Ray Sims, 9 April 2008 Sims Learning Connections 1

KM and Web 2.0 – A User’s Perspective

Boston KM Forum:KM 2.0 – Real or Hype?

Ray Sims, 9 April 2008 Sims Learning Connections 2

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Ray Sims, 9 April 2008 Sims Learning Connections

Topics

Web 2.0 Knowledge Management Three scenarios for bringing the two

together Closing thoughts

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What “2.0” means to me...

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Traditional New WorldControl Uncontrolled

Management Leadership

Planned & Managed to Plan Organic, Emergent

Individual Employee Networks of Employees and Beyond

Company Ecosystem

Proprietary Open Source

Inward-facing Outward-facing

Cost Savings Revenue Growth

Compliance Innovation

Left Brain Right Brain

Structured Information Unstructured Information

Records Management Email, Instant Messaging, Twitter, Blogs, Wikis

Capture Share

Stocks

Information Processing Model of KM

Taxonomy Folksonomy

Web Content Management, Traditional Intranets Wiki

Company Blessed Content User Generated Content

Navigation Search

Folders Tagging

Classroom Training Informal Learning

Conferences Unconferences

Learning Management System (LMS) Personal Learning Environment (PLE)

¹ Jay Cross

Flows¹

Sense-making Model of KM²

² Wickramasinghe and Mills (2001) via Creating Knowledge Based Organizations, Gupta and Sharma (2003), p.35. An earlier use of the yin-yang metaphor.

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What KM means to me...

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Three Definitional Questions (of the many we could ask)

1) What scale?

2) What domain?

3) What metaphor?

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Scale

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Individual

Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), and Personal Learning Environments (PLE)

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Team

Team / Project / Community knowledge management and learning

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Organization

Organizational Knowledge Management and Learning

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Domain

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Where Does KM Start or Stop?

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KM Activities Knowledge Distribution

(26)

Knowledge Creation (21)

Learning (14)

Knowledge Classification (9)

Collaboration (7)

Knowledge Harvesting (6)

Knowledge Discovery (2)

KM Outcomes Improved Execution (28)

Value from Knowledge Assets (12)

Knowledge Codification (11)

Knowledge Retention (3)

Continuous Improvement (2)

Cultural Change (2)

Improved Knowledge Processing (1)

Improved Resource Assignment (1)

Source: Stephen Bounds' analysis of Sims' 53 KM Definitions compilation. 25 March 2008 post to ActKM discussion list. The numbers with ( ) indicate the number of definitions which include this concept.

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Firestone and McElroy

One domain possibility is within an outlier in the compiled definitions...

...where KM is made distinct from Knowledge Processing

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Source: Joseph M. Firestone in “On Doing Knowledge Management,” Knowledge Management Research & Practice (2008) 6, p.17. Adapted from Firestone and McElroy, 2007.

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Metaphors

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Stocks

Codifying, capturing, harvesting, storing

Static

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Flows

Conversations, fragments, connections

Fluid and Dynamic

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Why Flows?

Speed of change versus speed of codifying Continuous versus something that happens at

the end of the project Small pieces loosely joined, context preserving Broader participation, with more connections Weak signals perception Results: innovation and better decision-making

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Why Flows?

“If you ask someone, or a body for specific knowledge in the context of a real need it will never be refused. If you ask them to give you your knowledge on the basis that you may need it in the future, then you will never receive it.” (David Snowden)

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Taking This a Step Further...

“Knowledge as water was favoured most as metaphor to diagnose the situation, while knowledge as love was favoured for developing solutions.” (Daniel Andriessen, 2007)

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Knowledge as Love Statements(sample from Andriessen's paper)

Problems Knowledge exchange should

be reward in itself

We lack quality time

There are a lot of attractive but lonely singles

We talk about wedding certificate but not about our relationship

We lack an atmosphere of trust

Our marriage sometime falls into a rut

Solutions Allowed to choose our own

partner

Allow variety in people’s passions and aspirations

Give people time and space to share knowledge

Don't try to manage and systemize knowledge

Allow polygamy: exchange knowledge with more people

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Leaping to Some Early Conclusions...(via three scenarios)

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The (non)Obvious Fit

Web 2.0 is ideally situated to support Personal Knowledge Management / Personal Learning Environment (PKM / PLE)

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PKM / PLE: Individual Benefits

Increase knowledge within chosen field Maintain long-term employability

Build external network Bridge generational barriers Increase competency for thriving in

information abundance Opportunity to become an enterprise 2.0

evangelist

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Personal Example(another Network Effect and Twitter moment)

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PKM / PLE: Company Benefits

Smarter employees Reduced Training & Development

expense Access to external networks Bridge generational barriers Create an enterprise 2.0 on-ramp

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PKM / PLE: Company Prescription

Provide PKM / PLE education Including provisioning a starter toolkit?

Minimize firewall barriers to social networks / media

Encourage employee blogs Sun Microsystems example

Build culture of trust

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BT Case Study

“While some companies begin the impossible task of shutting out social media tools, at BT we have just completed a...project to make sure all our employees can access social media sites. Why? Because we see social media tools as a huge opportunity to transform the way our employees interact with each other, with ‘the company’, and with our customers, partners and suppliers.” (Richard Dennison)

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Required 2.0 Competencies

Increased intellectual property sensitivity

Multi-tasking? Not really. Rather, increased attention discipline

Skimming / scanning Being OK with sharing “half-baked” + editing

the boss Efficient network creation and vetting

Knowing what and whom to pay attention to

Software application mechanics

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Back to the Future?

Source: Dave Pollard, How to Save the World, KM 0.0 - Simply Enabling Trusted Context-Rich Conversations Among Communities That Care, 6 December 2007

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The Easy Entry(scenario #2)

Enterprise (KM) 2.0 is easily adopted & instantly valuable for small to medium sized teams and projects

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Team/Project-level Killer Practice

Wiki as default text and management tool Not documents, not SharePoint

Project blogging Convey project news and decisions Replaces status reports etc.

Ban project related email Period.

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Team/Project-level Wiki Use Cases(a few examples)

Design and product documentation Decision log Event planning Project related good practice Project related FAQ Links to outside resources and references

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The Longer Journey(scenario #3)

Enterprise adoption, although more challenging; is already happening and shows promise

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The Four Greatest Opportunities(looking through a KM lens)

Increased social capital Increased innovation Improved decision making Improved efficiency

Which also leads to increased adoption and contribution

A virtuous circle, after initial disruption

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Why More Efficient?

Increased transparency (openness) Network effect Raw speed, e.g. wiki edits versus

documents Less overhead Opportunity to reduce email

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Source: Chris Rasmussen at US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (via http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/03/26/wiki-collaboration-leads-to-happiness/)

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Lightweight and Open

Source: Matt Moore, Engineers without Fear blog (30 March 2008)See http://www.slideshare.net/engineerswithoutfears/peak-email for fuller details

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Reducing email

Move to “pull” versus “push” I subscribe to, or view, what I need versus

getting pushed what others think I might need

Move to true collaboration on a work product versus “talking about” Increased focus

More open More easily tagged and searched

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Concerns and Challenges

Doesn't fit with the company culture Technology immaturity and proliferation Additional information silos and digital

landfills

Leaking intellectual property

Counter to compliance Loss of control Employee time waster

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Beginning The Enterprise Journey

On Technology, decide if the utility metaphor is viable If it has support, then go for

Consider possibilities in an “intranet 2.0” approach

But also consider leading with core work processes

Find and nurture the early adopters and innovators Don't force them to go underground

Still start with an individual, team or company function strategy versus the entire enterprise Laying the foundation for the enterprise

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Integration and Coordination Key(for fullest value)

Technology Enterprise search

Single sign-on

Where practical, common branding & user experience

Process / Workflow E.G., wiki for collaborative authoring that then feeds

published static site or document for compliance

Even if not company-wide platform, still maximally coordinate with others on enterprise 2.0 path

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Critical Success Factors(the usual suspects + 1)

A champion or champions Comprehensive training and assimilation plan Comfort with user-driven innovation &

emergence

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Closing Thoughts

More than hype Networks and flows make a web 2.0

enabled KM look attractive Just do it!

Start somewhere, at least with yourself Engage in the knowledge management

debate

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Photo Credits

2.0 meme mindmap: Janelle Siegrist (makeup), José Luis Molina (network), Ann-Kathrin Rehse (rose bud), Steven (glass house), Samuel Herrman (car), Reed (at computer)

Scale pins: Sanja Gjenero

Stocks versus flows: Sanja Gjenero (books), Weatherstock (waterfall) – both via stock.xchng

Heart: Sundeip Arora

Route 66: Keith Syvinski

Leap: Penelope Berger

Bored child: Christie Merrill