Curiouser and Curiouser!

Curiouser and Curiouser! on gurteen http://matt.blogs.it/ RSS feed for topic gurteen Copyright 2006 Matt Mower Squib/0.1 self@mattmower.com self@mattmower.com en-gb k-logging is all about... Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:55:26 +0100 Damnit!  k-logging is all about e-learning. <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » A <A href="http://www.gurteen.com/">Gurteenism</A>  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000169.html Is KM a technology problem? Sun, 14 Jul 2002 21:16:16 +0100 <A href="http://www.kellogg.nwu.edu/faculty/mcgee/htm/blog/2002/07/09.html#a1788">What if knowledge management actually is a technology problem?</A>. I just came across a posting by Jim McGee in McGee's Musings that I found thought provoking. Here is how it starts : <BLOCKQUOTE>What if knowledge management actually is a technology problem? Current thinking holds that knowledge management's problems come from too much focus on technology when the key problems are about organizational processes and practices. I've said as much myself on many occasions. But this formulation risks perpetuating the myth that problems are either organizational or technological. We know the real world isn't that simple, of course. We shouldn't contribute to the confusion by oversimplifying our discussion. </BLOCKQUOTE>Like Jim, I have always thought that KM is about people - "psychology - not technology" but I always love it when so called 'truths' that we hold dear are questioned - including my own. We've only got to look back through history to see the many times when we thought we were right and had all the answers - only to see those views totally overturned a few years later. So what if KM is really all about technology and not people? I don't think so! Like Jim, I agree the real world is not that simple. We tend to like either-or arguments - [<A onmouseover="self.status='Book: I am Right you are Wrong';return true" onmouseout="self.status='';return true" href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/EF9CDBE1EAC49786802567F1006C3ED3/">right-or-wrong</A>] solutions - but reality is not like that - the answer is usually fuzzy and some where in between the extremes. So should KM be more about technology than people? Maybe its just that our current technology is poor or we are not using it appropriately. What role will technology play in the future? Take a look at what Jim has to say - some interesting thoughts ... What do you think? [<A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/E79924B9B266C48A80256B8D004BB5AD/">Gurteen Knowledge-Log</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » I guess that my view is that where traditional KM fails it is not especially because the technology wasn't sophisticated enough (and sometimes the reverse) but because it failed to address the social, emotional needs of the individuals it was supposed to be serving. I think this is part of the reason why I suspect klogging will be such a huge success - it's a social thing.  People can create social capital by klogging.  They can network, foster communities, add evident value.  It creates new opportunities for them.  It's a win-win deal. Is klogging a technological victory?  Only in the sense of the technology getting the hell outta the way.  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000187.html My company will be like this Sun, 14 Jul 2002 22:03:43 +0100 <A href="http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=13325">Be Creative Or Die</A>.  I particularly like the explanation of the three T's that drive the growth of 'creative communities' such as those found in San Francisco and Boston. See: <BLOCKQUOTE>My theory uses the three T's: technology, talent and tolerance. You need to have a strong technology base, such as a research university and investment in technology. That alone is a necessary but not in itself sufficient condition. Second, you need to be a place that attracts and retains talent, that has the lifestyle options, the excitement, the energy, the stimulation, that talented, creative people need. And thirdly, you need to be tolerant of diversity so you can attract all sorts of people -- foreign-born people, immigrants, woman as well as men, gays as well as straights, people who look different and have different appearances. </BLOCKQUOTE> I think I am going to have to buy this book ... [<A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/E79924B9B266C48A80256B8D004BB5AD/">Gurteen Knowledge-Log</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » As someone thinking about growing a business (okay actually I'm thinking about how to pay rent but at some point it's gotta grow yes?) this is interesting. It describes some key factors in creating an ideal workplace: <UL dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <UL> <LI>strong technology base</LI> <LI>excitement, energy, stimulation</LI> <LI>tolerance & diversity</LI></UL></UL> Of course it's a monumentally wierd idea to me now to be considering the kind of workplace I want to create for my future staff...  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000192.html eXtreme KM? Fri, 02 Aug 2002 08:38:28 +0100 <A href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0106188/2002/07/12.html#a221">Extreme programming, early learning, project management and KM!</A>. Brilliant ... for some reason I have only just come across the term [<A onmouseover="self.status='Direct Link: Extreme Programming';return true" onmouseout="self.status='';return true" href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/redirect?openform&redirect=http://www.extremeprogramming.org/">Extreme Programming</A>] (XP) ... a very similar methodology to one that Lotus Notes developers have been applying for the last 10 years or more and that was embodied in Lotus's AVM (Accelerated Value Methodology). I apply this methodology myself whenever I can and taught AVM for a couple of years and so can highly recommend such methodologies. An interesting insight though is that it can be applied to any project. Its about building rapid learning into the project - in fact it all about knowledge management. [<IMG alt=Smile! src="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/(Images)/SMILE-EMOTICON/$File/smiley.gif?OpenElement" border=0 name=smile-emoticon>] <BLOCKQUOTE>Extreme Programming (universally referred to as XP) is a methodology of programming which involves short cycle times working closely with the customer. In XP, the development team works in two week cycles, and works on implementing customer stories: stories being small enough pieces of functionality that can be implemented in a short space of time. The theme underlying XP is "embrace change:" since we know user requirements will change, we make a virtue of it. XP uses the metaphor of driving to illustrate this: you don't drive from Los Angeles to New York by pointing the car in the direction of New York and then closing your eyes for the next 40 hours: you have to make small corrections along the way. </BLOCKQUOTE> [<A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/E79924B9B266C48A80256B8D004BB5AD/">Gurteen Knowledge-Log</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » Pauses for some company somewhere to start marketing their "eXtreme KM" product suite... Oh wait, maybe I should do that :-)  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000245.html XP meets KM Thu, 15 Aug 2002 10:18:16 +0100 <A href="http://www.blogroots.com/comments.blog/124">Klogging Roles.</A>. I forsee several klogging roles. <OL> <LI>Catalyst. Alpha blogger. Someone who klogs well, leads by example, provokes and inspires others to join a klogging community. If you've used Blogtree, naming your inspirations, you know what I mean. <LI>Coach. The person who helps newbies, builds internal FAQs, nurtures laggards, acknowledges great posts. Soft skills, communication and social skills, are not evenly distributed. The coach helps everyone join and get better. Chief metablogger. <LI>Armorer. Works with IT to develop configs, scripts, integration with enterprise apps and messaging services. Power macros. Engaging templates. Technologist and architect. <LI>Practice leader. Informal leaders of subcultures in larger organizations. The one in legal who drives the whole department to start klogging. The rep in the Cincinatti sales office who gets her colleagues to start customer-specific blogs. Watch for lists of like-minded colleagues. They may also connect to like-minded communities at suppliers, customers, and the wild blogosphere. </LI></OL> Mix and match. Recruit for excellence in one or more. Hire ringers if your community is large enough. One other point: I beleive (without hard numbers) that blogging and klogging can improve your personal marketability. I'm exploring this at <A href="http://dijest.com/aka/categories/bloggersForHire/">Bloggers for Hire</A>. Suggestions welcome. [aka <A class=navigatorLink href="http://dijest.com/aka/categories/klogs/">klogs</A>] [<A href="http://dijest.com/aka/">a klog apart</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » Phil's roles seem very <A href="http://www.extremeprogramming.org/">XP</A> like (and I'm not referring to Windows) to me which is nice as David Gurteen was just <A href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0107808/2002/08/02.html#a238">talking</A> about XP & KM and how XP's embrace change principle applies just as much to implementing KM.  In fact many of the values embedded in the XP development philosophy apply just as well to KM: <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> "XP is successful because it stresses customer satisfaction. The methodology is designed to deliver the software your customer needs when it is needed. XP empowers your developers to confidently respond to changing customer requirements, even late in the life cycle." "This methodology also emphasizes team work. Managers, customers, and developers are all part of a team dedicated to delivering quality software. XP implements a simple, yet effective way to enable groupware style development." "XP improves a software project in four essential ways; communication, simplicity,feedback, and courage. XP programmers communicate with their customers and fellow programmers. They keep their design simple and clean. They get feedback by testing their software starting on day one. They deliver the system to the customers as early as possible and implement changes as suggested. With this foundation XP programmers are able to courageously respond to changing requirements and technology."</BLOCKQUOTE>  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000318.html Blogger representation : uncovering the implicit Thu, 22 Aug 2002 13:05:41 +0100 <A href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0109961/2002/08/19.html#a129">Uncovering the implicit</A>. From Sébastien Paquet and Lilia Efimova ... some interesting insights as to why people blog and why some professions are better represented than others e.g. educators, journalists, software developers, librarians, lawyers and knowledge professionals. As Sébastien says in his [<A onmouseover="self.status='Direct Link: original posting';return true" onmouseout="self.status='';return true" href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/redirect?openform&redirect=http://radio.weblogs.com/0110772/2002/08/19.html#a135">original posting</A>] on the subject : <BLOCKQUOTE>I think the commonality has to do with uncovering the implicit. </BLOCKQUOTE>And as Lilia [<A onmouseover="self.status='Direct Link: adds';return true" onmouseout="self.status='';return true" href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/redirect?openform&redirect=http://radio.weblogs.com/0109961/2002/08/19.html#a129">adds</A>] : <BLOCKQUOTE>For me, blog is something for articulating ideas. They get some shape once they get out of my brain, and it becomes easier easy to deal with them. Blog is something for catching those difficult to catch things... </BLOCKQUOTE> I think they are on to something here - some people because of their mindset "can't help but blog" while others will "never get it" or never find the time or the motivation to do it. And that's not a judgement - it simply reflects the diversity of human nature and that can only be good [<IMG alt=Smile! src="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/(Images)/SMILE-EMOTICON/$File/smiley.gif?OpenElement" border=0 name=smile-emoticon>] [<A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/E79924B9B266C48A80256B8D004BB5AD/">Gurteen Knowledge-Log</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » An interesting observation, seems about right.  Let's just hope the blogger mindset is in the majority!  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000428.html Knowledge Cafe Thu, 05 Sep 2002 22:29:56 +0100 Back from the first meeting of the Knowledge Cafe hosted by <A href="http://www.gurteen.com/">David Gurteen</A>.  Among other things to thank David for was arranging the venue, hosting the event and paying for the coffee! For me it was an interesting evenining.  Most of it was spent with us introducing ourselves, this in itself turned out to be a moment of inspiration because you really got a feel for the variety of different people there ranging from the seasoned KM veterans right down to the "hangers on" like myself.  It's going to be fun seeing where this goes. http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000493.html KM implies culture change Fri, 06 Sep 2002 09:13:09 +0100 <A href="http://www.highcontext.com/blarchive/2002_09_05.html">Fostering Change Without Getting Fired</A>. You may want to check out <A href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0875849059/">Tempered Radicals</A> by <A href="http://gobi.stanford.edu/facultybios/bio.asp?ID=221">Debra Meyerson</A>. She writes about the experiences of people who have decided to create change within a work place that doesn't match their values rather than leave the company. She focuses mostly on creating change on issues such as diversity, fair-trade products, family-friendly work hours, etc. However, I think the strategies that she discusses are just as valid and useful for trying to move an organization towards a more knowledge-based organizational culture. Her key themes are: leading by example, small early wins, turning threats into change opportunities, and taking a long view. No quick fixes, I'm afraid. [<A href="http://www.highcontext.com/">High Context</A>] <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> » Effective take up of knowledge management practices is going to have to go hand-in-hand with organisational development.  Interestingly at yesterdays <A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/072DFA35BF287A3180256C1C005C20C2/">Knowledge Cafe</A> meeting one of the topics that came up was strategies for persuading decision makers that Knowledge Management was even worth investing in.  This was a slightlly disappointing revelation as I had hoped the battle lines were drawn a little further forward than that.  </BLOCKQUOTE> http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00000498.html Insight from David Gurteen. Tue, 08 Apr 2003 10:39:03 +0100 Results Oriented KM. Some recent thoughts on KM: <UL> <LI>KM is not an end in itself. It is a set of disciplines and tools to help us meet our business objectives. What is the point of doing KM if it does not help us meet our business objectives? KM can only be measured by its ability to help us meet our business objectives. <LI>KM needs to address the quality of our decision-making. What is the point of KM if we still make lousy decisions - if we do the wrong thing - even exceptionally well? We would do better to do the right thing badly and not bother with KM at all! <LI>KM needs to address the issue of our motivation and our ability to make use of the knowledge we have. We can be given all the perfect information and knowledge that we need to do our jobs but if we fail to use it then what is the point? <LI>KM should help us to improve our awareness and understanding. KM should not be just about helping us to know more. It is through increased awareness and understanding that we start to see our organizational world in new ways and identify new business opportunities. <LI>KM is about helping us to identify new opportunities and leveraging them. Measuring the results of KM is important but we should not forget that KM is also about identifying new opportunities. We can measure cost/profit etc but we cannot measure 'missed opportunities" by their very nature we do not see missed opportunities until it is too late. [<A href="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/E79924B9B266C48A80256B8D004BB5AD/">Gurteen Knowledge-Log</A>]</LI></UL> Some insightful thoughts from David. http://matt.blogs.it/entries/00001368.html