Knowledge Transfer in Software Development Teams—Systematic Mapping

Abstract

Context:The acquisition of new knowledge, by means of teaching programming languages, tools, methodologies, and development processes, is a need in the software industry to retain the experience of the programmer within the organization.Objective: This work aims analysing existing research on techniques, tools, approaches and experiences applied to the transmission and acquisition of new knowledge. Additionally, to analyse the learning process within an organizational environment, and how a company captures, maintains and transmits the knowledge.Method: We conducted a survey to identify the software practitioner needs regarding experience and knowledge transfer. Once we could realize there is a challenge to manage the knowledge, a systematic mapping of the literature is carried out. We have considered works published between 2007 and 2019.Results: 51 articles were selected, 71% are studies in industry, 29% are focused on university education. Our findings reveal the great challenge involved in studying the acquisition and exchange of new knowledge. Additionally, we were supported with an initial survey to validate results.Conclusions: Much of the literature focuses on analysing academic processes, more research is needed on the process of learning new knowledge with respect to programming languages, tools, methodologies, cycles and development processes in the software industry.