Rapid increase of data in the current digital age has led to an unprecedented rate of knowledge acquisition while the half-life of knowledge decreases. Communication and transfer of knowledge is a challenging and time-consuming task, especially when using the written word. Visual representation of knowledge is superior to verbal and written communication but has a high level of difficulty and cost regarding the maintenance of the visualizations, the reification of invalid views and the possibility of misinterpretation that could mislead or manipulate users. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a checklist of knowledge visualization success factors to guide designers in creating effective visualizations with maximum communicative power. The checklist of knowledge visualization success factors was developed through a document analysis where 25 success factors were identified. The 25 success factors were grouped according to the why, what, for whom, and how of knowledge before a questionnaire was distributed to software engineering professionals to validate and triangulate the findings. The use of the checklist provides designers with a list of knowledge visualization success factors to be considered to improve the effectiveness of the visualization.