Knowledge Management in Software Process Improvement: A case study of very small entities

This chapter discusses knowledge management (KM)
aspects of how software process and software process
improvement (SPI) is practiced within very small
entities (VSEs) in the context of Irish software
development industry. In particular this study is
concerned with the process of software development
knowledge management in supporting the SPI. In order
to understand the support process, we have studied how
KM processes are practiced within VSEs which includes
communication, learning, sharing and documentation
process. This study also focuses in detail on the issues of
the knowledge atrophy problem in VSEs. The findings
explain how KM is been practiced and influences the
software development process and process improvement
in VSEs. This result indicates that KM processes in
VSEs are being undertaken in a very informal manner
and also in indirect way due to the small team size,
autonomous working and macro-management style
which have caused VSEs to be more informal in their
knowledge management processes specifically and SPI
generally. In addition, the results have indicated that the
informal environment and culture helped VSEs to easily
create and share knowledge between staff members and
also assisted VSEs to mitigate the knowledge atrophy
problem in their organization.