CAPTURING TACIT

KNOWLEDGE
Lecture Four
(Chapter 4, Notes;
Chapter 5, Textbook)
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
4-2
Last Weeks Review
Knowledge Creation and Sharing
Knowledge Infrastructure
Knowledge Management Architecture
Build versus Buy Decision

Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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This Weeks 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

Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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Stages of KMSLC
Evaluate Existing
Infrastructure
Knowledge Capture
Design KM Blueprint
Verify and validate the KM
System
Implement the KM System
Manage Change and
Rewards Structure
Form the KM Team
Post-system evaluation
Iterative Rapid
Prototyping
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What Is Knowledge Capture ?
A process by which the
experts 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
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Three important steps
Use an appropriate tool or
technique to elicit
information from the expert

Interpret the information
and infer the experts
knowledge and reasoning
process

Use the interpretation to
build rules that represent
experts solutions
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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
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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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
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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Using a Single Expert (contd)
Disadvantages:
Sometimes experts 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
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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
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Using Multiple Experts (contd)
Disadvantages:
Scheduling difficulties
Disagreements often occur
among experts
Confidentiality issues
Requires more than one
knowledge developer
Overlapping mental processes
can lead to process loss
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Developing a Relationship
With Experts
Create the right
impression
Understanding the
experts style
Prepare well for the
session
Decide where to hold
the session
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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
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Experts use analogies to
explain events

Experts knowledge is the
ability to take uncertain
information and use a
plausible line of reasoning to
clarify the fuzzy details
Analogies and Uncertainties in
Information
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Reliable knowledge capture
requires understanding and
interpreting experts verbal
description of information,
heuristics, etc.

For example, words like
possible, likely, and definite
show relationships between
words and belief
Analogies and Uncertainties in
Information (contd)
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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The Interview As a Tool
Commonly used in
the early stages of
tacit knowledge
capture

The voluntary nature
of the interview is
important
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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The Interview As a Tool (contd)
Interviewing as a tool
requires training and
preparation

Convenient tool for
evaluating the validity
of information
acquired
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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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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
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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
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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
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Things to Avoid (Contd)
Losing control of the
session
Pretending to understand
an explanation when you
actually dont
Promising something that
cannot be delivered
Bring items not on the
agenda
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Sources of Error that Reduce
Information Reliability
Experts perceptual slant
Experts failure to
remember just what
happened
Experts fear of the
unknown
Communication problems
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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Errors Made by the
Knowledge Developer
Age effect
Race effect
Gender effect
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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Problems Encountered During
the Interview
Response bias
Inconsistency
Communication
difficulties
Hostile attitude
Standardized questions
Lengthy questions
Long interview
Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
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Next Weeks Preview
On-site Observation (Action Protocol)
Brainstorming (Conventional & Electronic)
Consensus Decision Making
Nominal Group Technique
Delphi Method
Repertory Grid
Concept Mapping
Blackboarding
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Nonakas Model of Knowledge
Creation and Transformation
TACIT TO TACIT
(SOCIALIZATION)

e.g., Individual and/or Team
Discussions

TACIT TO EXPLICIT
(EXTERNALIZATION)

e.g., Documenting a Team
Meeting

EXPLICIT TO TACIT
(INTERNALIZATION)

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


EXPLICIT TO EXPLICIT
(COMBINATION)

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

Chapter 4: Capturing Tacit Knowledge
KNOWLEDGE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Content core: Identify
knowledge centres
People core: Evaluate
employee profiles
Technical core: The totality of
technology (S/W and H/W)
required to operate the
knowledge environment
3-28


People


Technology


Content
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User Interface
(Web browser software installed on each users PC)
Authorized access control
(e.g., security, passwords, firewalls, authentication)
Collaborative intelligence and filtering
(intelligent agents, network mining, customization, personalization)
Knowledge-enabling applications
(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
(specialized software for network management, security, etc.)
The Physical Layer
(repositories, cables)

. . . . .
Databases
Data warehousing
(data cleansing,
data mining)
Groupware
(document exchange,
collaboration)
Legacy applications
(e.g., payroll)
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Layer

User
1
User
2
User
n
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Build vs. Buying
Option Cost Time Factor Customization
In-house Usually high Much shorter than High, depending
development development by on quality of
user staff

Development Usually low Depends on skills High to the user
by end users set, system priority, specifications
and so forth

Outsourcing Medium to high Shorter than High
in-house

Off-the-shelf Low to medium Nil Usually up to
Solution 80% usable
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Styles of experts 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
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Preparing for the session
Should become familiar with the
project terminology

review existing materials

Learn the experts language
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Deciding where to hold the
sessions
Beneficial in recording the experts
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
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The Wheels Analogy for the
Refraction of Light