Case Studies in Knowledge Management

Where Knowledge Management Resides within Project Management 145

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Execution of Company Strategy

Projects are used to execute Engineering Consulting XYZ’s strategies. Engineering
Consulting XYZ’s present vision is to continue to be a sustained consulting group and
to be the premier consultant for valued clients. The strategies to achieve the vision focus
on identifying and looking after key clients.

Processes

Engineering Consulting XYZ has a robust project management methodology with
strong links to the methodology employed by the Project Management Institute’s (2000)
PMBOK. Each project in Engineering Consulting XYZ undergoes initiation, planning,
execution, and closing phases. Business processes and project management systems
also support the project.
One of Engineering Consulting XYZ’s five business units assigns a project
manager to the project. The project is structured according to the work breakdown
structure. The project has a project director who provides a mentoring role and is
responsible for client relationships, progress monitoring, and performance (quality time
costs resources), and overall quality assurance, including risk. In addition, there are
review points linked to the project management methodology and quality assurance
procedures; these reviews assist in managing the project risks.

Knowledge Management Processes in Engineering

Consulting XYZ

Engineering Consulting XYZ supports knowledge management processes through-
out the organization. In recognition of this, it has appointed a knowledge manager to
develop its knowledge management activities, including the introduction of communities
of practice, capturing of lessons learned, and implementation of a knowledge manage-
ment system.

Knowledge Reuse

Knowledge reuse occurred between projects. New technical knowledge that was
created in the first project was reused in the second project. Specific knowledge from the
first project facilitated improved designs in the second project.
In Engineering Consulting XYZ, knowledge is reused at all stages of the project life
cycle. Project team members continually reuse knowledge and expect to reuse it; one
project team member stated that:

In most instances, I expect a level of success. I expect to be able to reuse the information.
In fact, if we can’t, it will more than likely result in an unpleasant commercial outcome.
It’s really usually necessary to reuse that information. Every now and then, though,
you’ll stumble across a piece of information which is so beautifully presented, so
valuable that it will deliver a result very quickly, indeed.

At the plan stage, both explicit and tacit knowledge are used. Explicit knowledge
is in the form of tenders, proposals, project plans, general project documentation, project