Mapping Knowledge-Life Cycle to Process Architecture

Abstract

A knowledge life cycle has several knowledge management (KM) processes that differ from one model to another. Exploration and utilization of these processes on high levels require mapping them to the core business processes in an organization. A business process architecture (BPA) identifies these core processes and highlights their relationships. Riva method is a BPA approach that allows characterizing these key processes using essential business entities (EBEs). It also proposes a few steps to develop an organization's overall business process architecture (BPA). Matching the appropriate knowledge management (KM) processes to these steps clarifies KM’s role in business process modeling. In addition, it contributes to discovering gaps and developing business process modeling (BPM). The Riva-based Knowledge Life Cycle (KLC) model has been suggested to map KM processes to Riva BPA steps. The model is divided into three phases, sequentially including the KM processes of exploration and identification, capturing and refinement, and creation and exploitation. The exploration and identification phase involves searching and discovering business scope resources (Riva step one). Capturing and refinement is the phase of extracting candidate EBEs, determining the EBEs, and filtering them into Units of Work (UOWs) (Riva steps two and three). Finally, creation and exploitation processes involve generating dynamic relationships among UOWs and transforming the UOWs diagram into the first and second-cut process architecture diagrams (Riva steps four, five, and six). A case study of a bank in Jordan will be applied to evaluate this model. A mixed-methods approach using structured and semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the bank financing team to measure KM processes’ involvement. Accordingly, the results are expected to identify which KM processes are more engaged to process architecture. It could also suggest using these KM processes as a benchmark to measure the achievement of each BPA step implementation in its domain.