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Knowledge Transfer Support Tool for R&D Project Management- Linking Awareness-on-Project and Awareness-in-Project Naoshi Uchihira*In recent years, importance of project management in research and development (R&D) in companies is well recognized. Since it isdifficult to establish codified project management knowledge in R&D projects, knowledge transfer among project managers becomes
important. The most important knowledge is awareness ability for future chances and risks. The authors have proposed a knowledgetransfer method utilizing a project case database. This paper proposes wiki-based tool for supporting this method. Using this tool,
project managers can be aware of future chances and risks by studying similar project cases. The characteristic features of this tool
include linking awareness-on-project and awareness-in-project based on project review checkpoints and project phases.
Key Words & Phrases: Project Manager, R&D Project Management, Knowledge Transfer, Project Case Database, Wiki

1. Introduction

2. Literature Review

In era of global competition, the ineffectiveness of
research and development is recognized as a criticalissue in Japanese manufacturing companies. There areseveral reasons for the ineffectiveness, including
inability to meet the structural change of innovationand to gain exclusive profit from innovativetechnology. Quality of project management also
affects the effectiveness of R&D. Several management
tools, such as stage gate [1] and phase review [2], havebeen introduced in R&D project management.
However, they tend to become a dead letter ifmanagers lack sufficient skills and knowledge toutilize these tools. In fact, it is not easy to gain
sufficient skills and knowledge because each manager
participates in a limited number of projects. We focus
on project management knowledge of R&D managers
and have been developing a method of project
management knowledge transfer in order to shareskills and knowledge in the same organization[3][4][5][6]. In the proposed method, a project casedatabase is utilized. We also implemented awiki-based project case database, which deals with
only past project cases and no relation with theongoing project [7]. This paper proposes a new
wiki-based tool featuring linking past projects and atarget ongoing project by using a new concept(“awareness on project” and “awareness in project”).

Since knowledge of new technology and productdevelopment is recognized as a core competence inmanufacturing companies, there is much research on
knowledge transfer [8][9][10]. However, most of thisresearch focuses on knowledge transfer of technology
and there are few reports on project management
knowledge transfer. Project management knowledge isstructured and standardized as PMBOK (ProjectManagement Body of Knowledge). But PMBOK does
not mention the knowledge transfer procedure,
especially in regard to knowledge internalization.
Niwa and his colleagues proposed a knowledgetransfer support system for large plant construction
project management where useful project management
knowledge is codified in an expert system [11]. Since
the expert system can generate only knowledge which
was stored, they developed a human-computer
cooperative systems that support human awarenessability. Aoshima and Nobeoka introduced “project
knowledge” and considered knowledge transfer in
automobile manufacturers [12]. Hitachi Ltd. has
implemented the organizational learning process for
project management knowledge of softwaredevelopment and plant construction project. This
process consists of three steps: knowledge
externalization by failure analysis, knowledge
crystallization by a project management office, andknowledge internalization in organizations [13][14].
Compared with project management in plant
construction, software development, and automotive
development in which the target product requirements
are clear, R&D projects involve many uncertainties*

School of Knowledge Science, Japan Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST)

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and risks, and therefore additional considerations are
required. The New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO) has investigatedits past projects through post-project review anddeveloped “NEDO R&D Management Guidelines” inwhich the reviewed past project cases are linked to a
project management checklist [15]. These activities
are a step in the right direction but they do not amountto the concrete procedure of a knowledge transfer
process of R&D projects.
In our previous papers, we proposed a methodof project management knowledge transfer andintroduced a project case database which is used asboundary objects of knowledge transfer [3][4][5][6].
We also developed a wiki-based project case databasefor supporting browsing project cases [7]. In theseresearches, we mentioned a support mechanism forlinking past projects in the project case database to thetarget ongoing project is one of remaining future
works. This paper is intended to address thisremaining agenda.

structured project case is utilized as a boundary object
in the context of knowledge transfer.
SenderReceiver
Externalization Internalization
SupportSupportSubject

Subject“Ba”
Knowledge

Externalization

Boundary
Knowledge
Object Internalization
Structuralization

Experiences

Experiences

Knowledge Structure in Organizational Routine

Figure 1 Knowledge Transfer Model with Boundary
ObjectExternalization
Post Project
Review(Structured Project
Analysis)

Boundary Objects

Internalization
Project Phase
Review

Project
Case
Database(Internalization
Workshop)

3. Knowledge Transfer Model
Figure 1 represents the proposed knowledge transfer
model consisting of knowledge externalization andknowledge internalization. Here, we suppose
knowledge transfer among different generations in thesame organization, which provides a contextual
environment “Ba.” The senders of knowledge
externalize their knowledge as boundary objects. The
receivers internalize the knowledge through boundary
objects. A boundary object is a codified medium ofknowledge transfer [16] and boundary objects are
structured using the structure of organizational
knowledge.
Figure 2 shows the knowledge transfer process
in R&D project management based on the model. This
process consists of knowledge externalization in
post-projectreview(PPR)
andknowledge
internalization in project phase review (PHR). Table
1 shows purpose and function, timing, participants,
and method of PPR and PHR. Awareness in PPR andPHR is mentioned later, which is a key point of thispaper.
"Structured project analysis" is a method ofknowledge externalization that reviews a finishedproject and produces a structured project case in the
post-project review. The structured project analysis
clarifies success and failure factors of the project. This

SenderReceiver
Projectmanager

Project
Manager
Past Project

Knowledge Transfer
Facilitator

Ongoing
Project

Phase Review Management

Figure 2 Knowledge Transfer Process in R&D ProjectManagement
Table 1

TargetPurposeandFunction

TimingPost-Project Review and Project Phase
Review
Post Project Review Project Phase Review
(PPR)
(PHR)
Finished past project Ongoing project
Externalization of knowledge (F1) Recognition and sharing of
which should be learned from future chance and risk items
and action items to improve thethe past project.
project.
(F2)Decision-making in project
management using results of(F1).
When the project has
finished.

When the project is reviewed inphase transition.

Project manager, project
Participants members, facilitator.

Project manager, project
members, stakeholders,
facilitator.

Awareness Awareness-on-action

Awareness-in-action

Structured project analysis

Internalization workshop

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Figure 3 shows a structured project case inwhich we introduce three types of structures to the
traditional text-based cases:(1) Phase review framework:
Phase structure (e.g. idea discovery, concept
generation, feasibility study, development, testingand validation, product production and launch,and product support).
(2) Review checkpoint areas:
4 areas (technology, market, business structure,human resources and organization) of the review
checklist. Table 2 shows an example of checklist
consisting of 22 items classified into 4 areas. This
checklist has been used in project phase reviewsin the R&D organization.
(3) Causal relations of success and failure factors:
The structured project analysis clarifies successand failure factors of the project with thesestructures as a manager’s aware items. Each aware
item explains a causal relation of failure andsuccess from the manager’s view.
Review Checkpoint Areas
Technology
Stage0䠖Idea
Discovery

event

Phase Review Process

Stage1䠖Concept
Generation
Stage2䠖
Feasibility Study
Stage3䠖
Development
Stage4䠖Testing& Verification

Marketevent

Resource
event

event

event

event

Stage5䠖LaunchStage6䠖ProductSupportBusiness

Aware item
(causal relationof success andfailure)

event

event

event

Figure 3 Structured Project Case
The extracted project management knowledge isstored in a project case database. However, it is nottrivial for project managers to internalize theknowledge using the case database. A case method
using cases in the database is an effective way tointernalization of the knowledge. However, the casemethod forms a scheduled class room education, andcannot timely meet demands from managers of theongoing projects. Therefore, we also propose the"internalization workshop" method in a project phasereview for managers to internalize the project
management knowledge based on the analogicaltransfer approach. The method selects success andfailure scenarios from the case database that havesome similarities to the ongoing target project andshows them to the managers. Then, the method
prompts the managers to imagine and analyze futurescenarios (future chance and risk items) of their target
ongoing project by analogy and take action concerningthem. The internalization workshop is held in the firsthalf of the project phase review ((F1) in Table 1).
Well-structured project cases can improve quality
and motivation of project phase reviews. Good project
phase reviews leave qualified records of projects,
which improve post-project reviews. The combinationof post-project review and project phase review
utilizing the knowledge transfer method can create avirtuous cycle of organizational learning. It can
improve R&D project management quality, and thenimprove the success probability of R&D projects.
Table 2

Example of Checklist㻭㼞㼑㼍㻯㼔㼑㼏㼗㻌㻼㼛㼕㼚㼠㻝 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻿㼠㼞㼛㼚㼓㻌㼏㼛㼞㼑㻌㼠㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼕㼑㼟㻞 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻾㼛㼎㼡㼟㼠㼚㼑㼟㼟㻌㼛㼒㻌㼏㼛㼞㼑㻌㼠㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼕㼑㼟㻟 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻿㼡㼒㼒㼕㼏㼕㼑㼚㼠㻌㼟㼥㼟㼠㼑㼙㻌㼠㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼕㼑㼟㻠 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻿㼡㼒㼒㼕㼏㼕㼑㼚㼠㻌㼜㼞㼛㼏㼑㼟㼟㻌㼠㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼕㼑㼟㻡 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻿㼠㼍㼚㼐㼍㼞㼐㼕㼦㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻌㻒㻌㻾㼑㼓㼡㼘㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻢 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㻷㼕㼘㼘㼑㼞㻌㼍㼜㼜㼘㼕㼏㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻣 㼀㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼥 㼁㼚㼎㼕㼍㼟㼑㼐㻌㼏㼛㼚㼟㼕㼐㼑㼞㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻤 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻲㼡㼠㼡㼞㼑㻌㼎㼕㼓㻌㼙㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㻥 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻯㼔㼍㼚㼓㼕㼚㼓㻌㼜㼛㼕㼚㼠㻝㻜 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻾㼑㼍㼘㻌㼚㼑㼑㼐㼟㻝㻝 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻯㼛㼙㼜㼑㼠㼕㼠㼛㼞㻝㻞 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻭㼘㼠㼑㼞㼚㼍㼠㼕㼢㼑㻌㼠㼑㼏㼔㼚㼛㼘㼛㼓㼕㼑㼟㻝㻟 㻹㼍㼞㼗㼑㼠㼕㼚㼓 㻯㼛㼚㼠㼑㼤㼠㼡㼍㼘㻌㼏㼛㼚㼟㼕㼐㼑㼞㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻝㻠 㻮㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟 㻾㼑㼟㼜㼛㼚㼟㼕㼎㼘㼑㻌㼎㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟㻌㼡㼚㼕㼠㻝㻡 㻮㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟 㻿㼠㼞㼍㼠㼑㼓㼕㼏㼍㼘㼘㼥㻌㼒㼕㼠㼚㼑㼟㼟㻝㻢 㻮㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟 㼁㼠㼕㼘㼕㼦㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻌㼛㼒㻌㼎㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟㻌㼡㼚㼕㼠㻝㻣 㻮㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟 㻿㼔㼍㼞㼕㼚㼓㻌㼏㼔㼍㼚㼏㼑㻌㼍㼚㼐㻌㼞㼕㼟㼗㻌㼣㼕㼠㼔㻌㼎㼡㼟㼕㼚㼑㼟㼟㻌㼡㼚㼕㼠㻝㻤 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㼟 㻯㼛㼙㼙㼡㼚㼕㼏㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻌㼍㼙㼛㼚㼓㻌㼟㼠㼍㼗㼑㼔㼛㼘㼐㼑㼞㼟㻝㻥 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㼟 㻿㼠㼞㼛㼚㼓㻌㼘㼑㼍㼐㼑㼞㼟㼔㼕㼜㻞㻜 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㼟 㻷㼑㼥㻌㼜㼑㼞㼟㼛㼚㻓㼟㻌㼟㼡㼜㼜㼛㼞㼠㻞㻝 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㼟 㼁㼠㼕㼘㼕㼦㼍㼠㼕㼛㼚㻌㼛㼒㻌㼛㼡㼠㼟㼕㼐㼑㻌㼞㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㻞㻞 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㼟 㻾㼑㼟㼛㼡㼞㼏㼑㻌㻒㻌㼞㼕㼟㼗㻌㼙㼍㼚㼍㼓㼑㼙㼑㼚㼠

4. Awareness and Organizational Learning
In project management, awareness ability of a project
manager is a key for success. If a manager can beaware of future chances and risks earlier, the manager
takes actions earlier in order to reduce the risks andmake a good use of the chances. Usually, awarenessability can be learnt through experience and depends
on personal career. However, as mentioned, it is noteasy to learn it in R&D projects, then organizational
learning is required. We think knowledge transfer is agood method to foster awareness ability as anorganizational learning.

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We classify awareness into two types:“awareness on project” and “awareness in project”.
Awareness-on-project (Backcasting)
A manager’s insight of cause-and-effectrelations clarifying success and failure factors of thefinished project which are aware in a post-projectreview (PPR). The manager can learn knowledge fromhis project.
Awareness-in-project (Forecasting)
A manager’s insight of cause-and-effectrelations forecasting future chances and risks of theongoing project which are aware in a project phasereview (PHR). The manager can learn knowledge
from other finished project.
Figure 4 shows relation of two types ofawareness. From organizational learning, both types ofawareness should be treated in the same way
Classification of awareness (awareness on
project and awareness in project) is conceived from
Schön’s concept of reflection [17]. However, to avoid
confusion, I define two types of awarenessindependently of Schön’s concept of reflection.
Awareness in Project

Awareness on Project
In Post Project Review

Project
Manager
Event

Aware
Item

Event

Past

Link

In Project Phase Review

Aware
Item

Event

Event

Now

Now

Backcasting
Finished Project

Project
Manager
Event

Event
FutureForecasting
Ongoing Project

Figure 4 Awareness on Project and Awareness in
Project

Figure 5 shows the linking structure of events ofproject, project management viewpoints, project
phases, and project attributes, that corresponds tophase review framework and review checkpoint areasin Figure 3.
Check List

Past Project Case

Checkpoint 1

Event 1

Checkpoint 2

Event 2Checkpoint 3

Event 3Checkpoint 4

Event 4Attribute List
Attribute 1
Attribute 2

Phase List

Current Project

Phase 1

Event 1

Phase 2

Event 2Attribute 3
Attribute 4

Phase 3Phase 4

Figure 5 Linking Project Events andCheckpoints and Phases
Figure 6 shows the linking structure of aware
items, events of project, project management
viewpoints, project phases, and project managers in
the organization. Each aware item corresponds to acause-and-effect relation of Figure 3. Figure 7, 8 and 9
show interface screen shots of the wiki tool. While thelinking structure of events, checkpoints and phases in
Figure 5 is stable, awareness of Figure 6 depends on
person and may be changing over times. In some cases
there exist opposing aware items which are registeredby different persons and timing. Therefore, the linking
structure of events, checkpoints and phases (Figure 5)
and the linking structure of awareness (Figure 6)
should be implemented by different ways. Whileawareness on project is registered in the post-projectreview, awareness in project is registered in the post
phase review by referring awareness on the related
finished project.

5. Knowledge Transfer Support Tool
We have been developing a knowledge transfer
support tool which fosters a project manager’s
awareness ability in both post project review andproject phase review. Aware items are linked toprojects based on project management viewpoints(technology, marketing, business structure, andresources) and project phases. This tool isimplemented by the wiki software (pukiwiki)
considering flexibility and extensibility. The wiki’s
hyperlink function is utilized for linking aware items
and projects.

Check List

Organization

Past Project Case

Check Item 1

Manager 1

Event 1

Check Item 2Manager 2

Event 2Check Item 3

Event 3Check Item 4

Event 4Phase List

Aware Item
(Awarenesson-project)

Attribute 1
Attribute 2
Current Project

Phase 1

Event 1

Phase 2

Event 2Phase 3Phase 4

Aware Item
(Awarenessin-project)

Attribute List

Attribute 3
Attribute 4

Figure 6 Linking Awareness-on-Project andAwareness-in-Project

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When the ongoing project will be finished,awareness in the ongoing project will be used assource of awareness on project in a post-projectreview.
We explain a typical use case of the wiki-based
tool for a manager to create a new aware item in a
project phase review:(1) A project manager selects a similar project to his
ongoing project using project attributes (target
business, business model, technology type, etc.) in
the top menu. Then he understands a summary of
the project. If the ongoing project is relating tohealthcare, the manager browses and selects one ofhealthcare-related projects (e.g., healthcare chipproject) in Figure 7.
(2) The manager selects an aware item of the similar
project which he feels some anxiety about relating
to his project in the aware item list. In Figure 8,
there are several aware items that explain successand failure factors of the selected project(healthcare chip project).
(3) The manager read events linked to the aware item
and understand what happened in the similar
project.
(4) The manager browses other aware items of otherproject with the same check item and selects oneof them.
(5) The manager read events linked to the aware item
and understand what happened in the selected
project.
(6) The manager becomes aware that his ongoingproject has a similar chance or risk.
(7) The manager creates his new aware item (futurechances and risks) in analogical thinking andregisters it in the ongoing project case databasewith link (Figure 9).
(8) The manager does the same process repeatedly.
(9) Finally, the manager collects all his aware items of
his ongoing project and makes action items inorder to reduce risks and make a good use of thechances.

Figure 7

Screen Shot of the Tool (top menu)

Figure 8 Screen Shot of the Tool(aware item of the similar past project)

Figure 9 Screen Shot of the Tool(aware item of the ongoing project)
6. Conclusions
Zedtwitz mentioned that the post-project review in
R&D projects is effective for organizational learning
but there are several barriers for organizations to use it[18]. Software tools are one of approaches to reducethe barriers. We have developed a knowledge transfer
support tool for R&D project management which candeal with both awareness on project and awareness inproject. Awareness ability is a key for success inproject management. Future works include
establishment of awareness based organizational
learning and development of a navigation function to
support the organizational learning.

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