Practical Knowledge Management Tool Use in a Software Consulting Company
This research addresses how knowledge management tools are actually utilized in a software consulting context, though it is incremental as it builds on existing tool concepts without introducing new methods.
The study investigated the practical use of knowledge management tools in a software consulting company, finding that beyond expected uses like resource allocation and problem-solving, tools were also employed for identifying new project opportunities and skills upgrading, supporting learning at individual and company levels.
Tools for managing technical skills are used in many companies, but there has been little discussion about how such tools are used in practice. We report here on different types of actual usage in a medium-size software consulting company. We expected such tools to be used for allocating resources to new projects and for searching for competence to solve problems, but also observed two other types of usage: identifying new project opportunities, and skills upgrading. This multitude of uses support learning practices and motivates tool use both at individual and company levels, which is crucial to support organizational learning.