This document presents a process framework for capturing tacit knowledge using storytelling. It identifies challenges in transferring tacit knowledge and lack of guidance on constructing knowledge stories. The study developed a framework through interviews with students on their approach. The framework provides phases for identifying knowledge, embedding it into a story structure with roles like constructor and editor. It discusses how different types of knowledge are represented and limitations of using student stories.

1. A Process Framework to Capture Tacit
Knowledge Using Storytelling
Khairul Shafee Kalid and Ahmad Kamil
Mahmood
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS
KMICE 2012
Johor Bahru

2. Presentation Outline
Introduction
Problem Statement
Objective
Related Work
Research Method
Findings – Knowledge Story Construction Process Framework
Discussion
Limitation of Study
Conclusion

3. Introduction
• One of the main challenges of KM is to capture
tacit knowledge (Linde, 2001)
• Tacit knowledge is defined as personal
knowledge embedded in individual experience.
• One of the way to capture and communicate
tacit knowledge is storytelling.
• Storytelling is defined as orally communicating
ideas, beliefs, personal experiencec and lessons
learned (Groce, 2004)
• Stories provide a bridge between the tacit and
explicit (Gabriel, 2000)

4. Problem Statement
• Storytelling is a powerful mean to share
knowledge (Denning, 2000)
• Some of the challenges of storytelling are:

Lack of understanding on what storytelling is
and how it can be used in the organization
(Iofredda and Angelo, 2008)

The more-experienced might have difficulties in transferring
their tacit knowledge to less-experienced colleagues (Awad and
Ghaziri, 2010)
• Lack of emphasis on how knowledge story is constructed.

5. Objective
• To understand the process of constructing
knowledge story.
• To identify the roles and phases involved in
constructing a knowledge story.
• To develop a process framework that guides KM
people to construct knowledge stories.

6. Related Work
Source Application Construction
Santoro and Brezillon (2005) TellStory Context Framework
5W1H
Structured
Acosta et al (2004) StoryMapper Concept Maps
Each node represent events
Katzeff and Ware (2006) The Well Video record
Unstructured
Other related storytelling Main characters
literature from literary work Settings
Plot
Problem
Resolution

7. Research Method
• Exploratory appraoch
• Group semi-structured interview

5 groups with 4-5 participants in each group

Students in Knowledge Management classes.

8. Research Methods
• Data are collected from the interview sessions
and the knowledge story that has been written.
• The interview questions generally revolves
around their approach in constructing the story.
• Interview sessions were transcribed and
analyzed hermeneutically.
• Nvivo8 were used in organizing and analyzing
the data.

9. Knowledge Story Construction
Process Framework
•
Provides purpose of knowledge •
Identify knowledge
story •
Embed knowledge into story
The term “understanding” and “familiarize”
•
was used
•
Capturing
Knowledge
•
Source

10. Knowledge Story Construction
Process Framework
•
List and organize of ideas and events

11. Knowledge Story Construction
Process Framework
•
Manager
•
Editor
•
Colleagues
Wrap knowledge into
•
narrative form.

12. Knowledge Story Structure
•
Knowledge Story Title Knowledge Transfer Factors in an IT Organization
•
Begin (Introduction)
Settings, context and characters What should I write about En Ahmad? Well, I tell you a story about En Ahmad's
Intent significant contribution in my eyes. I remember En Ahmad just came back from a
knowledge management course. When he got back, he introduced changes.
Problems/Conflict.
.
.
•
Middle (Knowledge) .
En Ahmad spear headed the knowledge portal project. In this portal, I am able to
•
Author's journey know who knows what in the department. I know what are the expertise and the
•
Visualization of concept skills that each personnel has in the IT department.
•
Simplification of concept
•
Solutions to problem
•
Contextual information Overall, I think that En Ahmad, has done a lot in terms of promoting knowledge
transfer in the organization. Even though he is retired, but his contributions will
always be remembered.
Ending (Reflective)
•
Lessons learned
Solutions
Outcome

13. Discussion
• Experiential knowledge

Convey conflict, failures, lessons learned and
contextual information

Enhance awareness and change mental model

Easier to construct
• Procedural knowledge

Provides contextual information to the phases

Constructing the story can be challenging
• Declarative knowledge

Simplify complex concepts

Constructing the story is quite challenging. Requires
understanding on the subject.

14. Limitation of the Study
• The knowledge stories constructed are written-based therefore the
process framework could be biased towards written knowledge
story.
• The participants of this study are students. Thus the story is not
really organizational type.
• The type of knowledge that was 'storytized' in
this study are experiential, declarative and
procedural.

15. Conclusion
• This process framework guides KM personnel to
construct stories that are used in the context of
KM.
• The findings of this exploratory study has
identified the roles and the phases.

Knoweldge articulation, Develop story
sequence, Embed knowledge and Review

Knowledge owner, story constructor,
approver/editor, knowledge user