Process Versus Knowledge Interdependencies: Balancing Alternative Grouping Criteria

When creating team-based DSMs, researchers have traditionally focused on capturing interactions due to work process interdependencies. Grouping or clustering of DSM elements (roles or units) has then been performed to minimize coordination costs. However, recent research suggests that work process interdependencies are distinct from knowledge interdependencies, which may suggest an alternative grouping criterion, namely, to maximize functional learning. We explore this possibility by proposing a survey approach to map knowledge interdependencies in addition to work process interdependencies. We use a multicriteria method, known as the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), to weigh the two criteria, and propose a revised clustering method to find groupings that satisfy both criteria.