Shared Knowledge in Virtual Software Teams: A Preliminary Framework

Abstract

Shared knowledge allows virtual teams to collaborate more effectively. Shared knowledge in teams, hereafter called team knowledge, must be established and maintained. This is a key enabler for agile development in a distributed context. Hence, organizations may benefit from efforts to ensure sufficient levels of team knowledge. Such efforts may include different measures, such as project kick-offs, frequent visits across locations, knowledge sharing tools and practices. However, team knowledge includes many types of knowledge, with different impacts on the team's work. This paper outlines a framework for conceptualizing the breadth of team knowledge relevant for virtual software teams. With the help of this framework, organizations can think more strategically about how to improve team knowledge -- for example the planning of kick-offs, what to focus on in face-to-face meetings and how the team members work together on a day-to-day basis. The framework may also be used to assist in planning team composition, for example based on individuals' knowledge and the overlap with other team members' knowledge. The framework uses four broad categories of team knowledge: task-related, team-related, process-related and goal-related. Beneath these four categories the framework details and describes more concrete knowledge types. We also provide examples from software practice for each knowledge type.