Using knowledge management to revise software‐testing processes

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to use a knowledge management (KM) approach to effectively revise a utility retailer's software testing process. This paper presents a case study of how the utility organisation's customer services IT production support group improved their test planning skills through applying the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) KM framework to define a software‐testing process. This included the ongoing maintenance and use of a business knowledge repository comprising software test cases.

Design/methodology/approach

An action learning approach was used for workplace training facilitated by one of the authors. Applying and refining learnings gained in a series of three workshops achieved these outcomes. The first two workshops focused on improving test‐planning skills and the third on introducing KM concepts, the APQC KM framework and the development of a KM based software‐testing process that combined explicit and tacit knowledge.

Findings

The combination of workshop outputs, workshop evaluation feedback and lessons learned during the following two months suggests that the KM approach was an effective way for teams or organisations wanting to capture and convey tacit knowledge on software testing.

Research limitations/implications

Participants viewed the described approach as an easily comprehensible and relatively quick method to define a KM based process and define the factors that can influence the success of a KM based process. While our results suggest that this KM approach could be more generally applied to transfer of high‐intensity tacit knowledge workplace training situations, the case study was confined to a single group and focused on software testing only.

Originality/value

Provide information on a utility retailer's software testing process.

Citation

Nogeste, K. and Walker, D.H.T. (2006), "Using knowledge management to revise software‐testing processes", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 6-27. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665620610641283