IKNS CAPSTONE

Note: This course is offered both in an online (synchronous) format as well as in an in-person format. Both formats conclude with a multi-day, on-campus Residency in December. Please refer to the Important Dates section of the Curriculum & Courses page for upcoming Residency dates.

The IKNS Capstone project is the culmination of the students’ immersion in this executive-level program, and an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the cross-disciplinary curriculum. Working individually and in small teams, students do a consulting project for an organization seeking to initiate or improve its information and knowledge processes, or to expand revenue opportunities from intelligent, knowledge-enabled products. Clients benefit from applied and scholarly research, analysis, and insight from students, who, guided by faculty, bring considerable professional and academic credentials. Students benefit from applying their learning in an environment that is at the same time realistic and supported by IKNS faculty and sponsors, and from getting exposure to a new industry, KM function, and network of practitioners. Capstone projects showcase IKNS student learning, are well-articulated, are moderately complex, and can be conducted virtually (outside of New York, and/or in New York with remote students). Industry and nonprofit “sponsors” are curious, motivated, well-networked professionals who can help the students bring to light the insights and vision of their organization. Student projects might include:

• Improving knowledge-sharing patterns and incentives
• Designing a business analytics competency for decision-making
• Improving or introducing knowledge networks or communities
• Improving or introducing social media and other collaboration processes
• Redefining information architectures, taxonomies and tagging for maximum engagement
• Expanding the repertoire of tacit knowledge sharing approaches
• Introducing knowledge-based products as incremental revenue streams
• Defining a knowledge and information governance model, and expanding the capacity to act
• Defining a KM vision from the ground up, with roadmap, program, and technology evolution

Student teams form just before the third intensive study in August-September. Intensive study involv