Capturing Tacit Knowledge

CAPTURING TACIT KNOWLEDGE

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

This Week’s Topics  The

Knowledge Capture Process

 How

To Identify Experts

 Single

vs. Multiple Experts (Pros and

Cons)  Interview

As Knowledge Capture Tool

 Sources

of Errors and Problems in Interview 4-2

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

What Is Knowledge Capture ? 

A process by which the expert’s thoughts and experiences are captured



A knowledge developer collaborates with an expert to convert expertise into a coded program



In simple terms, we want to “know” how experts know what they know 4-3

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Three important steps 

Use an appropriate tool or technique to elicit information from the expert



Interpret the information and infer the expert’s knowledge and reasoning process



Use the interpretation to build rules that represent expert’s solutions 4-4

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Improving the Knowledge Capture Process 

Focus on how experts approach a problem  Look beyond the facts or the heuristics  Re-evaluate how well the problem domain is understood  How accurate the problem is modeled 4-5

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Using a Single Expert Advantages:  Ideal when building a simple KM system  A problem in a restricted domain  Easier to coordinate meetings  Conflicts are easier to resolve  Shares more confidentiality than does multiple experts 4-6

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Using a Single Expert (cont’d) Disadvantages: 

Sometimes expert’s knowledge is not easy to capture



Single expert provides only a single line of reasoning



Expert knowledge is sometimes dispersed



Single expert more likely to change scheduled meetings than experts in a team 4-7

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Using Multiple Experts Advantages: 

Complex problem domains benefit from expertise of more than one expert



Working with multiple experts stimulates interaction



Allow alternative ways of representing knowledge



Formal meetings often a better environment for generating thoughtful contributions

4-8

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Using Multiple Experts (cont’d) Disadvantages: 

Scheduling difficulties



Disagreements often occur among experts



Confidentiality issues



Requires more than one knowledge developer



Overlapping mental processes can lead to “process loss” 4-9

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Developing a Relationship With Experts 

Create the right impression  Understanding the expert’s style  Prepare well for the session  Decide where to hold the session 4-10

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Approaching Multiple Experts Individual  An

extension of single expert approach

Primary

and secondary

 Start

with the senior expert first, on down to others in the hierarchy

Small 

groups

Each expert tested against expertise of others in the group 4-11

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Analogies and Uncertainties in Information  Experts

use analogies to explain events

 Expert’s

knowledge is the ability to take uncertain information and use a plausible line of reasoning to clarify the fuzzy details 4-12

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Analogies and Uncertainties in Information (cont’d)  Reliable

knowledge capture requires understanding and interpreting expert’s verbal description of information, heuristics, etc.

 For

example, words like possible, likely, and definite show relationships between words and belief 4-13

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

The Interview As a Tool  Commonly

used in the early stages of tacit knowledge capture

 The

voluntary nature of the interview is important

4-14

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

The Interview As a Tool (cont’d)  Interviewing

as a tool requires training and preparation

 Convenient

tool for evaluating the validity of information acquired

4-15

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Types of Interviews 

Structured: Questions and responses are definitive. Used when specific information is sought



Semi-structured: Predefined questions are asked but allow expert some freedom in expressing the answers



Unstructured: Neither the questions nor their responses specified in advance. Used when exploring an issue

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KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Variations of Structured Questions 

Multiple-choice questions offer specific choices, faster tabulation, and less bias by the way answers are ordered



Dichotomous (yes/no) questions are a special type of multiple-choice question



Ranking scale questions ask expert to arrange items in a list in order of their important or preference 4-17

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Guide to a Successful Interview 

Set the stage and establish rapport  Properly phrase the questions  Question construction is important  Listen closely and avoid arguments  Evaluate session outcomes 4-18

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Things to Avoid  Taping

a session without advance permission from the expert  Converting the interview into an interrogation  Interrupting the expert  Asking questions that put the domain expert on the defensive 4-19

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Things to Avoid (Cont’d)  Losing

control of the session  Pretending to understand an explanation when you actually don’t  Promising something that cannot be delivered  Bring items not on the agenda 4-20

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Sources of Error that Reduce Information Reliability  Expert’s

perceptual slant  Expert’s failure to remember just what happened  Expert’s fear of the unknown  Communication problems 4-21

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Errors Made by the Knowledge Developer  Age

effect  Race effect  Gender effect

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KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Problems Encountered During the Interview  Response

bias  Inconsistency  Communication difficulties  Hostile attitude  Standardized questions  Lengthy questions  Long interview

4-23

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Nonaka’s Model of Knowledge Creation and Transformation TACIT TO TACIT (SOCIALIZATION)

TACIT TO EXPLICIT (EXTERNALIZATION)

e.g., Individual and/or Team Discussions

e.g., Documenting a Team Meeting

EXPLICIT TO TACIT (INTERNALIZATION)

EXPLICIT TO EXPLICIT (COMBINATION)

e.g., Learn from a report and Deduce new ideas

e.g., Create a Website from some form of explicit knowledge; Email a Report 4-24

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

KNOWLEDGE INFRASTRUCTURE  Content

core: Identify knowledge centres

People

 People

core: Evaluate employee profiles

Content

Technology

 Technical

core: The totality of technology (S/W and H/W) required to operate the knowledge environment 3-25

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Layer 1

2

3

User1

.....

User2

…

Usern

User Interface (Web browser software installed on each user’s PC)

Authorized access control (e.g., security, passwords, firewalls, authentication)

Collaborative intelligence and filtering (intelligent agents, network mining, customization, personalization)

Knowledge-enabling applications 4

5

(customized applications, skills directories, videoconferencing, decision support systems, group decision support systems tools)

Transport (e-mail, Internet/Web site, TCP/IP protocol to manage traffic flow)

Middleware 6

(specialized software for network management, security, etc.)

The Physical Layer (repositories, cables)

7

Databases

Legacy applications (e.g., payroll)

Groupware (document exchange, collaboration)

Data warehousing (data cleansing, data mining)

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KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Build vs. Buying Option Cost In-house Usually high development

Time Factor Much shorter than development by user

Customization High, depending on quality of staff

Development Usually low by end users

Depends on skills High to the user set, system priority, specifications and so forth

Outsourcing Medium to high Shorter than in-house

High

Off-the-shelf Low to medium Nil Solution

Usually up to 80% usable 3-27

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Styles of expert’s expressions  Procedure

type

 methodical

approach to the solution

 Storyteller  focuses

on the content of the domain at the expense of the solution

 Godfather  compulsion

to take over the session

 Salesperson  spends

most of the time explaining his or her solution is the best 4-28

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Preparing for the session  Should

become familiar with the project terminology

 review

 Learn

existing materials

the expert’s language

4-29

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Deciding where to hold the sessions  Beneficial

in recording the expert’s knowledge in the environment where he or she works

 An

important guideline is to make sure the meeting place is quiet and free from interruptions

4-30

KM-05: Capturing Tacit Knowledge

The Wheels Analogy for the Refraction of Light

4-31