iSchool Capstone

Knowledge Management Initiative: Collecting and Centralizing Architectural Information

Project tags:

content & digital asset management

database administration & development

knowledge organization

Project poster

Callison Architecture specializes in designing built environments, including projects in retail, hospitality, healthcare, and mixed-use. Headquartered in Seattle, it employs over 1,000 architects, designers and support staff worldwide. Yet despite its large size and the complexity of its projects, Callison has never centralized its project information into a single dedicated location. Recognizing the opportunity to assist in knowledge organization efforts, this project captures and collects data that is a) currently scattered across various internal servers or b) has remained unrecorded. This carefully curated data is critical in launching the beta mode of Callison’s first project database. As a master repository of project information, the database presents a quick snapshot of any given project within the firm. This is essential in saving the time of the architects and the staff who support them and, on a broader level, ensuring that the institutional knowledge of the firm’s forty-year history is preserved in one authoritative location.

Project participants:

Karen Chen

MLIS