Even though IT is a very convenient tool for virtual communities to correspond, limitations are many and, for most of them, already known. This paper focuses on the issues related with tacit knowledge and subjective communication. The aim is to introduce an original software taking user’s subjectivity into account to optimize information flow.
This research has been launch as a part of the 21st Century COE Program, sponsored by the MEXT, aiming at structuring Kansei as a science. Three laboratories with different specialties are working on this common program. As various knowledge is sharing between various people, a quick multiplication of mailing-lists occurred, creating a chaotic situation, preventing efficient communication. The wish to share knowledge (a fortiori tacit one) would fail if nothing was done.
MATiK is introduced as an original communication system satisfying determined requirements for optimized information sharing in an interdisciplinary workgroup. This introduction is done by pointing out the lack of currently existing systems: there is no consideration of the link between message content and user’s specificities. This link is shown as a solution for information flow optimization.
Then, a similarity concept, the loft, is introduced in order to explain the global operating procedure of MATiK, i.e. its information flow management. This ideation process, through highly subjective similarity concept, is favoring Kansei design approach. Next step of MATiK design will be presented in further publications.