Blogging for Knowledge Exchange Darlene Fichter Data Library Coordinator University of Saskatchewan Library [email protected] Internet Librarian.

Blogging for Knowledge Exchange

Darlene FichterData Library Coordinator

University of Saskatchewan Library

[email protected]

Internet Librarian 2002

Overview

Intranets and KM Knowledge exchange What about blogs?

Knowledge Management

KM is an umbrella term for a collection of disciplines, methods and tools that support creation and sharing of intellectual assets to achieve business/organization goals

Often use information infrastructure

Patti Anklam, Social Network Analysis, KMWorld2002

Intranets & KM

Formally or informally, intranets support KM by: Encoding Storing Transmitting information

Typically projects focus on: Knowledge bases provide information

to support staff Communities of practice

Driving Forces

Need to innovate and adapt more quickly

Improve business processes Succession planning

Smarter Faster Better

Fifty percent of faculty at our university will retire within 5 years.

The KM Promise

Instant sharing and flow of strategic information and knowledge

Seamlessly everywhere throughout the organization

Ensuring a well informed workforce Respond to the vagaries of the new

economy A way to “capture” what senior staff

know

KM Modes of Knowledge Transfer

Explicit knowledge is definable and objective; easily documented and transferred

KM Modes of Knowledge Transfer

Tacit knowledge lives in people’s heads and their practices; used every day but you see it only when it’s used.

“Know – how” Most difficult and elusive

Tapping into Tacit Knowledge

You can influence and encourage Storytelling and coaching are two

effective techniques

Organizational Challenges

KM is a great concept Many KM solutions are complex

Workflow, software, implementation Highly structured Mega projects

In short, they are overwhelming

Employee Challenges

Employees are reluctant to share My knowledge is what makes me

valuable to my employee, if I share it my value diminishes

“What’s in it for me?” How will I be valuable if I share all

my “know-how”? Cynicism about the hype and words

Librarians are knowledge-brokers

What might work?

Foster knowledge sharing and exchange

Bottom up rather than a top down

From Blogs to K-Logs*

Blogs K-Logs

Firewall

*John Robb, President of Userland is the originator of the concept k-logs.

Klogging – Another Definition

Dave Gurteen described the “purpose of a klog is to write about, comment or point to web resources on a particular topic.”

New Features: Track back

Infancy stage Supports bi-directional linking

Where do blogs fit? Explicit Knowledge

KnowledgeRepository

Blogs

KM

Blogs

Light weight content management tools

Post with a web form, bookmarklet or windows client

Quick and easy to set up Simple for employees to contribute

to corporate intranet/knowledge base

KISS

Solve Real World Problems

1. Information overload2. Collapse of email

Filters and Mining

Human powered filters

Teams

Capture the facts Plans Steps in the process Best new web resources Lessons learned Tips Where to look

Collaborative content

Strengths on an Intranet

Searchable archives Corporate search engines can spider

them

Where do Blogs Fit? Tacit Knowledge

Storytelling

Blogs

KM

Unlock Tacit Knowledge

Stories are a good framework for sharing information, meaning and knowledge (Nichani/Rajamanickam)

Blogs encourage story telling Fosters understanding because they

usually offer context Good stores resonate, so do good

blogs

Blogging is a train-of-thought technology. Scott Dinsdale

Relationships

Excellent at ONE to MANY communication

Allows participation Breaks down the silos Allows us to have “connected

content”

Informal Communities

The ease of cross-linking and the conversational nature, fosters social networking

Self – organizing communities emerge

Unlock Expertise

Who knows what? How can I judge their “credibility”?

Support Smart Distribution Methods

One blog or many RSS Syndication of one blog,

categories to specific groups and individuals automatically

Email

Tools

More than 3 dozen tools Just a mention of 2 business focused

blogging products: Trellix Traction software

My January/February 2003 column in Online magazine, www. onlineinc.com will talk about how to choose tools.

What’s in it for ME?

Self-rewarding Often bloggers report they discover

their own interests, refine their perspectives …

“Peer” recognition

Definition of a Knowledge Worker

“A knowledge worker is someone whose job entails having really interesting conversations at work.”

David Weinberger

Questions?