Learning expert thinking processes: Using KM to structure the development of expertise

Abstract

Purpose: This paper seeks to develop understanding of how competent practitioners develop into experts through learning expert thinking processes and how knowledge management initiatives can be used to structure this development. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review-derived research model underpinned the semi-structured interviews with 21 acknowledged experts from a wide variety of disciplines and sectors. A qualitative exploratory research design was used to study how the experts go about developing other professionals in the field through showing them how they learn themselves and making visible their own thinking processes. The implications for KM programs were developed in conjunction with KM practitioners. Findings: The experts used various methods to make their thinking visible through demonstration of practice and direction of structured learning activities. KM's contribution to this form of expertise development lies in structuring approaches to making work in progress more visible (through technology and process) and through introducing a coaching framework that enables and supports reflection on practice. Research limitations/implications: The specific context of expertise development that has been studied is those situations where generalized principles and explicit knowledge cannot be readily captured in artifacts. Further research is needed to show how this can be combined with other approaches to developing and retaining expertise. Confirmatory research is also needed to refine and further validate the proposed recommendations for KM practice. Practical implications: The paper prepares the ground for integrating an important aspect of expertise development within KM programs. Originality/value: The paper extends KM's contribution to expertise retention and development to include structured support for the development of expert thinking processes. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.