KAIWA: A design framework for knowledge discourse in the transition phase of offshore outsourced projects

Abstract

The challenge of knowledge transfer in distributed team settings is often underestimated and ineffective or failed knowledge transfer is a major cause of project delay or failure. Globally distributed teams can face difficulties overcoming the challenges of physical and cultural distance and can struggle to develop systems that support the effective identification andtransfer of knowledge that is critical to project success. In the case of offshore outsourced software development, the commonly ad-hoc nature of project teams compounds thesechallenges, since team members are often unknown to each other ahead of projectcommencement.Despite knowledge transfer being recognized simultaneously as critical and problematic, theliterature provides little guidance for developing solutions. This paper builds on existing research into the problem of ineffective or failed knowledge transfer in the transition phase of offshore outsourced software development projects. Following a Design Science Research approach, we seek to establish design elements, including an instantiation of a method structure, which will provide a sound basis from which to develop a method for knowledgetransfer in globally distributed projects.