JOURNAL OF COMPUTING, VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12, DECEMBER 2010, ISSN 2151-9617

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Designing knowledge map for a knowledge-

based organization – an industrial case study
Mazeyanti M Ariffin and Julita Ontol

Abstract— When an organization wished to venture on any Knowledge Management (KM) initiative, it is critical for them know the
available knowledge within the organization which in this case is called a knowledge map. Knowledge audit is conducted to obtain the
knowledge inventory. An organization is able to propose a better business plan and strategy based on the knowledge inventory identi-
fied in knowledge audit. In this paper, authors discussed on the findings obtained from the knowledge audit conducted in Institution X.
Skill/Will method, survey and unstructured interview is used to elicit the knowledge from the respondents. The outcome of this study is
sets of maps such as knowledge inventory/knowledge map and social network map which later will be used as the basis of an
ehancement of KM inititiative in Institution X.

Index Terms— k-audit, k-Mapping, Knowledge Management (KM)

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1 INTRODUCTION

K nowledge Management (KM) is relatively new and

still forming. Engaging KM in workplace is seen as
the latest trend to remain ahead than the competi-
tors. This trend is further supported by renowned econ-
omists who claimed that ones can remain economically
vibrant and viable on the 21st century if only they shift
their focus from existing industrial-based economy to
knowledge-based industries, goods and services [1][2][3].
Reference [1] and [4] further added that knowledge has
become increasingly valuable as compared to traditional
physical or tangible assets such as capital and labor. Con-
sequently, many organizations venture to implement KM
initiatives in the workplace. However, many KM initia-
tives were failed simply because the strategist were not
including knowledge audit in their overall KM strategy
initiatives [5]. As a result, the KM initiatives are not able
to improve the performance of the organization. Identify-
ing knowledge that exists in the organization and what
knowledge is needed in the organization is crucial in or-
der to properly channel the energy to manipulate these
opportunity and chances.
As claimed by reference [3], 95% of knowledge resides in
the people’s mind. This knowledge is recognized as tacit
knowledge which is hard to express or articulate. Refer-
ence [6] however argued that knowledge is not only re-
sides in people’s mind but also in organization processes
and Information Technology (IT) infrastructure. This
knowledge is recognized as organizational knowledge
because it adds value to organization if it is being mani-
pulated or leverage effectively. Hence, it is vital to record
knowledge from all these locations to ensure we deliver
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 Mazeyanti M Ariffin is a lecturer at Computer & Information Sciences nowadays and creates a new wave on the importance of
Dept in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, MALAYSIA.
 Julita Ontol is Head of Knowledge Management Dept in PETRONAS
Management Training Sdn Bhd, MALAYSIA.
an effective KM initiative.
This paper aims to report on the findings obtained from
knowledge audit done in a local training institution in
Malaysia (Institution X). Institution X was incorporated in
1992 and became a focal point of management training
programs and courses. Its core business is to design, de-
velop and deliver a comprehensive range of oil and gas
industry related functional, technical and management
training programs to meet the organization diverse and
global operation needs. As providing consultancy and
training programs, Institution X always thought that they
are knowledge-based company. Hence they expressed
their interest to know more on knowledge assets within
the institution and knowledge that they require to be-
come a prominent training provider before they invest on
any KM initiative. In this study, it reveals the existing
knowledge assets of Institution X. From the result, a
knowledge map is generated to visualize the existing
knowledge, its location and further shows its connection.
This paper is organized as follows; Section 2 presents the
literature review and related works, Section 3 explains on
the methodology, Section 4 discusses on the findings of
the study and finally the recommendation and future
work in Section 5.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND RELATED WORKS
We are witnessing tremendous growth in KM and know-
ledge audit. Search on ‘Knowledge Management’ in
Google produced 9.3 million hits (Oct 2009) as compared
to only 4.47 million hits in 2005 [5]. From this result, there
is exponential growth on the interest of KM in the past
four years. It shows that KM is a new subject of interest
managing knowledge to remain competitive.
As many organizations become aware on the imporatance
of managing knowledge within the organization, many
KM initiatives fails to deliver its ultimate objective- man-
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aging existing knowledge. Why? Simply because they
failed to identify available knowledge in the organization,
thus they failed to leverage its potential and missed the
opportunities.
Before we discuss on knowledge audit in depth, it is fair
to introduce the definition of KM itself. Even though the
term has been coined before 1995, there are still lots of
argument on its definition. Arian Ward from Work Fron-
tiers International defined KM as about keeping track and
monitoring who knows what and nurturing the culture
and technology to get them talking [6]. This claim is fur-
ther supported by reference [7] who defined KM as do
what is needed to leverage existing knowledge within the
organization. Reference [6] defined KM as a process that
support creating, storing, retrieving, tranferring and ap-
plying of knowledge in organizations. From these defini-
tions, it is fair to say that the ultimate goal of KM is to
make the knowledge available and accessible to anybody
who needs it at anytime and anywhere within the organi-
zation.
Making knowledge available and accessible in an organi-
ation require the manager to identify the location of the
knowledge assets. Reference [6] claimed knowledge can
exist in many forms and locations [6] such as in people,
organization entities and IT infrastructure. Depending on
its nature, knowledge may reside in relationship, talents,
skill, experience, document and method. Thus it is impor-
tance to engage all these components
One of techniques used nowadays is to identify know-
ledge asset is knowledge audit. According to [8], know-
ledge audit is a systematic approach to examine and eva-
luate organization’s knowledge health. A knowledge au-
dit also a process to discover, verify and validate to reveal
the knowledge ‘health’ for an organization [5]. It includes
study of corporate information, knowledge policies and
practices of its information and knowledge structure and
flow [5].
Scholars like [4] and [5] claimed that knowledge audit
needs to be done before an organization begin to initiate
any KM initiatives. Knowledge audit able to evaluates the
organization’s knowledge needs, existing knowledge as-
sets, knowledge flows, future knowledge needs, know-
ledge gaps and behavior of people in sharing and creating
knowledge. Many organizations used knowledge audit to
reveal their weakness, strength, opportunities and threats
(SWOT). With knowledge audit, it also develops better
knowledge direction on where organization’s strategy
and investments must focus on [8]. By doing this, KM
initiative strategy can be channeled based on the real evi-
dence of the knowledge status to ensure effective KM
initiative. There are many approaches to conduct know-
ledge audit which depends on the business needs and
objectives of the organization. Site observations, inter-
views, questionnaires, focus groups and workshops are
commonly used instruments to identify the knowledge
assets.
Other approach to represent exist knowledge is using
knowledge map. The knowledge map represents availa-
ble knowledge in an organization into a graphical form
6
that is easy to understand [9]. Knowledge map commonly
used to keep track the acquisition and loss of information
and knowledge if any. The knowledge mapping is a tech-
nique that can be used to leverage organization’s sustai-
nability-related knowledge [9].
A knowledge map is not only served as an inventory but
also visualize what knowledge existing in an organization
and where it is located. Several knowledge mapping tools
and techniques are being used widely such as Concept
map, Mind Map /Idea map, Concept circle diagram, Se-
mantic map, Cognitive map, Process map, Knowledge
flow map, Causal map and Ontology
Before ones want to manage something, he needs to (1)
identify what to manage (2) where its location (3) its
owner (4) where it is needed and why it is needed.
3 METHODOLOGY
In this study, authors adopt knowledge audit module
introduced by Naguib Chowdhury [11] as shown in Fig 1.
K-Needs K- K-Flows K-
Analysis Inventory Analysis Map-
Figure 1: Knowledge Audit Module
3.1 Pilotstudy
6 staffs were selected to participate in the pilot study
done by the authors. These staffs were chosen based on
their job position, job scope and years of experience. An
individual unstructured interview was conducted infor-
mally in a special room called Idea Zone. The pilot study
is conducted in two parts; plotting the Skill/Will matrix
and unstructured interview.
From the pilot study, authors find out that some ques-
tions and instructions need to be modified accordingly.
For example, the instruction to plot on Skill/Will matrix
need to be rearrange and use very basic common term.
Some suggest improving the skill/ will matrix by provid-
ing grid line so that it is easier for participants to plot it.
3.2 Survey and unstructured interview
In a period of one month, authors managed to get 100
participants from a total of 158 employees to participate
in this study. These techniques are used to elicit informa-
tion from each of knowledge audit components.
3.3 Audit processes
 knowledge need analysis
The study starts with interview of 100 respondents to
identify knowledge that each posses and what knowledge
that they may require in the future in order to achieve
their objectives and goals. Participants are required to do
self-assessment based on several questions and plot their
evaluation on a Skill/Will matrix provided by the au-
thors. To reevaluate or revalidate their matrix, authors
use unstructured interview and observation on the partic-
ipants. For example, there are some participants who
claimed they are sharing knowledge actively in the lesson
learned database however there is no evidence to support
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this claim. workshop yet. Out of 100 respondents, 33 of them fall into
Low Will/High Skill group while the remaining 12 falls
 knowledge flow analysis into Low Will/High Skill group. When the institution X
Due to limitation of time, authors have to limit the planned to organize k-clinics, the management needs to
analysis to processes component only and not people and consider their target audience. Preferably different types
systems. Open ended questions such as ‘what informa- of coaching style will be given to different group of au-
tion that your role need in order to be able to execute dience. For instance, for people belong to Low Will/Low
your daily tasks?’, ‘From which location do you received Skill quadrant, the coaching style that suitable for them is
that information?’, ‘How is the information is stored?’ Direct. The coachers need to build up the motivation in
were asked during the interview session. this people and later to build the skill. It is also important
to coachers to sustain the motivation.
 knowledge inventory analysis Additional to Fig 2, a complete knowledge map, was
During the interview, there are some questions de- created from knowledge inventory analysis. The know-
signed to elicit knowledge from the respondents. For ex- ledge inventory reflects the knowledge that each respon-
ample, respondents were asked to state few expertise/ dent has and what knowledge that they need.
knowledge that they have which they are willing to share
Table 2: Example of Knowledge Map
with others. These expertise and knowledge are limited to
only work-related knowledge or more specifically organi- K needed? Who Who Location? K type
zational knowledge. has needs
it? it?
 knowledge mapping Macro in Excel Nil Mr X Finance dept Tacit
From the knowledge flow analysis step, an initial
knowledge map to represent the knowledge flow and Managerial Mr X Miss Y Organizational & Tacit &
knowledge assets inventory is created. skills & Mr Improvement explicit
Z dept
Personal career Miss Nil Learning & devel- Explicit
path Y opment
4 RESULT & DISCUSSION High Impact Mr Z Miss Y Organizational & Tacit
presentation & Mr Improvement
Sets of maps were created to reflect the results obtained skills C dept
from the knowledge audit process. OECD Nil Miss A KM dept explicit

Figure 2: Skill/Will categories RICE technique Miss Miss A Organizational & explicit
C Improvement
dept
Using SPSS Nil Mr X Finance dept Tacit

Table 2 shows an example of knowledge map created

Fig. 2 shows the categorization of 100 respondents. In the
knowledge need analysis stage, the authors categorize all
respondents into 4 different quadrants; High Will/Low
Skill, Low Will/High Skill, High Will/High Skill and
Low Will/High Skill. 16 respondents were considered as
Role Model in this institution where they are categorized
in High Will/High Skill quadrant. As a result these
people are going to work hand in hand with the KM team
to coach the other people in other quadrants. The objec-
tive of this coaching activity or so-called k clinic is to
create more Role Models. 39 respondents fell in High
Will/Low Skill quadrant. Based on the structured inter-
view conducted, normally the people in this quadrant
realized the benefits of managing knowledge and eager to
practice it however they were not capable to do it because
they lack the specific set of skills. Usually the people in
this quadrant were the one who have not attend the KM
from the result obtained from the survey. It shows
what kind of knowledge assets that exist which can be
leveraged and at the same time to represent the know-
ledge gap that exists in the organization. Based on this
map, the management may plan suitable k-clinics that
will help them to close the gap.
As the study is conducted in a short period of time,
some respondents were not able to identify the exact
knowledge that they possessed. A continuous effort
should be taken to accurately represent the knowledge
in this institution. In the knowledge map, it also reveals
the knowledge gap that exists in Institution X. For ex-
ample, Mr. Y is a new comer and still adapting with
the new job scope. Hence it is critical for others to help
him in order to perform his job effectively. Possible
intervention activity is to conduct internal clinic or
special workshop to help Mr. Y to close his knowledge
gap. From this knowledge map also, the management
or specifically the Human Resource department can
quickly identity suitable personnel that can help Mr. Y
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to close his knowledge gap hence indirectly reduce the
workshop cost and what is more important is to leve-
rage the existing knowledge within the institution.
Based on knowledge map created, authors were able to
extend the map by revealing the existence relationship
and interaction among staff in exchanging knowledge
as shown in Figure 3. This map is called a social net-
work map (SNM).
lenges, Solutions and Technologies, Prentice Hall.
[10] Mario, A., Vasquez L., Carlos F., Ana M., Jorge R, (1998), Knowledge
Management Systems Assessment: A Conceptual Framework And A
Methodological Proposal
[11] Ravi, S., & Naguib C., 2008, Knolwedge Audit Module
[12] Joseph M. Firestone, Ph.D., 2003, Estimating Benefits of Knowledge
Management Initiatives: Concepts, Methodology, and Tools.

Mr X Mr Y Mr C

Mr A
Mr Z
Figure
3: example of Social Network Map for institution X

4 CONCLUSION
Conducting knowledge audit is important to avoid failure
in implementing KM program. The KM adopters should
placed significant attention to conduct knowledge audit
before investing in any KM programs. A sound know-
ledge audit provides a good overview of knowledge
‘health’ by identifying areas and processes that can bring
benefit to institution X.
As institution X aims to become an outstanding training
provider, conducting the knowledge audit able to identify
the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats of insti-
tution X. Based on the map generated, the institution may
planned for suitable KM intervention plan to close the
knowledge gap. From here, they are able to proceed to-
wards planning and building an evidence based on KM
strategy and program which is highly likely to be success-
ful that if it had not carried out the knowledge audit first.

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