Fallows on Knowledge Management

In today's NY Times, article by James Fallows (Atlantic Monthly correspondent) on knowledge management software ("Humans vs. Computers, Again. But There's Help for Our Side"). (as seen on the AIFIA digest)

"The underlying intellectual question about knowledge management is whether people actually think of knowledge as a big heap of laundry just out of the dryer, or as neatly folded pajamas, shirts and so on, all placed in the proper drawers. The 'big heap' theory lies behind some of the programs;: we don't care where or how things are stored; we just want to find certain pairs of socks--or P.D.F. [sic] files--exactly when we need them. The 'folded PJ's' theory guides a variety of programs that let you mark identification as it shows up--for instance, tagging an article you know you want to refer to later, when shopping for a new car. Brains work both ways, and the ideal K.M. software will, too."

I think you could take the "knowledge management as laundry management" metaphor a step further. Is your big heap sorted by color, wash temperature, and the person who needs it next? Are your folded PJs accomodating of a PJ end-user who is fickle in tastes and doesn't always like the dinosaur PJs, never mind that they're outgrowing them twice a year? hm.

Comments

[Brian]

Didn't see it in the post, so -- link to Times article given below. Stay cool!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/business/yourmoney/18tech.html

[marius]

one thing that is different, though, is that your laundy can belong to multiple heaps at the same time.

it can be both in the "person who needs it next" pile AND in the "yellow PJs" pile.

i think that's an incredibly powerful concept.

[Edward Vielmetti]

This discussion flares up more recently - Clay Shirky has a recent post on Many to Many about carefully controlled vocabularies vs. "folksonomies" ad hoc tagging. See http://www.corante.com/many/archives/2005/01/07/folksonomies_controlled_vocabularies.php
for the details.