Why Knowledge Matters

Knowledge Management Sites

I know I once blogged that I would never join a group that would have me as a member (paraphrase of Groucho Marx's famous line). I'm going to have to eat my words.  I posted those thoughts after Pumacy Technologies, a German-based company included me in 50 KM blogs they 'researched' - and did so with what I thought was a limited plan/scope.

But I noticed that I was getting some hits on my page as a referral from Lucas McDonnell's knowledge connects people site.  Back in February of this year, he posted 66 notable knowledge management sites - and it includes Why Knowledge Management. I'm grateful for the recognition - but even more so when I tracked back through history to find that Lucas initially started with a list of 26 KM sites, then after further review put together a list of 50 sites, before his more recent post, that include the 66. Mr. McDonnell appears to be keeping his eye on the ball.

It's a great post. What I liked about it was that I found on the list sites I expected to be there by either their creativity, thought-leadership, or shear prolificacy (yeah, it's a word even if Typepad and Firefox spell check doesn't like it). The post included the 5 - 10 sites that I try to follow (or at least visit most frequently). Yet even more meaningful was other sites that I was not aware of that I now have a certain level of confidence in have been seen by Lucas and added with some thought. I have a lot of reading ahead, and I hope he keeps up with regular postings.    

Knowledge Management in an Overloaded World

The inundation of information that I'm faced with in a single day through sources such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, email....etc....etc....etc. finds me thinking about two key things more than anything...Information Overload and people - and how it is possible to remain focused on knowledge-based productivity and the productivity of tomorrow.

Basex posits that Information Overload has contributed to the current worldwide economic crisis, and it is easy to see the correlation...with so much information available - and much of it in monotone importance - it's difficult to make a decision that you know will work.

I was reading a brief at Rhea Theme related to KM Initiatives and Practices this morning that had me thinking about less (mental) clutter, and more substance as it relates to the knowledgeworker. The article essential pulls a few points from Karl Wiig's 2004 book, People-Focused Knowledge Management, How Effective Decision Making Leads to Corporate Success.

The key points in the particular post were:

Foster Communities and Networks of Practice - by facilitating collaboration and socializing of people with similar responsibilities, the sharing of insights and knowledge helps keep the focus on the priorities, and less on the distractions.

Conduct Town Meetings and Knowledge Cafes - Town meetings being assemblies of many like-minded individuals (or employees) who gather to be briefed and then discuss, and Knowledge Cafes referring to gatherings where a topic is discussed by small groups, and then the groups are shuffled as the topic continues to be discussed.  Again this type of activity gets the individual thinking and creating on a topic and less distracted. 

Build and Operate Expert Networks - I think each knowledgeworker intrinsically does this to some extent, but by planning and developing one's expert network...and organizationally encouraging and even setting up a means to do this, puts people in touch with the expert knowledge that they need to increase effectiveness.

Capture and Transfer Expert Know-How - this deals with the idea of capturing and communicating know-how to other employees/peers to help develop them, whether this be by shadowing, video capture, discussion or training, and can bring along less experienced workers quickly.

Capture and Transfer Expert Concepts to other Practitioners - this is similar to the previous idea, except instead of focusing on how to perform work, this is directed toward why the work is done in a certain way under different circumstances, and adds context and depth of understanding to the process, which will help with understanding priorities and differences in a variety of situations.

Capture and Transfer Expertise from Departing Personnel - a particularly daunting task given the current economy and the reason for the departing of staff....and by the way, while the current economy will keep many baby-boomers in the job market longer to either build back the nest egg or to compensate for potentially future rising inflation, that knowledge will be leaving the workforce in ever increasing numbers (some might argue that in some sectors that is not a bad thing).  But capturing the knowledge from departing personnel, evaluating it, and then introducing vital components to existing staff is still a key element of a Knowledge Management initiative.

There is, was and perhaps always will be some analysis paralysis. And the only surefire way that I know of to move an economy or a business is to produce and move products and services, and by keeping a focus on the priorities and effective measures, help to clear away a part of the overload that can bog down effective thinking and production.