Documentation of Water Experiential Knowledge: An Operational Approach to the Knowledge Management Process of Water Resource Development Plans

Experiential documentation is a kind of knowledge management (KM). The main problem is the documentation of intellectual capital and experience in using knowledge in preserving resources and avoiding previous mistakes. The purpose of this study is the application of policies in the developmental schemes of water resources in three sectors of Fars, Boushehr and Kohgilooyeh regional water companies using the documentation of experimental knowledge within the order of the priority of project implementation in three national, provincial and individual levels.

Combining the samples from three testing sectors, namely, R and D departments of Fars, Boushehr and Kohgilooyeh regional water companies yielded data from 36 participants. The research used the mixed method sampling. The data were gathered by using the interview and Delphi (in qualitative phase) and a Likert-type questionnaire (in quantitative phase).

The finding revealed that the participants unanimously accepted the order of priority of the project implementation in the hierarchy of national and provincial sectors regarding experimental knowledge of experts. Finally, the project documentation should be included as a complimentary service in all stages.

The lack of KM system in projects creates problems like the disorder of project implementation and disclaiming experimental knowledge of the experts.