Knowledge mapping: A technique for identifying knowledge flows in software organisations

Knowledge is a key parameter for software companies' survival, as the ability to continuously become better at producing services relies on the organisation's abilities to develop and utilise the intellectual competencies, which its employees possess. These abilities depend highly on the organisation's capability to share knowledge and thus on the way knowledge flows in the organisation. In this paper we present a knowledge management perspective on software process improvement, and describe a technique for mapping the organisational knowledge flows in a software company. The results show that the technique successfully helps the organisation to select relevant focus areas for planning future improvement initiatives. The study further explains four distinct critical situations, which can be identified in a knowledge map; Hubs, Black Holes, Springs, and Missing Links. Each covers potential problems in the organisational flows and therefore can provide guidance for organisational process improvements.