A Knowledge Management System (KMS) using a storytelling-based approach to collect tacit knowledge

Since the 1990s, Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) have been largely unsuccessful in the collection of tacit knowledge. This includes direct input by the holder of the tacit knowledge into a KMS or through an intermediary such as the collection of tacit knowledge through interviews and videos then posting the data to a KMS. The reasons span the organizational, technological, and individual. In this paper, we concentrate on the tacit knowledge reasons that spans the technological and individual. We believe that tacit knowledge can be effectively and consistently collected from the contributors themselves and placed into a KMS by the contributors using a storytelling-based approach. This study extends past research that collected stories using interviews and videos. The methodology utilizes a storytelling-based KMS, developed in a relational database management system (RDBMS), for Domain Experts (DEs) to contribute their tacit knowledge. It is hypothesized that having contributors use stories to enter their tacit knowledge themselves into a KMS will overcome their reluctance thus making the overall process successful. Once tacit knowledge is entered into a KMS, it becomes explicit knowledge available to anyone who requires it.