KIKK

Keywords

Workplace learning; Participatory change processes ; ICT as complex artifact

Overview

A Norwegian acronym for Knowledge Management for Internal Communication and Customer Relations. KIKK is a KP-Lab/WP10 case. We explore multiple dimensions of developer-user relations.

Aims

The following research questions are explored:

• Adaptive product development: Customer-initiated development and developer-customer co-configuration;
• Mentoring: How new employees are trained in a customer context, and how this exemplifies boundary-crossing;
• Knowledge advancement: How products, knowledge and individual expertise co-evolve, represented by snapshots of information flow, knowledge sharing, tool development, and practice transformation.

Methods

We use qualitative empirical methods (observation, interview, video analysis) and design methods (participatory design, evolutionary prototyping, extreme programming). Our approach is comprehensive for the life cycle of (ICT-mediated) organizational change and as a result of this combines the socio-cultural approach with socio-technical interaction design. By ICT as complex artifact we mean that mediating artifacts evolve, which is different from simple (fixed, non-changing) artifacts

Partners

A Norwegian based Software company and InterMedia, UiO 

Period of Duration

9/2006 to 9/2008 

Outcomes

Understanding existing work in software product development (internal information exchange, customer interaction, product evolution on multiple levels); participating in creating change in current practice by intervention and introducing a new user support system (web portal prototype); studying user-developer relations, mentoring as a knowledge practice, knowledge building in the organization, and developing the first version of participatory change processes (PCP) methodology.

Publications

1. Nygård, K.A. And Mørch, A.I. (2007). The Role of Boundary Crossing for Knowledge Advancement in Product Development. Proceedings Int'l Conf. Computers in Education (ICCE 2007), in T. Hirashima et al. (Eds.) Supporting Learning Flow Through Integrative Technologies, IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 183-186. (PDF)
2. Mørch, A.I. and Skaanes, M.A. (in press). Design and Use of an Integrated Work and Learning System: Information Seeking as Critical Function. To appear in Ludvigsen, S. Lund, A., Rasmussen, I. & Säljö, R. (eds.). Learning Across Sites: New Tools, Infrastructures and Practices. Pergamon Press. (PDF)

Masters theses and reports 

1. Nedic, D. and Olsen, E.A. (2007). Customizing an Open Source Web Portal Framework in a Business Context: Integrating Participatory Design with an Agile Approach. Masters thesis, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, 11/07 (PDF)

Presentations 

Presentation at ICCE 2007 on November 8th, 2007 by Anders. (PDF) 

Related projects

LAP, Ahus 

Funding

EU / KP-Lab / WP10