Meira Levy

Uncovering cultural perceptions and barriers during knowledge audit

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce and illustrate the importance of uncovering tacit perceptions during knowledge management (KM) audit, in order to identify cultural barriers that may interfere with KM initiatives. The goal of such KM initiatives is to leverage a firms capacity to efficiently produce value from knowledge held by employees and embedded in processes. Current audit practices analyze the explicit information gained through interviews and questionnaires, focusing on the organizations culture, existing KM processes and the improved KM processes it wishes to implement. The paper seeks to suggest an approach for uncovering and analyzing tacit perceptions identified through interviews and discussions as an inherent part of KM audit.Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted during a KM audit in a large international software development organization. The research methodology was composed of two disciplines. The first, used for data collection, was a knowledge‐engi...

Social networking in an academic conference context: insights from a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a conference-based online social network (OSN) for academics’ knowledge sharing and collaboration around and beyond a conference, while exploring the entanglement of the social and technical aspects of the system. Design/methodology/approach – Following an exploratory study, an OSN prototype was developed and implemented in ECIS 2014. The usage of the OSN platform was monitored and in-depth interviews were conducted with seven of its active users. Findings – Academic researchers have positive attitudes toward using conference-based OSN. However, there is a gap between academics’ perceptions and their actual behavior. Several barriers for engagement were identified, leading to technical and social recommendations, including the following needs: integrating the OSN platform with other conference information systems; addressing privacy concerns; allowing on-going collaboration; increasing OSN vitality; using the wisdom of the crowd; and promotion and its timi...

Studying decision processes via a knowledge management lens: The Columbia space shuttle case

While the role of knowledge management (KM) for decision support is well acknowledged, there is a gap between existing KM theory and actual KM practice in real-life decision-making. This paper aims to illustrate this gap by studying the report of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, focusing on diagnosed pre-explosion problems in decision-making processes, and prescribed post-explosion recommendations. The papers research contribution is two-fold: 1) consolidating two KM frameworks to one research tool, to serve as lens for studying decision-making processes and 2) providing convincing evidence regarding the role of the KM perspective in organizational decision-making processes.

Enhancing Software Architecture via a Knowledge Management and Collaboration Tool

Software architecture is an important part of software development, aiming at ensuring a high-quality product. Recent research has shown that collaboration and knowledge management are important parts of the architecture process, and have significant role in architecture design and review. In this paper we present a prototype for a tool we developed, as part of our ongoing research on the software architecture process, for supporting collaboration, communication and knowledge sharing during all steps of the architecture development process. This tool was developed based on the findings of a case-study research in a global, large software organization.

Tagging Model for Enhancing Knowledge Transfer and Usage during Business Process Execution

Tagging mechanisms allow users to label content, which mainly resides in Internet resources or Web 2.0 social tools, with descriptive terms (without relying on a controlled vocabulary) for navigation, filtering, search and retrieval. The current paper presents two tagging models. The first combines structured, automatically generated metadata, with manually inserted unstructured tagging labels, to facilitate annotation of content that enhances knowledge transfer and usage; and embeds tagging capabilities within a business process model for activation during execution. The second describes a tagged knowledge cycle that allows process performers to create and tag their knowledge and experiences as the process is carried out, and have it transferred for use by an associated stakeholder. The benefits of the models are discussed in the context of service processes, using an illustrative scenario of an inbound telesales process workflow with embedded Web 2.0. social tools.

A Web 2.0 Platform for Product–Service System Management

A product–service system (PSS) comprises products, services, networks of players, and a supporting infrastructure. When the PSS becomes operational within the product life cycle, interactions within the networks of players—manufacturer, technical services, functional services, and customer—become particularly significant. First, we present a two-level categorization of operational PSS services and a list of expected exchanges among the players. Second, in order to sustain ongoing exchanges of data, information, and knowledge, we propose a Web 2.0 platform as a supporting infrastructure for online collaboration and sharing through facilitating dynamic and multiple-perspective PSS management.

Knowledge Warehouse for Decision Support in Critical Business Processes: Conceptual Modeling and Requirements Elicitation

Knowledge management is challenging for decision support of critical business processes (CBP) in the unpredictable global architecture. To guide practical and systematic harnessing of knowledge management (KM) for CBP decision support (DS), we introduce the knowledge warehouse (KW) conceptual model, taking into account not only every CBP, but also information that resides in each relevant information system (IS) and owned by various stakeholders involved in the CBP. In addition to the KW model, we also propose the KW4DS@CBP architecture along with a requirement elicitation tool for KW4DS@CBP. Aimed at enabling rationality and transparency of decision-making by leveraging knowledge, the KW infrastructure and the KW4DS@CBP architecture are based on the notion of arranging the organizational knowledge as transactive memory within a collaborative space that supports communication amongst relevant stakeholders.

Using Wiki as a Collaboration Platform for Software Requirements and Design

Wiki is a collaboration platform allowing building a corpus of knowledge in interlinked web pages created and edited by different users. Wiki has been applied in different domains and usage contexts in business and education. This paper reports on an exploratory study conducted as a part of an ongoing research regarding the use of wiki in software development projects. The objective of this study was to capture the perceptions of users regarding wiki as a collaboration platform. Specifically, we aimed at understanding what hinders and what motivates users’ contribution to documents constructed within the wiki environment. Based on data obtained via interviews with wiki users we found, among other things, that they do not perceive wiki as a stand-alone communication and collaboration tool, and tend to conduct off-line discussions prior to changes made in the wiki. We also identified several wiki features, which, if improved, may enhance wiki usage.

A requirements engineering methodology for knowledge management solutions: integrating technical and social aspects

AbstractThis paper proposes a unified knowledge management requirements engineering methodology (KM-REM) for tackling the complex nature of knowledge-intensive organizations. Despite the importance of KM for the success of knowledge-intensive organizations, the concept of RE for KM solutions is still vague lacking. Its definitions and guidelines for addressing the different facets of KM during the RE process are yet to be well-defined, encompassing social and technical aspects thereof. Applying the design science research paradigm by using a method engineering methodology, the KM-REM method was developed and implemented in a case study involving a global IT provider firm. This allowed for a comprehensive analysis and requirements specification for a KM solution, which was validated based on expert (managers) evaluation. KM-REM provides comprehensive, practical guidance and tools for KM analysts and RE professionals, for conducting KM-oriented RE, toward enhancing knowledge-intensive business processes with embedded KM solutions. Moreover, KM-REM facilitates tractability in the RE process, by focusing on manageable KM requirements. Thus, the contribution of KM-REM is threefold. First, it extends the research on RE for KM solutions as a specialized area within the RE discipline. Second, it cohesively organizes the RE dimensions and modeling principles for KM, providing customized guidelines and tools. Third, it demonstrates how the perspectives of traditional RE methods can be extended to include social and cultural aspects.

10th International Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering (CHASE 2017)

Summary form only given, as follows. Software is created for and with a wide range of stakeholders, from customers to management, from value-added providers to customer service personnel. These stakeholders work with teams of software engineers to develop and evolve software systems that support their activities. All of these people and their interactions are central to software development. It is crucial to investigate the dynamic and frequently changing Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering (CHASE), both before and after deployment, in order to understand current software practices, processes, and tools and their impact on important local and global issues. In turn, this enables us to design tools and support mechanisms that improve software creation, software maintenance, customer communication, and the cooperative and human aspects of the use and evolution of the deployed software systems. Researchers and practitioners have long recognized the need to investigate these aspects, however, their articles are scattered across conferences and communities. CHASE will provide a unified forum for discussing high quality research studies, models, methods, and tools for human and cooperative aspects of software engineering. This will be the 10th in a series of workshops held at ICSE focusing on this theme. Based on our experience, we believe it will be a meeting place for the academic, industrial, and practitioner communities interested in this area, and will give opportunities to present and discuss works-in-progress.