KMWorld – Where in the World is KM Going?

Panelist #1:Tom Reamy, Chief Knowledge Architect, KAPS GroupTom talks about the history of ideas, and the future of KM.The crisis in KM:

• Rumours of the death of KM
• CIO is reporting to the CFO, not the CEO
• Second or Third Identity Crisis re: what KM is; feels like we’re lurching, not building
• Web 2.0 is not the answer, whatever the question is

This has lead to what we have today, which is a boutique approach, what Tom calls “little km”:

• peripheral to the central activities of the organization
• KM as best practices
• KM as a management fad
• Divorced from information – KM got off track early and often

Tom argues that KM has been reduced to 2 categories, tacit and data-information-knowledge-wisdom – this is inadequate Tom suggests some sources for new ideas:

• philosophy – go beyond Polyani, look at Aristotle, Kant
• cognitive science – need better consumer models

Need to get back to big KM, specfically:

• building a semantic infrastructure
• KM must become an essential part of the organization
• KM as the interdisciplinary focal point of organization

Panelist #2: Terrie Rollins, CKO, Federal Systems, Unisys Terrie’s perspective is on KM from a US federal perspective:

• need to understand the critical needs of KM as it affects the next administration
• KM is about life and death when it comes to crises such as 9/11 and Katrina
• how to approach knowledge sharing in a world where terrorism is a real threat and national security is critical?

Current/emerging trends:

• knowledge retention technologies to anticipate threat
• adding KM to Presidential Management Agenda
• knowledge sharing from a global point of view, with international collaboration
• National agenda for knowledge sharing across all levels of gov’t

Panelist #3: Dave Pollard, VP Knowledge Development, Canadian Institute of Chartered AccountantsDave talks about the emerging role of the Information Professional Our role is shifting to:

• Helping workers share knowledge
• Introducing real time connectivity tools
• Teaching real research skills
• Enabling just in time knowledge canvassng
• Teaching storytelling
• Adding meaning – enviroscaning and sensemaking

We must focus on improving context and improving personal productivity. This new focus is driven by the Gen Millenium entering the workforce, a very different kind of worker:

• digital natives who use instant messaging tools
• email is a waste of time
• thinks research is just searching Google
• their career is their network
• they are committed to their own talent development, not the organization

Need to move to KM 2.0 to keep these new workers engaged and contributing positively to the organization.