Applying Sense-Making Methodology to Design Knowledge Management Practices

This article introduces readers to Dervin’s sense-making methodology and demonstrates how it has been applied to design knowledge management projects for the public sector. The projects described in this article were implemented between November 2005 and June 2006 when the author was the head of knowledge management for the improvement service for the Scottish Government, a company limited by guarantee with a budget provided by the Scottish Executive, whose aim is to improve the efficiency, quality and accountability of public services in Scotland through learning, sharing knowledge and delivering improvement solutions. Sense-Making is based on a set of assumptions which challenge some fundamental knowledge management thinking. The sense-making assumptions imply the need for alternative procedures to be implemented to promote knowledge sharing. Four primary applications are discussed: (a) conducting interviews to understand user needs; (b) designing web-based KM solutions; (c) building communities of practice; and (d) measuring benefits. This article aims at stimulating further thinking and debate in adopting theoretically informed approaches to implement knowledge management practices.