Development of the Africa UN Knowledge Management Hub: Technology, Challenges and way forward
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The Africa Knowledge Management Hub (https://akmh.uneca.org/) is a knowledge ecosystem, bringing into one space and ensuring integration, interoperability, and accessibility to the distributed UN knowledge assets in Africa, to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. As an online ecosystem constituted of a “mashup” of different knowledge types and related tools: Expertise repository experts and Communities of Practice (CoPs), and owned by all the UN agencies working in Africa, its development has been confronted by multiform issues and challenges. Therefore, the objective of this discussion is to share ideas and experience on the technological application, and challenges encountered, and to formulate proposals for a way forward.
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The development of the African Knowledge Management Hub (AKMH), ensuring integration, interoperability, visibility, and accessibility to Africa regional UNDS knowledge assets is a flagship initiative of the Africa - Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP). After approval of the concept note by the RCP Co-chairs, the pre-development phase started with a survey conducted by the Taskforce to identify regional repositories to be mapped to the hub. This was followed by a definition of the content and the architectural design. The technological application and standards were identified and a template was selected and tested.
The development phase started in March 2023, with a beta version, developed in an open-source environment, and using the Drupal 9.0 software solution. Today, the AKMH is about 98% developed. The main functions and features include the Homepage, including its subpages (Africa RCP Secretariat, Africa UNCT, & Africa UNDS), and the main menus (OIBC, Expertise Repository, Data & Statistics, Publications, Repositories & tools, Collaboration, Events, and the SDG).
After a review phase, major improvements included the development of a disability inclusion function, the adding of links to other UN regional knowledge management hubs, and the updating of the various menus and pages.
Today, the hub is temporarily accessible online via: https://akmh.uneca.org/, and the launch is planned for September 7, 2023, during the RCP annual retreat in Nairobi.
Apart from its main menus and pages, the hub is constituted of related tools such as a Community of Practice (CoP) platform for the OIBCs and Taskforces, accessible via: https://community.uneca.org/, and a UN Expertise Repository, equally accessible via: https://expertise.africakm.un.org/.
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Identified as a part of the flagship initiative of Africa – RCP’s Task Force #2 focusing on strengthening and mainstreaming the Knowledge Management function of the regional UNDS, the development of a Community of Practice (CoP) platform for the OIBCs, started in 2021. The initial version of the platform was developed in an open-source environment, using Flarum (https://flarum.org/), a next-generation software, which offers innovative and customizable features. It was fully developed, tested, and secured against any security vulnerabilities, hosted and temporarily accessible online via: https://discourse.uneca.org/akmh/public/). Usage statistics included: 08 communities (discussion forums) created, 13 discussions started, I84 users, and 46 posts.
However, in the course of testing and finalisation, and upon assessment, it was found that the flarum software was not updated. Equally, the functions and features provide were limited in satisfying the needs of the OIBCs and Taskforces for a more robust and user-friend solution, providing advanced functions and features including shared files, blogging, internal and external notifications and alerts, moderation tools, private messaging, analytics tools and reporting capabilities, etc.
The above missing functions and features were found to be crucial in responding to the needs of the OIBCs and Task forces in promoting peer-to-peer learning, knowledge networking, and experience sharing. It was therefore recommended to conduct a technological intelligence, permitting the search, identification, and application of a more satisfactory solution. -
In the digital age, Communities of Practice (CoPs) have emerged as a vital hubs for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and professional development. These online communities unite individuals who share common interests or expertise to engage in discussions and share insights. While Drupal(https://www.drupal.org) is a powerful and adaptable content management system, it may not be the most suitable choice for developing a CoP with specific features. In this article, we will delve into the limitations of Drupal when building CoPs and propose an alternative platform, NodeBB, designed exclusively for forum discussions.
The Limitations of Drupal for CoPs
Real-time and Email Notifications: A dynamic CoP relies on real-time and email notifications to keep members informed about ongoing discussions and upcoming events. Unfortunately, Drupal does not offer comprehensive out-of-the-box support for these crucial features. While there are modules and extensions available, implementing them can be intricate and may not seamlessly integrate with your CoP.Lack of Dedicated Forum Support: Drupal is a versatile CMS initially created to cater to a wide range of web development needs. Although it includes a basic forum module, it does not possess the specialized focus that platforms like NodeBB offer. This native forum module may not meet the expectations of CoP administrators looking for advanced forum features.
Engagement Features: A thriving CoP thrives on user engagement, which includes features such as 'likes,' 'dislikes,' 'shares,' and 'follows.' Drupal's native forum module does not incorporate these interactive elements. As a result, CoP organizers may find themselves seeking a more interactive and user-friendly alternative.
While Drupal remains a versatile content management system capable of serving various web development needs, it may not fully meet the requirements of creating a dynamic Community of Practice with advanced forum features, real-time notifications, and robust engagement tools. In such cases, exploring specialized platforms like NodeBB, dedicated to forum discussions, emerges as a more effective solution. it's essential to weigh the specific needs and objectives of your community against the capabilities of your chosen platform.
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In the ever-evolving landscape of web development and content management systems, choosing the right platform for a forum can be a critical decision. Two popular options in this regard are NodeBB and Drupal. While both have their merits, this essay will explore the advantages of NodeBB over the Drupal platform for forum development.
NodeBB: A Brief Overview
NodeBB is an open-source, modern forum software built on Node.js, a powerful and efficient server-side JavaScript runtime. It was designed with a focus on speed, responsiveness, and user engagement. Here are some compelling reasons why NodeBB stands out as a superior choice for forum development when compared to Drupal:
Real-time Interactivity:
NodeBB leverages WebSockets to provide real-time communication and updates, ensuring that forum members can engage in lively, dynamic discussions without the need to refresh the page. This real-time interactivity enhances user engagement and fosters a sense of community.
Scalability and Performance:Node.js, the foundation of NodeBB, is renowned for its high performance and scalability. NodeBB can handle a large number of concurrent users and discussions, making it an ideal choice for forums that anticipate substantial growth.
User-Friendly Interface:
NodeBB offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that encourages active participation. Its modern design and responsive layout adapt seamlessly to various devices, ensuring a consistent and enjoyable user experience on both desktop and mobile platforms.
Comprehensive Plugin Ecosystem:NodeBB boasts a vibrant plugin ecosystem that allows forum administrators to extend and customize their forums with ease. Whether you need gamification features, social media integration, or specific user engagement tools, you can find a wide range of plugins to suit your needs.
SEO-Friendly:
NodeBB's architecture and design prioritize search engine optimization (SEO). It generates clean and SEO-friendly URLs, supports meta tags, and provides customizable SEO settings, making it easier for forum content to rank well in search engine results.
Strong Community Support:NodeBB benefits from an active and supportive community of developers and users. This ensures that you have access to a wealth of resources, including documentation, tutorials, and forums, to help you navigate any challenges you may encounter during forum setup and customization.
Security:NodeBB takes security seriously, with regular updates and patches to address vulnerabilities promptly. Additionally, it supports various authentication methods and offers robust user management features, enhancing the security of your forum.
Conclusion:
While Drupal is a versatile content management system with forum capabilities, NodeBB excels as a specialized and dedicated forum software. Its real-time interactivity, scalability, user-friendly interface, plugin ecosystem, SEO-friendliness, strong community support, and commitment to security make it a superior choice for those seeking to create engaging and vibrant online communities.
Ultimately, the choice between NodeBB and Drupal depends on your specific requirements and goals. If your primary focus is on creating a feature-rich and interactive forum that promotes user engagement and growth, NodeBB emerges as the advantageous choice in the realm of forum platforms.
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Many thanks for sharing your experience on the technological aspects related to the development of the Africa UN Knowledge Management Hub (AKMH) and the Community of Practice for the OIBC. Let me equally share some knowledge related to the development of the Expertise Repository, which is equally a tool of the AKMH.
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With the objective to facilitate the mapping and identification of expertise across the SDGs, OIBCs thematic areas, as well as countries of expertise across the region, the development of the Africa UN experts and expertise database commenced in 2021.
In the first phase, the technical requirements analysis, architectural design, content definition and a prototype were developed. Work continued in 2022 with reviewing by the technical team and stakeholders, and the integration of new features and functions as recommended. This includes a multicriterial advanced search and display function; improved metadata for expertise description; links to the websites of UNDS agencies; publications authored by UN experts working in various agencies, SDG thematic, and geographic regions in Africa; and UN job opportunities.
Developed under .NET technologies with backend of MSSQL server and hosted on Microsoft Azure, the database was fully tested and secured against any security vulnerabilities and accessible online via: https://expertise.africakm.un.org/. As of March 2023, the profile of close to 500 experts across UN agencies in Africa has been created, this figure was expected to significantly increase with the implementation of a unique policy mandating UN agencies to populate the platform through the harvesting of data from their respective talent portals. As an integral part of the Africa UN Knowledge Management Hub, the tool is expected to be launched in September 2023.
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After sharing our experience on the technological aspects related to the development of the AKMH and related tools (Expertise repository and Community of Practice), let us kindly discuss some of the major challenges encountered.
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Challenges faced by Task Force #2 in the development of the Africa UN Knowledge Management Hub and its related tools are of technical, financial, and managerial dimensions.
However, the general challenges include:
• Lack of a secretariat—wide policy, making engagement by UNDS entities voluntary and on a willingness basis;
• Need to comply with the requirements of the UN Secretariat related to official website domain naming, including translation into the UN languages;
• Need for funding to engage services/expertise to achieve planned results in a timely manner;
• Assumptions that the members of the OIBCs should deliver on the Regional KM Hub activities above the assigned duties which requires 200% of staff time.
• Lack of a consensus on the definition of the Expertise Repository and what level of information is required from experts.Further challenges specific to each of the strategic outputs include:
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UN Africa Knowledge Management Hub (AKMH):
• Difficulties in mobilizing the R-UNDS agencies to effectively contribute and deploy resources necessary for the development of the platform. -
UN Expertise Database:
• Absent of a governance structure to mandate and facilitate participation by all entities of the region and equally, a data sharing policy to facilitate the sharing of personal data of experts across UN agencies needed to populate the database; -
Communities of Practice (CoP) Platform:
• Difficulties in obtaining personal data from experts across UN agencies and engaging members of the various OIBCs to create their profiles and populate the discussion forums (communities);
• Moderators of the various OIBC communities have not been appointed, making it difficult to set the pace for the functioning of these communities.
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Based on the above challenges and others not mentioned here, what should be the way forward for the hub and its related tools?
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As way forward, the following are recommendations to the RCP-Chairs and other stakeholders:
- Provide appropriate resources (human, financial, and technological), including a managerial enabling environment for the development, maintenance, and updating of the AKMH and related tools, by ensuring equitable distribution of the burden across agencies, and avoiding overburdening of enthusiastic entities;
- A secretariat should be created for continuous development and maintenance of the hub and tools, and UNDS-wide discussions should be engaged for a common understanding and ownership of the AKMH.
- A consensual data-sharing policy should be implemented to facilitate the populating of the Expertise database with data from the talent portals of all the agencies, and OIBC should be more engaged and own their Community of Practice forum.
