Methods as Knowledge Enablers in Software Development Organizations
Mikael Schönström, Sven A. Carlsson · Lund University Publications (Lund University) · 2003
Knowledge management (KM) plays an increasingly important role in software development. We find that a missed aspect of software development methods is their possibility to play a role as knowledge enabler. Knowledge enablers are organizational mechanisms for intentionally and consistently developing knowledge in organizations. Drawing on KMtheories we discuss what roles methods can play as knowledge enablers. In two case studies we found that development methods play an important role as knowledge enabler in large software development projects. We found that common development methods stimulate individual knowledge development and facilitate the sharing of individual knowledge and its transformation to organizational knowledge. Methods create a common platform for communication and understanding by defining a communicative framework consisting of common terminology, workflows and best practices. The paper extends theories regarding knowledge enablers and shows that development methods can fruitfully be viewed as a type of knowledge enabler. The paper also discusses how methods can be enhanced to better function as knowledge enablers.