Evaluating a Knowledge Management Systems Development Methodology: Practical Application in a Virtual Recruitment Organization

Abstract

Knowledge management systems are arguably beneficial to organisations but the question remains how to develop Knowledge management systems in a way that is useful, justifiable and can bring value to organizations. This paper brings new insight into developing Knowledge management systems in organizations through evaluating a Knowledge management systems development methodology through practical application in a virtual recruitment organization. The Knowledge management systems development methodology emerged from, and was validated in, practice by an inquiry into a number of challenges and opportunities experienced by organizations. Findings were articulated in the form of emergent theory and practical guide published in ECKM 2008 and ECKM 2009 respectively. The development methodology consists of five participatory, intertwined phases.The first is making sense of the organizational problematic situations that initiated the desire for change. The second is envisioning improved situations that clearly address current challenges and opportunities in the organizational problematic situations. The third is designing the Knowledge management system using architectural components that consist of knowledge agents, knowledge flow and knowledge interfaces. The fourth is exploring technology options to support the Knowledge management system. The fifth is managing the potential evolution of the Knowledge management system. This paper contributes to theory and practice in knowledge management systems through evaluating the development methodology and reflecting on its concepts, practices and propositions. For researchers the paper adds to scarce empirical research that addresses the practice of developing Knowledge management systems in organizations. For practitioners the paper evaluates and refines grounded propositions and insights into how to develop Knowledge management systems in a useful and justifiable way that brings value to organizations.