A framework for the assessment of knowledge transfer in software development organizations

Abstract

Knowledge Transfer is a generic term that is applicable to many domains. This thesis will analyze the specific issues required to develop a comprehensive framework for the assessment of knowledge transfer in the software development environment. Knowledge transfer is an essential component of all business processes in software development. The framework in this thesis was developed at a level of sufficient abstraction to be applicable to all software development activities. However, the research interviews focused on two scenarios in software development recognized as requiring effective knowledge transfer in order to achieve successful results: * Porting: A Porting project is an effort to enable a program to run on a different hardware or software platform. To port an application, you need to rewrite sections that are machine dependent, and then recompile the program on the new computer. The resultant code is then tested, often by some type of compliance suite, to insure that the ported product is operationally equivalent to the original product. When there is a market or business need, software products may be "ported" to new hardware/software platforms. A new team, with expertise in the new platform architecture, is usually called upon to do the porting. In order to optimize the port, knowledge from the original development team must be effectively transferred to the new organization. Service Transfer (maintenance) - Similar to the above, an software development organization will often transfer or assign responsibility for product service/maintenance to a separate service/support team. The ability to insure high-quality customer support requires a successful transfer of knowledge from the development group to the service/support group. This thesis provides a comprehensive framework for assessing a software development organization's knowledge transfer efforts and requirements. The framework presents a balanced approach introducing three columns of support for knowledge management activities in a software development organization. The three columns of support for knowledge transfer are: * Organizational Structures * Operational Process and Procedures * Technical Expertise and Infrastructure Using the three columns of software support as an analytical tool provides a holistic, end to end view of an organization's support for knowledge transfer.