Situated knowledge definition
Situated knowledge is knowledge shaped by the specific context, relationships, tools, norms, and conditions in which it is learned and used. Its meaning or usefulness may change when it moves to a different team, location, system, or situation.
Knowledge depends on context
A procedure never operates in a vacuum. People use it through particular systems, authority structures, customer relationships, physical settings, and team norms. Situated knowledge explains why a practice that succeeds in one setting may fail when copied unchanged into another.
The context may be visible, such as a different tool, or tacit, such as who can challenge a decision in a meeting.
Situated-knowledge example
A global company gives every service team the same escalation policy. In one region, the on-call lead can authorize a customer credit immediately. In another, local controls require finance approval. The policy is shared, but the knowledge required to use it is situated in different approval systems and relationships.
Preserving context during transfer
Record the conditions around the rule: where it applies, who participates, which tools and permissions it assumes, what exceptions recur, and how the user recognizes a change of situation. Pair the record with examples from more than one setting.
Remote transitions make this especially important because observation and informal context are harder to reproduce. The remote worker offboarding guide shows how demonstrations and stakeholder mapping preserve this context. Knowledge heterogeneity also matters when the sender and receiver bring different experience to the same situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of situated knowledge?
A support procedure may work differently for one region because its customers use another channel, its team has different escalation authority, and local regulation changes which information can be shared.
Why does situated knowledge matter in a handover?
Instructions copied without their operating context can be misunderstood or misapplied. A handover should explain where a practice works, which conditions it assumes, and what changes when the receiver works in another context.
Is situated knowledge always tacit?
No. Context can be documented explicitly, but people also absorb local norms, cues, and relationships through participation. Situated knowledge often combines recorded facts with tacit understanding gained in the environment where the work occurs.