A Sociomaterial Design Process Modelling Technique for Knowledge Management Systems

Models of design processes provide guidance in the development of knowledge management systems (KMS). The basis for such models comes mainly from socio-technical principles which state rigid rules and procedures that the design process modelling must adhered to. However, such rigor does not account for flexibility, ad hoc design, and ongoing configuration and reconfiguration of the systems materiality in both prior-to-use design and design-in-use practices which are socio-material in nature. Grounded on the “ways of” design approach proposed by Sol (1991), this article presents the adoption of case management model and notation (CMMN) as a modelling technique that accounts for interactions and imbrications between social and material agencies when designing and using a KMS. A case study, carried out within a knowledge management project in an international heritage network, shows that the adopted technique coherently and consistently meets the particularities of socio-material design process modelling of KMS in terms of eliciting requirements, identification of contextual dimensions, conceptual modelling and building and evaluating prototypes. Our proposal will be helpful in applying what have been mostly theoretical discussions on socio-materiality in highly dynamic design settings.