Knowledge management of interconnected decisions with application to project management
Reuven Karni, Maya Kaner · Knowledge and Process Management · 2008
Abstract In this paper we describe a methodology to support decisionmaking in a multiple decision environment using previous experience regarding decisions and their interrelationships. This methodology comprises: (a) new kinds of knowledge which help to better understand the interrelationships between decisions; (b) a human reasoning process incorporating the reuse of past experience in making interrelated decisions; (c) lessons that can be learned or formulated, on the basis of past experience, when current interconnected decisions are to be made. Case‐based reasoning (CBR) is used to manage decision knowledge using cases—experience gained from previous decisions. This is complemented by dyad‐based reasoning (DBR) to manage the interrelationships between decisions. A dyad is a pair of linked decisions reflecting past experience in making successive decisions. DBR provides a new type of knowledge: the nature and composition of an interconnected set of decisions involving several aspects of a decisionmaking situation. We demonstrate the application of the proposed methodology to a typical example of a multiple decision environment—project management. When a project manager has to make a number of interrelated decisions while carrying out several project management processes, a dyad knowledge base and DBR provide guidance as to the complementary considerations needed to make a multi‐faceted set of decisions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.