Keith July 31st, 2007
There are some more good comments on KM Australia from Serena Joyner on the NSW KM Forum blog.
Serena raises the perennial question of how to cope with vendor presentations at such major events. KM is about people, but I think that most of us agree that many (although certainly not all) KM initiatives require some technology to support them. Events like this need funding from vendors to make them possible (or they will come with much higher fees). The vendors need to see some return on this investment, so they need a speaking spot.
The result is two entirely different types of presentation. One from the viewpoint of people (and these may be either actual case studies or may be more about possibilities and research) and the other from the viewpoint of IT systems.
Ark did concentrate on having the vendors present much more from a Case Study point of view this year, which did help. But one vendor case study presentation that stuck in my mind still tended to focus much more on the actual system implementation and rollout than on the business situation that the technology solution was intended to address.
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Keith July 18th, 2007
The current discussion on the AOK Star Series is on the topic: Can KM Rise to the Challenge of Solving the Climate Crisis? Bruce Karney, the “star” moderator of this discussion, asks the excellent question - if we are all so smart, why don’t we do something about some of the important things?
Most of us would rather work on important interesting projects than trivial boring ones. If you are like me, you find the evidence regarding global warming to be compelling. During the past year I have come to the realization that there is simply nothing more important for me to be working on than helping to alleviate climate change and the myriad disasters it will likely unleash on our descendants.
Is it possible that we, as a species, KNOW what is coming, KNOW how to prevent the worst of it, and yet will fail to take action in time to do so? If so, it will be the worst failure of knowledge management since humans obtained the ability to distinguish between good and evil.
One aspect of the climate change “debate” is the pros and cons of alternative energy sources, and whether they can provide “baseload” energy production.
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Keith June 26th, 2007
So, is the iPhone going to be a winner? Many analysts seem to have their knives out for it. Reading between the lines, it appears that the heat of the controversy is caused by colliding world views. Traditionally, devices are made by hardware designers. However, Apple has carved out its market niche by taking a different design approach, particularly seen in the iPod.
The touch-screen interface and the user experience of the iPhone (quick scrolling and navigation with a range of hand movements) are much more software-driven than any other mobile phone. Even though its mobile phone features are apparently not particularly revolutionary, it is the design and operation of the iPhone that could reshape an industry. We may soon see similar touch-screen interfaces not only in mobile phones, but in many other devices.
Technological shifts are often a matter of clever marketing, but can also have a lot to do with timing. Many inventions and ideas never quite “make it” at the time of their conception, often due to shortcomings in available technology or manufacturing. Years later, new developments pave the way, and the original idea is finally born. By this time, the original creator often receives no credit or glory.
One of my favourite stories on this topic is the story of Delilah and the Mobile Phone.
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