Adding Meaning and Value to Information

Presentation to KM World & Intranets 2006 A203 Innovative Methods & Tools for Adding Meaning & Value to Information

How We Come to ‘Understand’

What it means to understand

Comprehend (grasp)

Appreciate (be able to assess)

Sufficient to pass on instructions

or entendre (stretch toward, come together)

Ways We Add Meaning to Information P2P communication tools (phone); Conver- sation tools (talking stick); Collaboration tools (wikis, whiteboards, Open Space); Coll. Wisdom/surveying tools; Directories/people-finders/soc. net. maps Others' experiences/additional info; Others' interpretations/ perspectives/ ideas/POV; Collective wisdom Conversing/consulting; Canvassing/surveying; Collaborating Recording tools; Cameras/SVP tools; Cultural anthropology tools; Mindmaps Reviewable detailed recordings; transcripts; Observations (objective and subjective); Interviews Recording/photographing; Observing first-hand Metaphors/analogies/allegories; Alternate perspectives; Shoe-on-the-other-foot POV Reorganizing; Analogizing; Restating ("in other words"); Re-enacting/re-framing Analytical report templates; Structured thinking methodologies Implications; Action plans Analyzing; Inferring significance; Inferring consequences; Deciding on resultant actions Storytelling templates/models (myths, fables etc.); Storyboards; Blogs; Storybooks/periodicals (e.g. New Yorker); Cartoons; Training: listening/storytelling Lessons/learnings; Vicarious experience; Experience-lesson connections; Strong memories; Story personalization Reading/hearing/internalizing stories; Narrating/memorizing/retelling stories Visualizations & graphics; Tables; Eco- language (animated visualizations); Single frames; Mapping/systems thinking tools Models; Representations; Systems diagrams; Maps Illustrating; Modeling; Systems thinking; Mapping Training: creative thinking; Self-tests & exercises Applications (real and potential); Tests of learning/understanding; Practice Imagining; Applying Blogs/diaries; Storyboards; Cartoons; Mindmaps/concept maps; FAQs Synopses Synthesizing/distilling; Simplifying (without over-simplifying) Training: critical/analytical thinking; Desktop search tools (for combining) Context; Insights Reflecting/considering; Interpreting; Drawing on examples from personal experience; Combining/integrating with other personal knowledge Meditation; Training: attention skills Works of art Paying attention; awareness; mindfulness Some Tools Supporting these Processes: Valuable 'End-Products' of these Processes: Processes that Add Meaning to Information:

Weblogs & Diaries Synthesizing Tools Cartoons Storyboards

Synthesizing Tools Concept Maps Mind Maps

Visualizations Eco- Language Modeling Tools

Single Frame Presentations Modeling Tools

Systems Thinking Charts Modeling Tools Social Network Maps Market Maps

Storytelling Tools Narrative Templates Storyboards Weblogs & Diaries

Analyzing Tools Structured Thinking Analytical Report Templates

Virtual Presence Tools Recording Tools Mind Maps Cultural Anthropology Tools

Surveying Tools Canvassing Tools Prediction Market Tools

People Finders Conversing / Collaborating Tools Whiteboard/ Virtual Presence Tools

Wikis Open Space Technology Conversing / Collaborating Tools

Dysfunctional Knowledge Behaviours that Impede the Creation and Conveying of Meaning

Information Politics

Shoot the Messenger

Peer-to-Peer Preference

Help Friends / Hurt Foes

Cult of Leadership

Louder Voices

Anti-Stories

Like-Mind Groupthink

Cult of Expertise

Sense-Making

Frame Dependency

Info Overload

Can’t Tell All We Know

Preference for Images & Stories

Different Ways of Learning

JIT vs. JIC (Half-Life of Learning)

Information Unawareness

Cost of Not Knowing Unawareness

Unawareness of What Others We Meet Know

Reward Systems

From-Scratch Satisfaction

Better Safe than Sorry

Tragedy of the Commons

Competing on the Curve

Reward-Driven Behaviours Don’t Last

No Reward for Sharing

Fun vs Effectiveness

Work-Arounds

The Six Hurdles to Effective Communication

Inability to explain or convey information due to limitations of language

Inability to articulate events or ideas clearly

Unreadiness of the audience

Inattention of the audience

incompatibility of our mental frames and filters with those of others

inability to recognize others’ different learning styles

The Role of Information Professionals http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2006/09/27.html

The New Role of Information Professionals

Spend less time in centralized content management: time acquiring, storing, compiling, organizing, and disseminating information

Spend more time as ‘cultural anthropologists’ studying how front-line people use information, helping them use it more effectively, and understanding how they learn, which information processes they use and which information ‘end-products’ they find most meaningful

New ‘re-intermediary’ role: adding meaning and value to information (using these tools more effectively, and developing new tools)

For more information on these tools and methods…

Expertise Finders – http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2004/08/06.html#a831

Simple Virtual Presence tools - http://www.masternewmedia.org/

Social Network Maps - http://www.orgnet.com/

Concept Maps - http://www.graphic.org/concept.html

MindMaps - http://www.innovationtools.com/resources/mindmapping.asp

EcoLanguage - http://ecolanguage.net/

Stories & Narrative, and Tools Dealing With Complexity - http://www.cynefin.net/kbase.php

The US Energy Visualization - http://eed.llnl.gov/flow/

The Wisdom of Crowds - http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2004/11/15.html

Open Space Technology - http://www.openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?AboutOpenSpace

Wikis - http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2005/11/16.html#a1341

Systems Thinking Charts - http://www.thinking.net/Systems_Thinking/systems_thinking.html

Market Maps - http://www.breakthroo.com/index.php/weblog/market_demo/

… or contact me at

The Future of KM Overview of Thoughts for KM 2.0 Ask the Experts Presentation to KM World & Intranets 2006 B304

Personal Knowledge Management acquire store disseminate add value synthe- size connect canvass apply Traditional Centralized KM

Personal content management (organizing and finding information on your own hard drive and in your own personal networks)

Just-in-time knowledge canvassing (requesting needed knowledge from appropriate experts and communities)

Automated knowledge harvesting (pulling content from hard drives and shared community spaces, instead of waiting for it to be 'submitted')

Personal productivity improvement (one-on-one observation and coaching of employees to improve their use of knowledge, technology and learning resources in the context of their unique jobs)