Knowledge has been all around us from the beginning of times. Integrating it, passing it on and managing it has made possible all the advances we have nowadays. By knowledge, we mean a set of expertise, and skills acquired by a person or organisation through experience or education. Here is a reflection to move knowledge towards decision.
In business, being knowledgeable tend to give an edge on various transactions. It brings certainty and security to the present. It also provides useful hints on the near future. Knowledge is also a double-edged sword which can lead to paralysis, when we receive too much conflicting information. It also can mislead decision makers when analysts devise patterns in a place there is none.
The infogineering Model
Knowledge is acquired. The infogineering model explains how data, information, knowledge and decisions, relate to each other. By understanding the relationships between these elements organisations can use data and information more effectively in our work and lives.
Data is a collection of discrete objects. It is also known as unprocessed information. Inside the spread sheet of excel in each cell we store data, on its own it does not give any information.
When we processed data, we get information.
Knowledge happens when we apply our experience, jurisdiction or judgement to the information we get. Knowledge is the result of learning.
Appropriate knowledge can enlighten decisions that every business make for their development.
About Knowledge Management
Once knowledge is created, it exists within the organisation. However, before one can reuse or share it, one should properly categorise information for others to recognise it. Knowledge management is the process of identifying, creating, distributing, using and managing the knowledge, insights and experiences of an organisation. Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organisational processes or practice.
Knowledge Management in a community is important to make people understand and be an active part inside a community with a developed knowledge management culture, there are three points to emphasise:
- Will: the person needs to understand the importance and usefulness of the knowledge;
- Means: the person needs access to the tools that make participation possible;
- Skills: the person needs to be trained to put in practice the 2 points above.
From that concept, we can move towards Knowledge Discovery: a system that discovers the knowledge that the business possesses all over the organisation. Some systems extend into alerting users when something interesting becomes available within their daily workflow context.
Knowledge Management and Discovery lead to quality decision which are critical for business development, team management and personal growth. Apply Now and join us in March 2018 to explore this topic with various professionals.