Digital platforms enhance knowledge sharing and problem solving

– When professionals collaborate online, they actively produce and maintain resources over time, ensuring these resources remain useful for others in the long term, regardless of where they are, says Alena Seredko, who wrote the dissertation.

Tools for Collective Knowledge Building

The dissertation examines how software developers use Stack Overflow, a popular question-and-answer website for programmers. The dissertation shows that the platform's design plays a crucial role in how professionals collaborate and share knowledge. It highlights how features such as voting, comments, and editing are used to collectively create and refine knowledge. These tools make it possible not only to quickly solve current problems but also contribute to building a comprehensive knowledge base that can be used by future visitors.

The results are significant for more than just software developers. As more and more professional groups, from healthcare personnel to teachers, turn to online platforms to stay updated and solve work-related problems, understanding how these platforms function becomes increasingly important.

Important to Improve Platform Design

– It is crucial that professional education prepares newcomers to engage knowledgeably but critically on these platforms. To improve both education and the platforms themselves, we need to analyze how professionals already use these platforms and for what purposes."

The dissertation emphasizes the importance of reviewing and improving platform design.

– If we understand how different features are used, designers can create tools that better support collaboration and knowledge sharing on a large scale.

Better Problem Solving and Innovation

By providing insights into how professionals learn and collaborate online, Alena Seredko believes her results can support advancements in collective knowledge within various professional fields. This, in turn, can lead to better problem solving and innovation in everything from technology to healthcare and education.

– The results from my research can be used to improve professional education, help newcomers navigate online communities, and guide the design of future platforms for professionals in various fields.