Back to Top

NASA’s success depends on how well it develops, acquires, and uses knowledge. Its complex science and exploration projects demand both a high level of technical expertise and exceptional knowledge of how to get work donethat is, how to direct and organize the efforts of the people who execute its projects. Recognizing the central importance of effective knowledge use and knowledge sharing across the agency, the Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) held its first knowledge forum on October 15, 2009, in Washington, DC, bringing together people engaged in knowledge work at several NASA centers and knowledge experts from other organizations, including MITRE, the World Bank, Educational Testing Service (ETS), Fluor, the Department of Energy, Petrobras, and the International Centre for Complex Project Management. The day-long discussion was organized around three panels that explored knowledge strategy, knowledge effectiveness, and knowledge at NASA.