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124 Chapter 4

Consolidation

New product

Strengthen Repurpose
product product
Rapid Thorough
development development

Market reaction

Good Poor Good Poor Good Poor Good Poor
Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate

Figure 4.7
Example of a decision tree

for the coding of process knowledge. An example would be a preventive maintenance
process for factory equipment. The captured knowledge from maintenance workers
could be coded in a decision tree to help future maintenance workers carry out parts
replacement and other work on a schedule-based decision rather than reacting to parts
becoming worn out. Another example, shown in fi gure 4.7 , helps guide the decision
of whether to consolidate or to develop a new product as a risk management decision
tree.

Knowledge Taxonomies
Concepts can be thought of as the building blocks of knowledge and expertise. We
each have our own internal defi nitions of the concepts we use to make sense of the
world around us. Once key concepts have been identifi ed and captured, they can be
arranged in a hierarchy that is often referred to as structural knowledge taxonomy.
Knowledge taxonomies allow knowledge to be graphically represented in such a way
that it refl ects the logical organization of concepts within a particular fi eld of expertise
or for the organization at large. A knowledge dictionary is a good way to keep track