The purpose of this thesis is to show how an analytical framework originally intended for information systems architecture can be used to support both knowledge management and knowledge engineering. The framework suggests analysing information or knowledge from six perspectives (Who, What, How, When, Where and Why) at up to six levels of detail (ranging from “scoping” the problem to an implemented solution). The application of this framework to each of CommonKADS’ models is discussed, in the context of several practical applications of the CommonKADS methodology. Strengths and weaknesses in the models that are highlighted by the practical applications are analysed using the framework, with the overall goal of showing where CommonKADS is currently and where it could be usefully extended. The same framework is also applied to knowledge management; it is established that “knowledge management” is in fact a wide collection of different techniques, and the framework appears to be of some use in every case. A specific application of using the framework to resolve common problems in ontology development is presented. The thesis also includes research on mapping knowledge acquisition techniques to CommonKADS’ models (and to the framework); proposing some extensions to CommonKADS’ library of generic inference structures; and it concludes with a suggestion for a “pragmatic” KADS for use on small projects. The aim is to show that this framework both characterises the knowledge required for both knowledge management and knowledge engineering, and to provide a guide to good selection of knowledge management techniques. If the chosen technique should involve knowledge engineering, the wealth of practical advice on CommonKADS in this thesis should also be beneficial.