A Knowledge Structure Map (KSM) is an organised visual map containing nodes and connecting lines (arcs) and showing a knowledge area. A complete map also contains expert opinion about the knowledge area being shown.
The knowledge represented on the map is organised in the way that a human expert would acquire this knowledge, by learning dependency. This means showing knowledge that an expert would be expected to know before it would be possible for the expert to understand some new piece of knowledge. By default then, the map provides a learning structure for a knowledge area.
The map is also supplemented with expert opinion about the knowledge represented on the map. The informed opinion takes the form of 4 numeric items and 4 text items. Using the map structure and the expert opinion captured during map construction, it is possible to analyse the knowledge area and provide decision support information that allows a knowledge resource to be accounted for during decision making.
A software tool called KST (Knowledge Study Tool) is available to support map construction and analysis.
The KSM methodology provides a useful way to study a knowledge area and it has been used successfully in many business based projects.