037 This month’s tip:

Build your credibility.

Credibility is built on only three things. It's a matter of your reputation (which is a function of what you've done before), the quality of your analysis (which is a function of how well your argument holds together) and the quality of your sources (which is a function of how thoroughly your arguments are supported by other credible evidence). So whatever credibility you have in a present moment is also a function of what's happened in the past. Credibility is something you can invest in, by building your own reputation and by always giving due credit to your sources.

That's a principle of KM to which we've always adhered. Take every opportunity to give credit to those who've inspired your own ideas. It's something that will make people more willing to trust (and share) their ideas with you in the future. It’s also a way to walk the walk of Knowledge Management.

(This tip is derived from a recent Edward Tufte seminar, in which he advised the group to "document everything, and tell people about it.")
 

September 2006 - Volume 4, Issue 9

Happy Anniversary!

Gee, time flies when you're having fun! This month marks the third anniversary of Knowledge Street, which means we're starting our fourth year as a going concern.

That probably surprises us as much as anybody, since it seems like only yesterday we were sitting around what was to become World HQ, brainstorming on names for our nascent business enterprise. We made a good choice. Much better than "Two Elephants Consulting" and "Knowledge Disco," both of which were honest-to-God on the white board.

So we're taking a brief moment to reflect, mark the event and say thanks to all our supporters and (especially) our clients, without whom we wouldn't be in business at all. Hope you're all having a good year, and are looking forward to even better things as summer slips into autumn.

Is the Web Making Us Smarter?

Doctor Samuel Johnson, 18th century man of letters, wrote that knowledge is of two kinds -- we know a thing ourselves, or we know where to find information about it. That insight alone gives him some kind of ancestral role in what we today refer to as Knowledge Management.

If knowledge is simply a function of knowing things, it's interesting to consider whether the Web is making us smarter, either alone or collectively. Certainly, our ability to find information has expanded to an almost unimaginable degree. We don't even need to know exactly what we're looking for - all we need is an intuitive feeling that something is out there, and a willingness to look. If you think of humanity as a giant brain, it’s as if the Web has energized many of that brain’s individual neurons.

Beyond raw searching, both Yahoo and Google are now offering human-assisted searches (Yahoo's is free, Google's is not), an old-fashioned approach that expands our Ability To Know in a reasonably democratic, far-reaching fashion.

We sometimes think the computer age is well underway, but it may be just beginning. An old friend of ours, back in the early 80s, made a fearless prediction. Showing off his Apple IIe, he said that personal computers were going to change the world more dramatically than the printing press. He'd have gotten an argument from most people at the time, but today, it seems he might have been right all along.

One Laptop Per Child

Thinking about the impact of personal computers in general, and the World Wide Web in particular, it's interesting to consider the One Laptop Per Child Association. It gets some press, although not a lot. It's a nonprofit group that's working to develop a laptop inexpensive enough to distribute to children in developing nations. The goal is to give children around the world new opportunities to "explore, experiment and express themselves." It's not really about laptops, it's about learning.

They expect to ship their first machine in early 2007. It's called the 2B1, and can be manufactured for about $100 per unit. It's not just a cheap laptop, though, since it has some fundamental architectural differences. Each unit can create its own mesh network right out of the box, and also function as a full-time wireless router. The 2B1 has a 7.5-inch, 1200 x 900 pixel screen, with better resolution than 95% of the laptops now on the market. Power consumption is extremely low compared to conventional laptops, and it can selectively suspend CPU operation for even more power savings. Plus, it can be recharged by human power (think hand crank) when there’s no access to electricity. It's also VoIP-enabled, with built in stereo speakers and a microphone. It runs on a Linux-based operating system, and comes with a number of other open-source applications.

The OLPC Association was founded by Nicholas Negroponte, and he's serving as its chairman while on leave from MIT. You can read more at the OLPC wiki site, and see some pictures of the prototypes, too. It's going to change things.

Edward Tufte’s Rules for Presenters

We're big fans of Edward Tufte here at Knowledge Street, and have been for many years. His writing has been a major influence on our work, helping us see new ways to present information on the page or on the screen. That's the "last mile" problem of Knowledge Management -- finding the best way to transfer Knowledge from one head to another, when you're down to the level of words and images.

Last month, we got to see Tufte in person at the Manhattan Center, and came away from his seminar with a bit of wisdom for our readers. Here are Tufte's nine rules for effective presentations:

1. Remember that content rules; if your content is weak, so is your presentation.
2. Practice, practice, practice; if you can, practice in front of friends or colleagues and listen to what they tell you.
3. Show up early; that's the best way to deal with last-minute problems, and also to make a personal connection with the audience.
4. Get a summary of your story out in the first few minutes, then start at the beginning and elaborate; that way, if you're interrupted, people still get to hear your whole pitch.
5. Never apologize; don't tell people about your personal problems, and avoid the use of "I" and "we."
6. Remember the principle of P-G-P; when making an argument, go from a Particular to the General and then back to the Particular.
7. Give people a takeaway; make sure everyone goes home with at least one piece of paper.
8. Respect your audience; audiences are precious and are probably on your side.
9. Finish early; that alone will make your presentation worth talking about, and it's a gift you can give everyone for free.

Imagine a new world of business presentations, in which all presenters were willing to honor these nine simple principles. Wouldn't that be grand, though?

Unsubscribe  |   Change your profile

HOME   |    © COPYRIGHT 2008 KNOWLEDGE STREET LLC