An action research study on the design and development of core IT artifacts for knowledge management systems

Researchers report mixed findings on the successful application of information technologies (IT) for Knowledge Management (KM). Action Research, with its emphasis on praxis and on the importance ‘practical theory,’ is an ideal vehicle for deepening the IS field’s understanding of developing ITenabled Knowledge Management Systems. It can also help identify IT artifacts that are core, as opposed to non-core, KM Tools. This paper reports on the outcomes of two related action research studies involving the University R&D team and practitioners from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and a Government Department. The first of these studies focused on the design and development, using ‘practical theory,’ of a desktop-based IT artifact for knowledge sharing, while the second elaborated, extended, and applied the lessons learned from the first, to develop an enterprisewide IT artifact for the Government Department’s Knowledge Management System (KMS). These studies contribute to both research and practice by: (1) offering a conceptual schema based on practical theory to inform the design and development of a core IT artifact for KMS; (2) presenting a list of features for the core IT artifact; and (3) differentiating between core and non-core IT artifacts for knowledge sharing in organizations.