Can you picture it? - The use of knowledge visualisation in knowledge transfer
Janika Niskanen · Aaltodoc (Aalto University) · 2012
Can You Picture It? -The use of knowledge visualisation in knowledge transfer Objectives of the StudyThe objective of the study was to examine the problem of knowledge transfer when knowledge was communicated to decision makers with specific knowledge visualisation methods.The case company of the study, Company A, is an international market intelligence company operating in Finland and offering solutions, services and consultancy to various organizations.The study examined Company A's clients' reactions to conceptual diagrams and visual metaphors in order to answer the main research questions: 1A.Could conceptual diagrams be used for knowledge transfer to Company A's customers' decision makers? 1 B. Could visual metaphors be used for knowledge transfer to Company A's customers' decision makers?Methodology A quantitative single-case study was conducted with two separate online surveys among the decision makers of Company A's Finnish clients.One survey examined the use of conceptual diagrams, and the other one surveyed visual metaphors. Findings and ConclusionsThe main findings of the study suggest that conceptual diagrams and visual metaphors may lead to an illusion of understanding, and that both visualisation methods would need text to support understanding.The main findings also indicate that knowledge cannot be reliably transferred with either of the two visualisation methods when no supporting text is provided.The findings further suggest that decision makers find conceptual diagrams as a more suitable visualisation method for business reports than visual metaphors.Finally, the results of the study indicate that the decision makers were more confident that they understood the message signalled through conceptual diagrams than through visual metaphors, while at the same time visual metaphors seemed to transfer the message better.Based on the results, recommendations of the use of conceptual diagrams and visual metaphors were given to Company A.