Knowledge Management 2.0 but really A winding walk amongst some of 2.0’s interleaved paths mark ranford [email_address] 10 th December 2007

Knowledge management is something that should be embedded into everything that an organization does, as part of doing The mistake is to think of it as a distinct activity to be done before or after. Knowledge management should be invisible and embedded into everything

Knowledge management is something that should be embedded into everything that an organization does, as part of doing

The mistake is to think of it as a distinct activity to be done before or after.

Knowledge management should be invisible and embedded into everything

We have always “done” knowledge management, since the dawn of man knowledge management was what allowed us to emerge from the forests and build civilizations We just never defined it as a distinct activity… until recently

We have always “done” knowledge management, since the dawn of man knowledge management was what allowed us to emerge from the forests and build civilizations

We just never defined it as a distinct activity… until recently

The recognition that much of what we did involved managing knowledge was only really popularized fairly recently and one of the most eloquent popularizers was Peter Drucker .. “Insert one of many well worn P.D. Quotes here”

The recognition that much of what we did involved managing knowledge was only really popularized fairly recently and one of the most eloquent popularizers was Peter Drucker .. “Insert one of many well worn P.D. Quotes here”

Once identified as a “thing” that we do, the wheels were set in motion for the KM movement to build upon many centuries of thought and turn what was effectively an art, into something repeatable and scalable, almost a scientific discipline… Credit here to Dave Snowden, from one of his many excellent articles on KM

Once identified as a “thing” that we do, the wheels were set in motion for the KM movement to build upon many centuries of thought and turn what was effectively an art, into something repeatable and scalable, almost a scientific discipline…

Credit here to Dave Snowden, from one of his many excellent articles on KM

The problem is, and this often happens, language gets in the way of reality, reductionism obscured the whole, and KM became a detached effort for people and organizations to somehow “add on” to the existing process rather than part of it. Of course this disease raised its head with a variety of symptons and cures, most notably around the efforts to balance “people, process and technology” to best deliver “KM”

The problem is, and this often happens, language gets in the way of reality, reductionism obscured the whole, and KM became a detached effort for people and organizations to somehow “add on” to the existing process rather than part of it.

Of course this disease raised its head with a variety of symptons and cures, most notably around the efforts to balance “people, process and technology” to best deliver “KM”

All the discourse around these 3 components is futile, the problem exists when there is a reductionist mindset People process and technology cannot be conveniently compartmentalized, the chicken and the egg all over again People, process and technology are all but different views on a single thing, different views of the elephant from different sides as one metaphor nicely reminds us “ insert the famous elephant metaphor & picture here”

All the discourse around these 3 components is futile, the problem exists when there is a reductionist mindset

People process and technology cannot be conveniently compartmentalized, the chicken and the egg all over again

People, process and technology are all but different views on a single thing, different views of the elephant from different sides as one metaphor nicely reminds us

“ insert the famous elephant metaphor & picture here”

Andy Clark may have done a lot to help us understand how people, process and technology are not distinct at all.. “insert amazing Andy Clark quote here” We are our technology, our processes. Our technology and processes are just an extension of ourselves, we evolved in a dance of evolutionary complexity with them. Key technologies are as much evolutionary archetypes as as stereoscopic vision and nesting are. They were (are) destined to happen as evolution unfolds… insert here incredibly complicitous quote from “figments of reality”

Andy Clark may have done a lot to help us understand how people, process and technology are not distinct at all.. “insert amazing Andy Clark quote here”

We are our technology, our processes. Our technology and processes are just an extension of ourselves, we evolved in a dance of evolutionary complexity with them.

Key technologies are as much evolutionary archetypes as as stereoscopic vision and nesting are. They were (are) destined to happen as evolution unfolds… insert here incredibly complicitous quote from “figments of reality”

Trouble is it really needs a wholistic mindset to appreciate its significance. Eastern philosophers, buddhists, etc and modern complexity scientists are further down the road to this kind of thinking than the average joe (most of humanity actually). But what kind of person and what kind of mindset does the average organization comprise of today? That’s right….not the complexity scientists mindset

Trouble is it really needs a wholistic mindset to appreciate its significance. Eastern philosophers, buddhists, etc and modern complexity scientists are further down the road to this kind of thinking than the average joe (most of humanity actually).

But what kind of person and what kind of mindset does the average organization comprise of today? That’s right….not the complexity scientists mindset

For most normal human beings today, in most normal organizations today, the best way to approach this is to stop thinking (actually Buddhists would stop right there) about KM as a separate activity and start thinking of KM as part and parcel of everything that gets done This requires a little bit (cynically speaking) of unlearning to take place. All the KM methods and tools that took hold in the last couple of decades need to be thrown out

For most normal human beings today, in most normal organizations today, the best way to approach this is to stop thinking (actually Buddhists would stop right there) about KM as a separate activity and start thinking of KM as part and parcel of everything that gets done

This requires a little bit (cynically speaking) of unlearning to take place.

All the KM methods and tools that took hold in the last couple of decades need to be thrown out

It is almost as if we should go back to the era when KM never existed as a discipline at all, but was more of an art The problems with arts is that they are not very repeatable or scalable, and artists are always a relatively small (and only sometimes revered) percentage of the overall population

It is almost as if we should go back to the era when KM never existed as a discipline at all, but was more of an art

The problems with arts is that they are not very repeatable or scalable, and artists are always a relatively small (and only sometimes revered) percentage of the overall population

How to resolve this dilemma?

How to resolve this dilemma?

The latest steps in the dance of our evolution are in fact coming to our rescue (yes we haven’t evolved biologically, but our culture has, and our culture has started to evolve in complicity with the relaxation of constraints surrounding the technologies that started emerging from our cultures previous dance step ) ((and yes I know using the dance step metaphor isn’t very smart because complicit evolution is continuous)) (((and if you haven’t got a clue what complicity is go and read that “figments of reality” book I mentioned )))

The latest steps in the dance of our evolution are in fact coming to our rescue

(yes we haven’t evolved biologically, but our culture has, and our culture has started to evolve in complicity with the relaxation of constraints surrounding the technologies that started emerging from our cultures previous dance step )

((and yes I know using the dance step metaphor isn’t very smart because complicit evolution is continuous))

(((and if you haven’t got a clue what complicity is go and read that “figments of reality” book I mentioned )))

The change that I am referring to is a movement that many are seeing and calling by various names, but the meme that seems to tie the various threads together in the most popular way is something called Web2.0 The meme is so strong that it has spawned numerous children, such as enterprise 2.0 , KM 2.0, government 2.0 Marketing 2.0 and so on (many of them are actually likely to be figments of my own deluded mind)

The change that I am referring to is a movement that many are seeing and calling by various names, but the meme that seems to tie the various threads together in the most popular way is something called Web2.0

The meme is so strong that it has spawned numerous children, such as enterprise 2.0 , KM 2.0, government 2.0 Marketing 2.0 and so on (many of them are actually likely to be figments of my own deluded mind)

In fact, though it seems silly, there is something very deep behind all this, and its not just the technology (so much for not compartmentalising!) In fact there is a cultural shift that is co-evolving strongly with these technological shifts Technology has been relaxing the constraints of control that previously bound humanity That control had been very much developed and embodied by the culture that spawned it

In fact, though it seems silly, there is something very deep behind all this, and its not just the technology (so much for not compartmentalising!)

In fact there is a cultural shift that is co-evolving strongly with these technological shifts

Technology has been relaxing the constraints of control that previously bound humanity

That control had been very much developed and embodied by the culture that spawned it

From the use of the printed word by the church, to the broadcasting of opinions by the powers in control of the media, technology in all its previous forms has been very very restrictive of the expression and participation of the vast majority of the people The culture of control that has led us to this point has some genuinely devastating diseases: Greed, Dishonesty, Selfishness, genocide etc

From the use of the printed word by the church, to the broadcasting of opinions by the powers in control of the media, technology in all its previous forms has been very very restrictive of the expression and participation of the vast majority of the people

The culture of control that has led us to this point has some genuinely devastating diseases: Greed, Dishonesty, Selfishness, genocide etc

But what is happening today is that new tools are opening up the power for anyone to communicate and collaborate with anyone else (and that means theres more chance for someone to notice and tell the rest of the world when an emporer has no clothes on) But its more than just about the tools because in fact it’s the aspirations that have been repressed and which are now being unleashed and driving change more than anything The speed of cultural shift taking place is astonishing and just like the eastern bloc suddenly collapsed in the blink of an eye (in political terms that is) , so we are now seeing the collapse of control by the traditional powers that previously held sway over the media, the markets and the citizenry

But what is happening today is that new tools are opening up the power for anyone to communicate and collaborate with anyone else

(and that means theres more chance for someone to notice and tell the rest of the world when an emporer has no clothes on)

But its more than just about the tools because in fact it’s the aspirations that have been repressed and which are now being unleashed and driving change more than anything

The speed of cultural shift taking place is astonishing and just like the eastern bloc suddenly collapsed in the blink of an eye (in political terms that is) , so we are now seeing the collapse of control by the traditional powers that previously held sway over the media, the markets and the citizenry

The power of the few to communicate, collaborate and organize is now totally outweighed by the collective power of the many There is no room for dishonesty, and selfishness or greed they are quickly discovered and exposed Where remnants of top down control still exist they are but a passing fad

The power of the few to communicate, collaborate and organize is now totally outweighed by the collective power of the many

There is no room for dishonesty, and selfishness or greed they are quickly discovered and exposed

Where remnants of top down control still exist they are but a passing fad

So if we return to the more mundane, the web 2.0 meme and its children we can see the very many facets of the technologies that liberate and empower us from the previous constraints But we can also see a common theme of massive media socialization, liberation, self expression, participation and related cultural shifts that are becoming the norm Politicians are becoming more aware and representative of the people they speak for, business listens and converses with its customers better

So if we return to the more mundane, the web 2.0 meme and its children we can see the very many facets of the technologies that liberate and empower us from the previous constraints

But we can also see a common theme of massive media socialization, liberation, self expression, participation and related cultural shifts that are becoming the norm

Politicians are becoming more aware and representative of the people they speak for, business listens and converses with its customers better

And what is more, people are increasingly self organizing, as agents of political or social change, as drivers of markets and value creation, and as communicators they are in fact becoming the media themselves Social change, social markets, social media.. And so on, (social research, social arts? Well yes), no one person controls, instead it is the collective (wisdom of crowds). And the new culture that bounds and constrains this way of organizing is a deeply interconnected openness and empowered participation with responsibility

And what is more, people are increasingly self organizing, as agents of political or social change, as drivers of markets and value creation, and as communicators they are in fact becoming the media themselves

Social change, social markets, social media.. And so on, (social research, social arts? Well yes), no one person controls, instead it is the collective (wisdom of crowds).

And the new culture that bounds and constrains this way of organizing is a deeply interconnected openness and empowered participation with responsibility

This new culture is what I am seeing as the real author behind today's change, and the meme of 2 Point Oh My personal preference was to think of this coming era as the era of participatory change, because it’s all about letting us change the world by organizing in a fully participative manner, unlike previous era’s (and so much for the future knowledge era – that was what they’d have us believe was in store, as its far less dangerous than a participative era) But 2.0 is the mother of all memes for this, it is the one that has truly emerged through the collective conscious Let us stick to that, but also let us see it in its full glory, not just as web2.0 or enterprise2.0 which are slightly limited, but instead let us see it as society2.0 – the new version emerging right in front of our eyes

This new culture is what I am seeing as the real author behind today's change, and the meme of 2 Point Oh

My personal preference was to think of this coming era as the era of participatory change, because it’s all about letting us change the world by organizing in a fully participative manner, unlike previous era’s (and so much for the future knowledge era – that was what they’d have us believe was in store, as its far less dangerous than a participative era)

But 2.0 is the mother of all memes for this, it is the one that has truly emerged through the collective conscious

Let us stick to that, but also let us see it in its full glory, not just as web2.0 or enterprise2.0 which are slightly limited, but instead let us see it as society2.0 – the new version emerging right in front of our eyes

And now let us return to where we started in the far more mundane territory of Knowledge Management Throw KM1.0 out, out with all of its detachment, with its separation from actually being part of everything we do, with its idea of “content” and “knowledge” that can be stored, with its conscription of unwilling volunteers to fill its fossilized databases, with its irrelevant taxonomies, with its deceitful efforts to force change, in the name of people oriented change management. Away with its ideals of what should be the perfect situation

And now let us return to where we started in the far more mundane territory of Knowledge Management

Throw KM1.0 out, out with all of its detachment, with its separation from actually being part of everything we do, with its idea of “content” and “knowledge” that can be stored, with its conscription of unwilling volunteers to fill its fossilized databases, with its irrelevant taxonomies, with its deceitful efforts to force change, in the name of people oriented change management. Away with its ideals of what should be the perfect situation

And bring on KM2.0 the full 2.0 meme where knowledge is massively created, shared and leveraged all in the name of simply making our daily work lives more social, more expansive, more liberated, more collaborative without us even thinking that KM is involved But KM is involved, it just isn’t explicit like KM1.0 tried to make it, the 2.0 technology and culture is very much a discipline that results in repeatable and scalable improvements in the productivity of knowledge workers and the organization as a whole

And bring on KM2.0 the full 2.0 meme where knowledge is massively created, shared and leveraged all in the name of simply making our daily work lives more social, more expansive, more liberated, more collaborative without us even thinking that KM is involved

But KM is involved, it just isn’t explicit like KM1.0 tried to make it, the 2.0 technology and culture is very much a discipline that results in repeatable and scalable improvements in the productivity of knowledge workers and the organization as a whole

And as such, many other management disciplines share this, Change Management 2.0 (I just made that up) is really one and the same as KM2.0 The two in the 2.0 era are intimately bound, because essentially management is about organizing and we are entering a new era of organizing The 2.0 era where no one person is charting the course, instead everyone is participating in learning and changing the course together.

And as such, many other management disciplines share this, Change Management 2.0 (I just made that up) is really one and the same as KM2.0

The two in the 2.0 era are intimately bound, because essentially management is about organizing and we are entering a new era of organizing

The 2.0 era where no one person is charting the course, instead everyone is participating in learning and changing the course together.

And finally, if I were to have a short sound byte for Strategic Agility it would simply be : Strategy 2.0 In other words simply applying the principles behind the 2.0 meme to forming, doing, learning and changing strategy, we will have come much closer to a strategic agility

And finally, if I were to have a short sound byte for Strategic Agility it would simply be :

Strategy 2.0

In other words simply applying the principles behind the 2.0 meme to forming, doing, learning and changing strategy, we will have come much closer to a strategic agility

Apologies, I gave up worrying about pretty pictures, this took me twenty minutes of a braindump, if id worried about the pictures I would never have got these thoughts down, and would have had to search hours for hours all those obscure images and attributions To see the power of constraints see Kathy Sierra’s blog post on the subject. The idea is simple, force yourself to deliver by imposing a very strong time constraint which releases one from all the procrastination and perfectionism that emerges and blocks your way when you don’t force yourself to deliver under constraints. Thanks Kathy, this piece is for you Finally thanks to slideshare for being such a marvelous piece of 2.0’dom and inspiring me to put my thoughts down in this form of media

Apologies, I gave up worrying about pretty pictures, this took me twenty minutes of a braindump, if id worried about the pictures I would never have got these thoughts down, and would have had to search hours for hours all those obscure images and attributions

To see the power of constraints see Kathy Sierra’s blog post on the subject. The idea is simple, force yourself to deliver by imposing a very strong time constraint which releases one from all the procrastination and perfectionism that emerges and blocks your way when you don’t force yourself to deliver under constraints. Thanks Kathy, this piece is for you

Finally thanks to slideshare for being such a marvelous piece of 2.0’dom and inspiring me to put my thoughts down in this form of media