I enjoyed participating in a Webinar this week on Web 2.0 Metrics.
One of the speakers presented an interesting 'Participation Pyramid'
for web browsing.
The pyramid has four levels:
Level 1 - Couch potatoes
The bottom wide layer he called 'couch potatoes' who don't 'participate' but simply browse.
Level 2 - Collectors
The next layer up in the pyramid, fewer in numbers, participate as the 'Collectors' who find something useful and save it. I remember a friend of mine once referred to extreme types of collectors as 'magpies'.
Level 3 - Critics
The next layer up in the pyramid, even fewer in number, are the 'Critics' who actively participate in thinking, reviewing and commenting and providing feedback.
Level 4 - Creators
The top layer in the apex of the pyramid, even fewer in number (maybe as little as 1% only of the total pyramid) are the most participative - they are the creators of the content.
I think this is simple and cool !
The challenge, apparently, is to gradually develop couch potatoes into creators ?
I like the notion of thinking about knowledge couch potatoes, knowledge collectors, knowledge critics and knowledge creators !
It reminds me of another statistic I came across in my earlier change management consulting years.
In any organisation:
20% Ludites - they will never change
50% Pragmatists - I'll believe it when I see it !
20% Enthusiasts - boy do we need these supporters
10% Creators and Innovators
For more information go to:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Free 30 minute video presentation 'Introduction to Knowledge Management'
We have now embedded a free 3o minute video presentation 'Introduction to Knowledge Management ' on our website, courtesy of Knowledge Associates.
It is presented by Ron Young, CEO Knowledge Associates, and it is well rated, so take a look at:
http://www.knowledge-management-online.com/Knowledge-management-education.html
For further information go to:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
It is presented by Ron Young, CEO Knowledge Associates, and it is well rated, so take a look at:
http://www.knowledge-management-online.com/Knowledge-management-education.html
For further information go to:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Accelerating the knowledge creation process !
I never cease to be amazed by the speed of web working, and the acceleration of the knowledge creation and knowledge transfer processes.
Let me give a simple example of what happens to me daily in my knowledge creation work, and, indeed, what happens to any knowledge worker using the blogsphere.
Example: A knowledge worker in Europe blogs his/her critique and insights on, say, the emergence of some exciting new knowledge technology enablers at 13.15pm on a monday. At 3am tuesday morning, a knowledge worker in Canada reads the blog and makes valuable comments and further insights. A knowledge worker in Australia immediately builds and comments on the comments from Canada further. And so it passes on, building new insights and comments as it passes through India and SE Asia. The original blogger in Europe wakes up the next day to an amplification of his/her insights, gets inspired and stimulated by the feedback, and, as a result, develops the new insights even further. And so the process continues.
What I find to be extraordinary, in this ever flattening world, is that this new knowledge develops equally, as it is created and shared throughout the world!
The knowledge creation and knowledge transfer process has accelerated beyond individual comprehension - to a truly collaborative virtual team effort. The primary knowledge creating entity is, without doubt, the collaborative virtual team.
The difference is - I never know from one day to the next who the virtual knowledge team will be, or where they are !
Also, I never need to tell anybody to do anything at all - they just want to do it!
Ron Young
writing
'Planetary Knowledge
- enlightened knowledge working'
For more information:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Let me give a simple example of what happens to me daily in my knowledge creation work, and, indeed, what happens to any knowledge worker using the blogsphere.
Example: A knowledge worker in Europe blogs his/her critique and insights on, say, the emergence of some exciting new knowledge technology enablers at 13.15pm on a monday. At 3am tuesday morning, a knowledge worker in Canada reads the blog and makes valuable comments and further insights. A knowledge worker in Australia immediately builds and comments on the comments from Canada further. And so it passes on, building new insights and comments as it passes through India and SE Asia. The original blogger in Europe wakes up the next day to an amplification of his/her insights, gets inspired and stimulated by the feedback, and, as a result, develops the new insights even further. And so the process continues.
What I find to be extraordinary, in this ever flattening world, is that this new knowledge develops equally, as it is created and shared throughout the world!
The knowledge creation and knowledge transfer process has accelerated beyond individual comprehension - to a truly collaborative virtual team effort. The primary knowledge creating entity is, without doubt, the collaborative virtual team.
The difference is - I never know from one day to the next who the virtual knowledge team will be, or where they are !
Also, I never need to tell anybody to do anything at all - they just want to do it!
Ron Young
writing
'Planetary Knowledge
- enlightened knowledge working'
For more information:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Web 3.0 tools for both structured and unstructured information
I very much enjoyed reading the article from Nova Spivak on
'Minding the Planet' and responding on his site. There is much
that he writes that I simply and strongly resonate with. His article
is a 'must read' for futurists
http://novaspivack.typepad.com/nova_spivacks_weblog/2006/11/minding_the_pla.html
I have also included my response to his article here, as I would welcome further comment and feedback on the direction Web 3.0 tools need to take.
Response
I certainly agree with your views on collective intelligence and helping to enable a better world. I agree with your distinction between information and knowledge and how we can look forward to technologies helping us to develop explicit knowledge on the web through multiple connections in context.
When I founded my km consulting firm, Knowledge Associates in 1993, in Cambridge UK, we thought we had the tools and answers to help individuals, teams and organizations better manage their knowledge.
We had no problem at all with tools to help people better capture, store, share, better collaborate, and amplify their knowledge. That works well.
The problem started higher up the km process, with getting organizations to invest in, and getting people to want to create, more meaning through effective ontologies metadata, etc. The problem centred around the ‘harvesting of new learnings and ideas’, and then turning this into better knowledge.
I welcome and support your view that people will now, to a degree, create their own metadata and tagging e.g. flickr and del.icio.us examples. I also welcome new developments in semantic metadata creation tools and techniques.
The other development I observed, whilst chairing many km conferences in Europe, was the debate on the development of content meaning, between ‘structured’ information tools based on logic and metadata on the one hand, and ‘unstructured’ information tools based on pattern recognition, statistical probability theory, and automatic metadata creation, on the other hand.
This reminded me of the analogy with the two hemispheres of the brain. For the brain to function well, in sensing, interpreting and creating meaning, it needs both the logical, digital, interpretation, and it needs the illogical, analog interpretation. I came to the conclusion that the next wave of tools needed both/and and not either/or.
It seems that your thinking has come a long way towards this, since then.
Once these tools are available, I believe that we will then move to the next level of, both people and machines, being able to harvest new learnings and ideas and truly create new knowledge faster and better than ever before.
That’s the quantum leap for me!
Good luck with your developments and tools for 2007.
Ron Young
www.knowledgeassociates.com
www.young-int.com
More information at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
'Minding the Planet' and responding on his site. There is much
that he writes that I simply and strongly resonate with. His article
is a 'must read' for futurists
http://novaspivack.typepad.com/nova_spivacks_weblog/2006/11/minding_the_pla.html
I have also included my response to his article here, as I would welcome further comment and feedback on the direction Web 3.0 tools need to take.
Response
I certainly agree with your views on collective intelligence and helping to enable a better world. I agree with your distinction between information and knowledge and how we can look forward to technologies helping us to develop explicit knowledge on the web through multiple connections in context.
When I founded my km consulting firm, Knowledge Associates in 1993, in Cambridge UK, we thought we had the tools and answers to help individuals, teams and organizations better manage their knowledge.
We had no problem at all with tools to help people better capture, store, share, better collaborate, and amplify their knowledge. That works well.
The problem started higher up the km process, with getting organizations to invest in, and getting people to want to create, more meaning through effective ontologies metadata, etc. The problem centred around the ‘harvesting of new learnings and ideas’, and then turning this into better knowledge.
I welcome and support your view that people will now, to a degree, create their own metadata and tagging e.g. flickr and del.icio.us examples. I also welcome new developments in semantic metadata creation tools and techniques.
The other development I observed, whilst chairing many km conferences in Europe, was the debate on the development of content meaning, between ‘structured’ information tools based on logic and metadata on the one hand, and ‘unstructured’ information tools based on pattern recognition, statistical probability theory, and automatic metadata creation, on the other hand.
This reminded me of the analogy with the two hemispheres of the brain. For the brain to function well, in sensing, interpreting and creating meaning, it needs both the logical, digital, interpretation, and it needs the illogical, analog interpretation. I came to the conclusion that the next wave of tools needed both/and and not either/or.
It seems that your thinking has come a long way towards this, since then.
Once these tools are available, I believe that we will then move to the next level of, both people and machines, being able to harvest new learnings and ideas and truly create new knowledge faster and better than ever before.
That’s the quantum leap for me!
Good luck with your developments and tools for 2007.
Ron Young
www.knowledgeassociates.com
www.young-int.com
More information at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Monday, January 15, 2007
Explicit knowledge on the Web?
We have always said that 'my knowledge made explicit on the web, becomes information to you, until you choose to internalise any of that information, and add it to your knowledge internally'.
The argument being that only humans can make the connections and associations internally.
Now, we are constantly reminded that we can tag and connect pictures, videos, blogs, wiki's, websites, aggregators and all. A website can now be a huge and increasing set of connections and associations externally.
It is argued, by some, that these external clusters of links and associations, becoming increasingly complex, are not just information, but can now be considered as emerging primitive explicit knowledge representations!
Do you agree?
The argument being that only humans can make the connections and associations internally.
Now, we are constantly reminded that we can tag and connect pictures, videos, blogs, wiki's, websites, aggregators and all. A website can now be a huge and increasing set of connections and associations externally.
It is argued, by some, that these external clusters of links and associations, becoming increasingly complex, are not just information, but can now be considered as emerging primitive explicit knowledge representations!
Do you agree?
Saturday, January 13, 2007
KM why bother - it's already known!
The greatest lesson for me continues to repeat itself - it's already known!
Every time I think I have discovered something quite new, even leading edge,
I get pointed to an article or a book that describes it. Often much much better
than I had known it!
The question 'What do I/we know?' bears no comparison with 'What is known'
I have had some extraordinary ideas, over the past 20 years, about the development of the global brain and how humanity is just prototyping the evolution of our next brain, using the web, only to find another tremendous article that says it all! So much better than I ever will.
I learned that 'sem' is Tibetan for Mind; that 'semantikos' is Greek for having meaning; and that 'semantic' is English for pertaining to or arising from meaning. Wrap that meaning around the 'semantic web' !!!
Forget my KM consulting hat for a moment, but terms like 'facilitating the world's knowledge' and , at last, considering how the semantic web will contribute to true 'explicit knowledge on the web' (highly interconnected contextual connections) as opposed to turning 'my knowledge into your information' on the web, really resonate deeply!
So I am not sure whether to keep on learning, to give me personal knowledge, or just enjoy the beauty of life - knowing that it is already known anyway :-)
I recommend you read Nova Spivack 'Minding the Planet - the Meaning and Future of the Sematic Web' at:
http://novaspivack.typepad.com/nova_spivacks_weblog/2006/11/minding_the_pla.html
More information from me at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Every time I think I have discovered something quite new, even leading edge,
I get pointed to an article or a book that describes it. Often much much better
than I had known it!
The question 'What do I/we know?' bears no comparison with 'What is known'
I have had some extraordinary ideas, over the past 20 years, about the development of the global brain and how humanity is just prototyping the evolution of our next brain, using the web, only to find another tremendous article that says it all! So much better than I ever will.
I learned that 'sem' is Tibetan for Mind; that 'semantikos' is Greek for having meaning; and that 'semantic' is English for pertaining to or arising from meaning. Wrap that meaning around the 'semantic web' !!!
Forget my KM consulting hat for a moment, but terms like 'facilitating the world's knowledge' and , at last, considering how the semantic web will contribute to true 'explicit knowledge on the web' (highly interconnected contextual connections) as opposed to turning 'my knowledge into your information' on the web, really resonate deeply!
So I am not sure whether to keep on learning, to give me personal knowledge, or just enjoy the beauty of life - knowing that it is already known anyway :-)
I recommend you read Nova Spivack 'Minding the Planet - the Meaning and Future of the Sematic Web' at:
http://novaspivack.typepad.com/nova_spivacks_weblog/2006/11/minding_the_pla.html
More information from me at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Web 3.0 debut and KM - here we go !
My blog of January 2006 talked about 'KM and Web 2.0'
Coincidentally, January 2007, I start this year by reading some extraordinary developments forecast for Web 3.0 by Nova Spivak over at the Kurzweilai.net set entitled:
" The Third-Generation Web is Coming
Web 3.0, expected to debut in 2007, will be more connected, open, and intelligent, with semantic Web technologies, distributed databases, natural language processing, machine learning, machine reasoning, and autonomous agents. "
It's a great 'must' read for Web 3.0 followers and global KM visionaries :
http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=memelist.html?m=3%23689
Do you buy in to Web 3.0?
More at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
Coincidentally, January 2007, I start this year by reading some extraordinary developments forecast for Web 3.0 by Nova Spivak over at the Kurzweilai.net set entitled:
" The Third-Generation Web is Coming
Web 3.0, expected to debut in 2007, will be more connected, open, and intelligent, with semantic Web technologies, distributed databases, natural language processing, machine learning, machine reasoning, and autonomous agents. "
It's a great 'must' read for Web 3.0 followers and global KM visionaries :
http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=memelist.html?m=3%23689
Do you buy in to Web 3.0?
More at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Planetary Knowledge
The knowledge entity has changed. It has moved from individual knowledge to planetary knowledge.
Along the way, we have learned more about team knowledge, organisational knowledge, and community knowledge entities. These are great developments, but it is now possible, and certainly more effective, to make the quantum leap directly from individual to planetary knowledge.
What is planetary knowledge? It is a term that I propose to you to mean the ‘globalization of individual knowledge’. Planetary knowledge is a reality today.
New personal knowledge management strategies, processes, methods, tools and technologies enable the individual to create, capture, store, share, amplify and apply knowledge globally.
Since 1993, I have been working with individuals, teams, organisations and communities around the world, helping them to better manage knowledge.
Today I am ready to move to the next evolutionary stage
– to planetary knowledge
- to the globalization of individual knowledge.
If you would like to read my book ‘Planetary Knowledge,’ as it is being written during early 2007, and, hopefully, comment, feedback and contribute, please send me an email with brief details to:
ronyoung@knowledgeassociatesint.com
More at:
http://km-consulting.blogspot.com
www.knowledge-management-online.com
www.knowledgeassociates.com
Along the way, we have learned more about team knowledge, organisational knowledge, and community knowledge entities. These are great developments, but it is now possible, and certainly more effective, to make the quantum leap directly from individual to planetary knowledge.
What is planetary knowledge? It is a term that I propose to you to mean the ‘globalization of individual knowledge’. Planetary knowledge is a reality today.
New personal knowledge management strategies, processes, methods, tools and technologies enable the individual to create, capture, store, share, amplify and apply knowledge globally.
Since 1993, I have been working with individuals, teams, organisations and communities around the world, helping them to better manage knowledge.
Today I am ready to move to the next evolutionary stage
– to planetary knowledge
- to the globalization of individual knowledge.
If you would like to read my book ‘Planetary Knowledge,’ as it is being written during early 2007, and, hopefully, comment, feedback and contribute, please send me an email with brief details to:
ronyoung@knowledgeassociatesint.com
More at:
http://km-consulting.blogspot.com
www.knowledge-management-online.com
www.knowledgeassociates.com
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
KM, videotechnologies and YouTube
As a KM consultant, I remember Gartner Research Group in the mid 90's
predicting that video technology will have one of the greatest impacts on
KM in the future.
This was because they understood the 'richness' of information the technology
would provide for faster potential knowledge transfer.
When I look at www.youtube.com and its staggering popularity for communicating, collaborating and sharing knowledge through video, I can see that Gartner may have got this ver right!
Even recently designed KM processes can be turned upside down by such effective and disruptive technologies as web video, wiki's, blogs, pods, RSS and lots more to come ....
ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or
ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
www.knowledgeassociates.com/
predicting that video technology will have one of the greatest impacts on
KM in the future.
This was because they understood the 'richness' of information the technology
would provide for faster potential knowledge transfer.
When I look at www.youtube.com and its staggering popularity for communicating, collaborating and sharing knowledge through video, I can see that Gartner may have got this ver right!
Even recently designed KM processes can be turned upside down by such effective and disruptive technologies as web video, wiki's, blogs, pods, RSS and lots more to come ....
ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or
ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
KM and KAM!
The more I practice as a KM consultant, the more I realise that organisations relate much more easily to the notion of 'knowledge asset management' than knowledge management.
They are not that interested in theories about what knowledge is and how it is created and shared, but they are very interested indeed in how to create profit, or value, or better service from tangible knowledge assets.
You can't manage and measure knowledge, but you can certainly manage and measure knowledge assets.
ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
www.knowledgeassociates.com/
They are not that interested in theories about what knowledge is and how it is created and shared, but they are very interested indeed in how to create profit, or value, or better service from tangible knowledge assets.
You can't manage and measure knowledge, but you can certainly manage and measure knowledge assets.
ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
KM and accreditation
Tomorrow, I start to teach and facilitate another 5 day KM accreditation
programme for a new team of consultants. This time it is in Edinburgh.
I always enjoy these intensive programmes because we all learn so much
from each other. It's new knowledge creation at its best for me!
Although I have done this afar in Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Paris, Cambridge and
Birmingham, Budapest, people ask, 'Can this be done through the internet?'. Absolutely, yes.
Let me know if you are interested in the topic of KM certification and accreditation - ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
programme for a new team of consultants. This time it is in Edinburgh.
I always enjoy these intensive programmes because we all learn so much
from each other. It's new knowledge creation at its best for me!
Although I have done this afar in Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Paris, Cambridge and
Birmingham, Budapest, people ask, 'Can this be done through the internet?'. Absolutely, yes.
Let me know if you are interested in the topic of KM certification and accreditation - ronyoung@knowledge-management-online.com or ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Thursday, September 21, 2006
KM - The Open Source KM Consulting Methodology debate?
The concept of 'Open Source' was originally conceived for 'knowledge' 'OSK'
but quickly found its exponential value in open source software 'OSS'.
I would like to help create a global community of KM Practitioners and Consultants who wish to share and develop an Open Source KM Consulting Methodology. The first version is available now and I look forward to exponential growth in its future development. It has to be the way for 21stC Consulting.
If you are interested in such a community please email me: ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com and/or take a look at our Open Source KM website at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
but quickly found its exponential value in open source software 'OSS'.
I would like to help create a global community of KM Practitioners and Consultants who wish to share and develop an Open Source KM Consulting Methodology. The first version is available now and I look forward to exponential growth in its future development. It has to be the way for 21stC Consulting.
If you are interested in such a community please email me: ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com and/or take a look at our Open Source KM website at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
KM and co-creation
Whilst sharing some frustration about a client's apparent lack of knowing what they realy wanted, with a fellow KM consultant and team member, he said,
"Many organizations simply don't know what they want. But once you give them something, then they can start to agree and disagree, and then the process of co-creation starts!
Wisdom!
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
"Many organizations simply don't know what they want. But once you give them something, then they can start to agree and disagree, and then the process of co-creation starts!
Wisdom!
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
KM - You cannot fit an organism into an organization
A human being is an organism. People working together are organisms
collectively communicating, collaborating, learning and sharing knowledge.
Many clients, when they are starting to learn about KM, try to fit what they are learning into their existing 'organizational' structure and paradigm. It's an old paradigm. It's wrong thinking. It will fail to reach its full potential. Organisations and organising are sub-sets of the fuller functioning of a living organism.
The problem is that the word 'organization' is not suited to knowledge management. Information based organisations are fine because we are talking about 'organised bodies which give orderly structure to components'.
But organisms are 'entities that take the organised body further by connecting parts that are interdependent and share a common life'. So using the term 'management', which is more effective for information but not knowledge, doesn't help either.
We need to create a new and easily understandable and acceptable term for 'knowledge based organisms' to bring this new knowledge creating/sharing/applying paradigm more easily to life.
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
collectively communicating, collaborating, learning and sharing knowledge.
Many clients, when they are starting to learn about KM, try to fit what they are learning into their existing 'organizational' structure and paradigm. It's an old paradigm. It's wrong thinking. It will fail to reach its full potential. Organisations and organising are sub-sets of the fuller functioning of a living organism.
The problem is that the word 'organization' is not suited to knowledge management. Information based organisations are fine because we are talking about 'organised bodies which give orderly structure to components'.
But organisms are 'entities that take the organised body further by connecting parts that are interdependent and share a common life'. So using the term 'management', which is more effective for information but not knowledge, doesn't help either.
We need to create a new and easily understandable and acceptable term for 'knowledge based organisms' to bring this new knowledge creating/sharing/applying paradigm more easily to life.
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:
www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Writing a KM Strategy
Having written several KM strategies for organisations in different industry sectors, I am now even more convinced, after 12 years, that the best way to write a KM strategy is to enable the client to write it themselves, with our KM coaching and facilitation.
The client understands his/her business much better than we ever will. When we write strategies we often hear the client say, - thats good but its too generic, we want to express it in our business terms and context much more!
Of course, the KM consultant is very well positioned to know the principles, different knowledge strategies (transformative and operational), processes, methods and tools to apply, and gradually becomes better positioned to understand and advise in the particular industry sector concerned, but the client will always know best (even if he/she does not realise that).
So I rather like providing a first draft and then letting the client own it and develop it for their business. I then offer new possibilities, constructive challenges, understanding and support. The end result is a client who has better bought in to the KM strategy as there own, understand it and is prepared to implement it.
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:www.knowledgeassociates.com
The client understands his/her business much better than we ever will. When we write strategies we often hear the client say, - thats good but its too generic, we want to express it in our business terms and context much more!
Of course, the KM consultant is very well positioned to know the principles, different knowledge strategies (transformative and operational), processes, methods and tools to apply, and gradually becomes better positioned to understand and advise in the particular industry sector concerned, but the client will always know best (even if he/she does not realise that).
So I rather like providing a first draft and then letting the client own it and develop it for their business. I then offer new possibilities, constructive challenges, understanding and support. The end result is a client who has better bought in to the KM strategy as there own, understand it and is prepared to implement it.
Open Source KM Consulting Methodology at:www.knowledge-management-online.com
KM Consulting at:www.knowledgeassociates.com
Sunday, March 26, 2006
KM and Open Source Methods?
We are all very familiar with open source software, and there are several offerings available for KM, but I do not see much open source consulting methodology for KM available.
As the original idea for open source was conceived around 'open knowledge', for which we are starting to see significant develops, eg wikipedia, I was wondering if anybody knew of any open source methodologies for KM. At www.knowledge-management-online.com we are starting to do this and, naturally, we are interested in working together with other groups.
Would you be interested in a wiki on knowledge management consulting?
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting services
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
As the original idea for open source was conceived around 'open knowledge', for which we are starting to see significant develops, eg wikipedia, I was wondering if anybody knew of any open source methodologies for KM. At www.knowledge-management-online.com we are starting to do this and, naturally, we are interested in working together with other groups.
Would you be interested in a wiki on knowledge management consulting?
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting services
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Thursday, March 23, 2006
KM, resurgence and new technologies
I hear an increasing number of people saying 'KM is having a resurgence due to the new web 2.0 technologies, especially, wiki's, blogs, rss feeds and syndication, podcasts etc.
I agree, strategically designed and/or volunteer powered, there are, 'potentially', even better new ways of working, based on these new technologies, that will provide an extraordinary ability to produce extraordinary knowledge working (by today's standards) .
Like most good innovation, it is fueled by disruptive technologies which then leads on to improved strategies, processes, methods tools and techniques.
Lets hope, as KM practitioners, that this resurgence is properly perceived and it does not just become a dominant technology issue again.
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
I agree, strategically designed and/or volunteer powered, there are, 'potentially', even better new ways of working, based on these new technologies, that will provide an extraordinary ability to produce extraordinary knowledge working (by today's standards) .
Like most good innovation, it is fueled by disruptive technologies which then leads on to improved strategies, processes, methods tools and techniques.
Lets hope, as KM practitioners, that this resurgence is properly perceived and it does not just become a dominant technology issue again.
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
http://www.knowledgeassociates.com/
Monday, March 20, 2006
Knowledge and Wisdom
As a KM practitioner, consultant and lecturer, I am always asked by new students
What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
As at today's date, Wikipedia defines knowledge and wisdom as:
'Knowledge' is information of which someone is aware. Knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose.
'Wisdom' is the ability to make correct judgments and decisions. It is an intangible quality gained through experience some think. Yet others think it is a quality that even a child, otherwise immature, may possess independent of experience or complete knowledge.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge
Let me also throw in a few personal definitions :
1. we communicate information to one another (one person's knowledge is another person's information)
2. learning is the process of turning information into knowledge
3. we build and apply knowledge (wisely or unwisely, specialised and generalised)
4. knowledge can be relative to other knowledge, within a specific and specialised domain, with a time limit on the value of the content (which can change)
4. wisdom is valuable knowledge that is timeless and changeless and can be applied across different domains
This is an interesting debate that KM practitioners continually face. Do you have any further comments, challenges or opinions about these definitions in the specific context of Knowledge Management in Organisations?
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
As at today's date, Wikipedia defines knowledge and wisdom as:
'Knowledge' is information of which someone is aware. Knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose.
'Wisdom' is the ability to make correct judgments and decisions. It is an intangible quality gained through experience some think. Yet others think it is a quality that even a child, otherwise immature, may possess independent of experience or complete knowledge.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge
Let me also throw in a few personal definitions :
1. we communicate information to one another (one person's knowledge is another person's information)
2. learning is the process of turning information into knowledge
3. we build and apply knowledge (wisely or unwisely, specialised and generalised)
4. knowledge can be relative to other knowledge, within a specific and specialised domain, with a time limit on the value of the content (which can change)
4. wisdom is valuable knowledge that is timeless and changeless and can be applied across different domains
This is an interesting debate that KM practitioners continually face. Do you have any further comments, challenges or opinions about these definitions in the specific context of Knowledge Management in Organisations?
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
Monday, March 06, 2006
KM and the real value of disruptive and enabling technologies
In the late 1980's early 1990's we experienced a radically new way of working in groups as a result of some new emerging technologies that we called 'groupware'. Lotus Notes was, and still is to my mind, a leader in this area.
As a result, collaborative technologies such as these were better able to support more effective virtual team working. Leading KM technology infrastructures were based on these new emerging technologies.
Then, for a period of 10 years, the debate ran, something like 'KM is not a technology, its about people processes and supporting technologies, its an holistic discipline. True enough! Even the technologists themselves put technology down.
But, in my opinion, it was the emerging technologies that gave us new and better knowledge working potential, and where there has been failure, its been in our inability to develop effective strategies, processes and competencies that fully exploit these technologies.
Today, I see the same phenomena again!
The radically new emerging technologies that some like to call Web 2.0, the wiki's the blogs, the RSS feeds etc are once again providing enormous potential to create and harness global knowledge. Our challenge is to develop appropriate strategies, processes and new competencies to fully exploit this.
On the other hand, I feel that the emerging technologies need to be so simple and so powerful to use, with such obvious benefit that people will simply not want to go back to the old way of working. Maybe WEb 2.0 is getting there? Maybe the examples of Wikipedia, and the like, are showing that the toools are both radically new and radically simple to use.
I just hope that the emerging conferences in 2006 will move us all forward faster, and not get us stuck in the old debate about people and technology again. To my mind, technology is an extension and enabler for humanity and should be positively embraced.
Collective knowledge creation through wiki's, at least, seriously challenge the academic institutional processes of knowledge creation, at least for the time being, I think?
I look forward to even more disruptive technologies and innovations over the next few years.
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
As a result, collaborative technologies such as these were better able to support more effective virtual team working. Leading KM technology infrastructures were based on these new emerging technologies.
Then, for a period of 10 years, the debate ran, something like 'KM is not a technology, its about people processes and supporting technologies, its an holistic discipline. True enough! Even the technologists themselves put technology down.
But, in my opinion, it was the emerging technologies that gave us new and better knowledge working potential, and where there has been failure, its been in our inability to develop effective strategies, processes and competencies that fully exploit these technologies.
Today, I see the same phenomena again!
The radically new emerging technologies that some like to call Web 2.0, the wiki's the blogs, the RSS feeds etc are once again providing enormous potential to create and harness global knowledge. Our challenge is to develop appropriate strategies, processes and new competencies to fully exploit this.
On the other hand, I feel that the emerging technologies need to be so simple and so powerful to use, with such obvious benefit that people will simply not want to go back to the old way of working. Maybe WEb 2.0 is getting there? Maybe the examples of Wikipedia, and the like, are showing that the toools are both radically new and radically simple to use.
I just hope that the emerging conferences in 2006 will move us all forward faster, and not get us stuck in the old debate about people and technology again. To my mind, technology is an extension and enabler for humanity and should be positively embraced.
Collective knowledge creation through wiki's, at least, seriously challenge the academic institutional processes of knowledge creation, at least for the time being, I think?
I look forward to even more disruptive technologies and innovations over the next few years.
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
A Corporate KM system in action based on wiki technologies and blogs
It was refereshing to read in the UK Financial Times Special Report on a 'Focus on the Use of Knowledge Management', 0f 25th January 2006, that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), one of the biggest UK organisations, has been using wiki technologies and have recently added blogging to their knowledge management suite.
Reading the article, by Kate Mackenzie, it seems to me that Euan Semple, head of knowledge management solutions, for the BBC has got one thing very right. He has provided technologies that encourage more 'natural and spontaneous' communication and information sharing.
This can only lead to increased trust and more natural knowledge creation and sharing.
I was interested to read that blogging made an executive "real in a way that most other executives aren't". That sounds more promising for the future!
ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
Reading the article, by Kate Mackenzie, it seems to me that Euan Semple, head of knowledge management solutions, for the BBC has got one thing very right. He has provided technologies that encourage more 'natural and spontaneous' communication and information sharing.
This can only lead to increased trust and more natural knowledge creation and sharing.
I was interested to read that blogging made an executive "real in a way that most other executives aren't". That sounds more promising for the future!
ronyoung@knowledgeassociates.com
For Open Source KM Consulting Methodologies
www.knowledge-management-online.com
For KM Consulting
www.knowledgeassociates.com
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