Knowledge management in agile projects: a Scrum-KM extension proposal endorsed by Canadian and Brazilian project managers

Purpose Considering the inherent tensions between the structured, long-cycle approaches of Knowledge Management (KM) and the dynamic, short-term nature of agile environments, the paper’s objective is to propose a Scrum-based extension designed to facilitate the seamless integration of KM practices within agile projects. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology employed a three-stage approach: thematic literature review, framework development, and framework validation. The thematic review encompassed works in the fields of KM, Information System and Agile Project Management literature with a focus on studies proposing KM and Agile frameworks, and systematic literature reviews. A lightweight Scrum-KM was designed to delineate appropriate KM activities, artifacts and structures throughout the Scrum cycles. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 senior project managers from large Brazilian and Canadian companies to endorse the proposal. Findings The results unveiled a lack of a structured KM strategy and short-term perspective, resulting in rework, knowledge loss, and limited knowledge exchange between projects. The proposed Scrum-KM extension reinforces the KM responsibilities of PMO and offers guidelines for structuring project knowledge repositories within scaling agile contexts. Practical implications The Scrum-KM extension guides practitioners in establishing inter-project forums to foster knowledge sharing, leverage project analytics, and nourish project knowledge repositories. Originality/value The Scrum-KM extension considers squad dynamics and the PMO’s role in fostering inter-project knowledge sharing, the importance of Content Management Systems for structuring knowledge bases, the challenge of leveraging Kanban charts for Project Management Analytics, and retrospective meetings as crucial opportunities for capturing lessons learned.