Process and Habits: Important Parts of Managing Knowledge

“Just do it! First you make your habits, then your habits make you!” 
― Lucas Remmerswaal

Managing knowledge is heavily reliant upon two things: process and habit. By process I mean that new information management practices must be included in our daily practice for them to take root. For example I once oversaw a team that would help clients use SharePoint to manage their data. Much of this work required that my team members engage with their clients from conceptualization to deployment of a project. Due to the interwoven nature of our organization, team members sometimes would work on projects that solved different aspects of the same problem. This would later cause difficulties as the solutions to the problem could potentially conflict with one another or waste human resources as more work was committed to than was required. 

The problem was addressed by integrating additional information sharing practices into our project management process. We switched to a new project management approach (Agile Scrum) that made use of frequent knowledge sharing behaviors. Key defining characteristics of the methodology were collective planning and daily progress updates. These new behaviors allowed the team to spot potential synergies or conflicts between projects prior to work being done. The important thing was that these knowledge sharing practices were part of a formalized process and as a result, new behavioral habits were able to take root.  

Which brings me to my second point, habits are powerful things. They allow us to engage in the world without giving much thought to the day to day actions we take. Habits allow us to conserve mental energy on mundane issues and deal with more complex concerns. Our habits support us without fail all day everyday while remaining on the periphery of our awareness. This characteristic is also the problem with habits. If our habits are not  in alignment with the needs of our environment we experience all sorts of challenges and difficulties that seem to materialize out of nowhere. However through deliberate reflection we can assess our daily habits and align them appropriately. Memorializing effective habits and behaviors into a process will ensure that we sustain our new direction until environmental changes require we refine our approach.   

Personal Knowledge Management: The must have skill for the 21st century professional (Part 2)

In the previous post I explained the importance of personal knowledge management (PKM) for the 21st century professional. In this post I will discuss some best practices that you can use to create your own approach to PKM.

There are four phases of knowledge creation that you need to be aware of in establishing your PKM strategy. The phases presented here are based on the work of Ikujiro Nonaka and comprise what is known as the knowledge spiral. The spiral elaborates on the manner in which we gain deeper understanding through our interaction with the world around us.  

 

 

The phases of the knowledge spiral are:

1. socialization
2. externalization
3. combination 
4. internalization

For more on this model see Nonaka's Knowledge Creating Company.

Socialization

The socialization phase acknowledges that we learn through our interactions with "knowledgeable others". Seeking out and engaging in discussion with people provide us with new insights, a practice central to intellectual growth. 

Action Steps in This Phase

• Identify your goals, interests and the people that share them.
• Identify people that are experts in the fields you seek to learn more about. 
• Identify the social media channels that you can use to create relationships with people.
• Identify the gathering places and events that you can attend to socialize with people you would like to learn from.
• Create a weekly schedule that you will use to engage in dialog with the people you have identified. 

Externalization 

This phase involves the documentation of new ideas and thoughts. Externalizing our ideas makes it possible to review and share insights with others in a non-time bound and structured way. The importance of reflective writing in the learning process has been the topic of numerous studies. 

Action Steps in This Phase

• Setup up a daily journaling schedule. 
• Make it a habit. Even a half hour a day dedicated to journaling will have a positive impact. 

Combination

Combining information from different sources is central to innovating new approaches and strategies. This practice advances human understanding and deepens our body of knowledge.

Action Steps in This Phase

• Organize your information by establishing a taxonomy or subject categories to use when filing away collected information. 
• Use tools like Evernote or OneNote to organize your documents and collected data. 
• Bookmark gathered web resources using tools like Digg and Delicious. 
• Use organizational tools that are supported by an application and a website. The provides you tremendous access to your information. Remember the power of knowledge is not just in its acquisition but in its ability to be retrieved. 
• Use article aggregators like Feedler or Google reader to stay abreast of new information in your areas of interest. 
• Use online dashboards like Netvibes to centrally locate all of your web tools and resources to one location.

Internalization 

 

This phase acknowledges the fact that knowledge acquisition changes our behavior. As we deepen our understanding we continuously internalize new lessons which in turn change our behavior and thus forms an ongoing spiral.

Action Steps in This Phase

• Keep track of your progress by setting goals and establishing performance benchmarks. 
• Use behavior tracking tools like Habit List and The Habit Factor to provide a visual indicator of your progress.
• Check your progress daily to ensure you are on track.

 

These are just a few recommendations that you can use to form your personal knowledge management strategy.

 

Did I miss something? 

 

I would love to hear about the PKM techniques that you currently use.

Personal Knowledge Management: The Must Have Skill for the 21st Century Professional (Part 1)

Do you want to thrive as a professional? The 21st century economy, powered by knowledge and information, requires new skills and competencies for people to succeed. The challenge for the 21st century professional is how to manage information. 

We have more information then we have ever had before in human history. The skill for the new century is managing the flow of data and harnessing it to achieve our goals. Access to data is just the beginning. Turning that access into actionable insights is a game changer.

Competitive advantage no longer is reserved for those "in the know" because with technology we are all potentially "in the know". Competitive advantage will go to those who can manage information in a way that it can be put to effective use. It is action that separates those that lead an industry from those that do not. 

Personal knowledge management (PKM) is the essential skill for professionals today because it outlines how people can manage knowledge and information more effectively. Personal knowledge management investigates behaviors, processes and technologies that people can integrate into their daily lives to empower them in using data to their advantage.

Over the next few weeks I will highlight a few PKM strategies that will aid you in taking information in transforming it into insight and action.