyword list.

63. The method of claim 62, including the step of displaying the complete keyword list on a user interface.

64. The method of claim 62 or 63 including the step of identifying those keywords in the universal keyword list with a relevancy weighting lower than the predetermined weighting threshold and adding those identified keywords to an archived keyword list.

65. The method of any one of claims 62 to 64, wherein the relevancy algorithm takes into account one or more factors selected from the group of: keyword occurrence, related to the number of records in which a particular keyword appears; keyword frequency, calculated with reference to the number of times a keyword is used over a predetermined period; and keyword usefulness, calculated with reference to, where records are locatable in the database using the keywords as search criteria, the order in which keywords are entered by a user when locating a particular record.

66. A computer program product, on a computer readable medium, comprising code for carrying out the method of any one of claims 14 to 65.

67. An apparatus for knowledge management, including a computer system programmed for carrying out the method of any one of claims 14 to 65.