Green Chameleon http://www.greenchameleon.com en plambe@straitsknowledge.com Copyright 2010 2010-07-17T03:25:00+08:00 Blog>> Updates on Expertise Project and the Origins Business Narrative Conference http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/updates_on_expertise_project_and_the_origins_business_narrative_conference/ In case any of you are wondering about our “Using and leveraging expertise” project, I have posted an update on the Origins Business Narrative Conference Blog – which, by the way, is building really nicely as different story experts share their insights and start discussing important themes in the run-up to the conference. For those of you interested in the conference itself (Singapore 7-8 September 2010), arrangements are in full swing, and we’re hoping to have a range of storytelling resources on display, with help so far from John Wiley in Singapore and Corban & Blair In Sydney (have you seen their “What’s Your Story?” cards?). Do get involved if you have things to suggest! And do register soon... the early bird rates expire in two weeks! Conferences, Expertise In case any of you are wondering about our “Using and leveraging expertise” project, I have posted an update on the Origins Business Narrative Conference Blog – which, by the way, is building really nicely as different story experts share their insights and start discussing important themes in the run-up to the conference.

For those of you interested in the conference itself (Singapore 7-8 September 2010), arrangements are in full swing, and we’re hoping to have a range of storytelling resources on display, with help so far from John Wiley in Singapore and Corban & Blair In Sydney (have you seen their “What’s Your Story?” cards?). Do get involved if you have things to suggest! And do register soon... the early bird rates expire in two weeks!

]]> 2010-07-17T03:25:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Blog>> Find the Pain, Fix It http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/find_the_pain_fix_it/ A few weeks back I had the privilege of a conversation with Patricia Eng who directs knowledge management for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I had met Patricia at KM World the previous November, and was impressed by her passionate, no-nonsense, deeply practical approach to KM, not to mention a very robust sense of humour. In this conversation, which she agreed to have filmed, we explored how she got into KM, and what it takes to be effective in a knowledge management role. Patricia downplays her technical knowledge of KM, and explains that she came into it because she was running into knowledge access problems in her then role at NASA. KM was just one of the problems to be solved along the way. What was interesting to me in this conversation was (a) the credibility she brought to the role from her experience in a technical role and history in the organisation (b) the value of being opportunistic and thick skinned© the passion for focusing on helping real people get real work done (d) there’s often more value in access to knowledgeable and experienced peer-advisors in KM, than from the KM theory. Enjoy! (You can download the original video file by right clicking here). KM Applied, KM Competencies, Video A few weeks back I had the privilege of a conversation with Patricia Eng who directs knowledge management for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I had met Patricia at KM World the previous November, and was impressed by her passionate, no-nonsense, deeply practical approach to KM, not to mention a very robust sense of humour.

In this conversation, which she agreed to have filmed, we explored how she got into KM, and what it takes to be effective in a knowledge management role. Patricia downplays her technical knowledge of KM, and explains that she came into it because she was running into knowledge access problems in her then role at NASA. KM was just one of the problems to be solved along the way. What was interesting to me in this conversation was (a) the credibility she brought to the role from her experience in a technical role and history in the organisation (b) the value of being opportunistic and thick skinned© the passion for focusing on helping real people get real work done (d) there’s often more value in access to knowledgeable and experienced peer-advisors in KM, than from the KM theory.

Enjoy! (You can download the original video file by right clicking here).

]]> 2010-07-16T01:17:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Blog>> The Negative Archetypes of Gov 2.0 http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/the_negative_archetypes_of_gov_20/ Well, we have our cultural archetypes cards portraying positive and negative patterns of behaviour in organisations, and Mike Reed has his spectacular “Flame Warriors” representing online community behaviours. Now from Steve Radick comes this neat piece on the “Six Villains of Gov 2.0”, supplemented by an additional villain “The Man” described by Gwynne Kostin (her photo selection is hilarious). How many of these villains do you know, and how many times have you reacted in one of those roles? I recognised a few in myself! Via Tony Joyce (thanks, Tony!). Change Management, Ignorance Management, Leadership, Risk & Uncertainty Well, we have our cultural archetypes cards portraying positive and negative patterns of behaviour in organisations, and Mike Reed has his spectacular “Flame Warriors” representing online community behaviours. Now from Steve Radick comes this neat piece on the “Six Villains of Gov 2.0”, supplemented by an additional villain “The Man” described by Gwynne Kostin (her photo selection is hilarious). How many of these villains do you know, and how many times have you reacted in one of those roles? I recognised a few in myself! Via Tony Joyce (thanks, Tony!).

image

]]> 2010-07-15T01:05:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Blog>> Robots, the Turing Test and Transference http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/robots_the_turing_test_and_transference/ Here’s a fascinating video interview by the New York Times with a robot modelled on a real person. One of the really intriguing parts of this video is how the anthropomorphic features of the robot draw the interviewer into feeling the robot is almost a real person, creating as much sympathy as frustration at the confusion the robot exhibits in the conversation. That’s one way to sidestep the Turing Test problem. Innovation, Video Here’s a fascinating video interview by the New York Times with a robot modelled on a real person. One of the really intriguing parts of this video is how the anthropomorphic features of the robot draw the interviewer into feeling the robot is almost a real person, creating as much sympathy as frustration at the confusion the robot exhibits in the conversation. That’s one way to sidestep the Turing Test problem.

image

]]> 2010-07-14T02:00:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Organising Knowledge>> Misclassification as an Act of Power http://www.greenchameleon.com/ok/view/misclassification_as_an_act_of_power/ It’s one thing to get the taxonomy right. It’s quite another to ensure that it is applied correctly, and that content is classified as intended. In my book I talk about classification as an act of power. It can be used on people (as the apartheid regime in South Africa taught us) to exclude them from equal benefits, to impose sanctions, or to find excuses for genocide. In this story, Fedex has been found guilty of wrongly classifying workers as independent contractors to avoid paying them benefits. An Illinois court agreed that: “FedEx controlled the drivers work to such an extent that all the drivers were and are employees”. This classification error could cost Fedex up to $1 billion in back-payment of lost benefits. Thanks to Maish for the heads up on this one! Taxonomy It’s one thing to get the taxonomy right. It’s quite another to ensure that it is applied correctly, and that content is classified as intended. In my book I talk about classification as an act of power. It can be used on people (as the apartheid regime in South Africa taught us) to exclude them from equal benefits, to impose sanctions, or to find excuses for genocide. In this story, Fedex has been found guilty of wrongly classifying workers as independent contractors to avoid paying them benefits. An Illinois court agreed that: “FedEx controlled the drivers work to such an extent that all the drivers were and are employees”. This classification error could cost Fedex up to $1 billion in back-payment of lost benefits. Thanks to Maish for the heads up on this one!

]]> 2010-07-07T02:25:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Blog>> Developing a Knowledge Continuity Strategy for the NASA Constellation Program http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/developing_a_knowledge_continuity_strategy_for_the_nasa_constellation_progr/ Nancy Dixon has a terrific post on how NASA went about creating a knowledge continuity strategy to ensure that all the knowledge created in the cancelled Constellation Program can be sustained within the organisation. I’d love to learn more about the knowledge mapping techniques they used, but the centrepiece was a knowledge cafe, used to develop the key focus areas for the strategy moving forward (They have only a year to complete this). As Nancy points out “Dave Lengyel [head of heads NASA’s Risk and Knowledge Management Program] could certainly have sat at his desk at NASA headquarters and drawn up a knowledge capture strategy, but that plan would not have been able to take into account the unique aspects of each of the Center’s needs. It would not have been as rich nor as comprehensive as the plan the group was able to develop together. Moreover, had Lengyel constructed it on his own, he would then have had the job of selling the plan to those who would implement it – never an easy task with a plan conceived at headquarters! The Knowledge Café gave everyone the opportunity to fully express their thinking and needs and to understand the needs and thinking of their colleagues.” Ignorance Management, KM Applied, Knowledge Audit, Knowledge Transfer, Maps Nancy Dixon has a terrific post on how NASA went about creating a knowledge continuity strategy to ensure that all the knowledge created in the cancelled Constellation Program can be sustained within the organisation. I’d love to learn more about the knowledge mapping techniques they used, but the centrepiece was a knowledge cafe, used to develop the key focus areas for the strategy moving forward (They have only a year to complete this).

As Nancy points out “Dave Lengyel [head of heads NASA’s Risk and Knowledge Management Program] could certainly have sat at his desk at NASA headquarters and drawn up a knowledge capture strategy, but that plan would not have been able to take into account the unique aspects of each of the Center’s needs. It would not have been as rich nor as comprehensive as the plan the group was able to develop together. Moreover, had Lengyel constructed it on his own, he would then have had the job of selling the plan to those who would implement it – never an easy task with a plan conceived at headquarters! The Knowledge Café gave everyone the opportunity to fully express their thinking and needs and to understand the needs and thinking of their colleagues.”

]]> 2010-07-06T02:20:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe Blog>> Caravaggio Calling http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/caravaggio_calling/ When I first arrived in Rome 6 weeks ago one of the most talked about events was a Caravaggio exhibition. When people found out that I missed that one, they told me to visit the Borghese Gallery which houses permanent exhibits of various artists including of course Caravaggio. Yesterday, the Telegraph published a feature article by Andrew Graham-Dixon about a book he has written called “Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane”. Three days ago, my colleague came into the office ecstatic that she had been accepted as a disciple by a 31-year-old painter who paints like Caravaggio. She mused that someone like Roberto Ferri was the reason that she believed in reincarnation. She invited me to visit his studio in September and I pondered over what I would say to someone who might be the incarnate of Caravaggio. With all these signals that I’m receiving about Caravaggio, is the cosmos conspiring to tell me something? Perhaps a life-changing encounter is imminent, when my purpose in life will finally be revealed?  I have contrived to make you see a particular pattern, but pattern recognition is what we do naturally anyway. Our brains are wired to pick out patterns in our experiences. It is a basic survival instinct shared by many species. What separates us as a species is the ability to make sense of those patterns and also to do something about problematic patterns. For instance, many species know that when big cats are around something or someone gets eaten. Homosapiens alone have figured out that the law of the savanna is survival of the fittest although there are ways to work around it, like with spears or fire or guns. We are not always successful when it comes to pattern sensemaking, however. In fact, we sometimes get it terribly wrong. Think Salem witch hunt, superstitions and religious faiths requiring human sacrifice. Why do we get it so wrong sometimes? One reason is simply the absence of scientific knowledge. We simply know more since the Enlightenment when scientific studies became de rigueur. Another reason is psychological. We pick up information that confirms what we want to or already believe, and ignore the rest. This phenomenon is called confirmation bias. David McRaney has just written a very nice blog post on this phenomenon. And Valdis Krebs, whose tweet about McRaney’s post is what got my attention in the first place, has been doing a social network analysis of the book buying patterns of Americans since 2003. His analysis found that people who belong to one political party almost never buy books that are favourable to the other party. They simply read materials that affirm what they already believe. Confirmation bias is hence very, very bad news. It suggests that regardless what you try to tell people they will only tune into those bits that are already aligned with their beliefs, thereby entrenching those beliefs even deeper. Consider any initiative whose success is predicated on people changing their attitudes and behaviours, like KM. The existence of confirmation bias suggests that people who are biased against KM will always find evidence to disprove its efficacy, while those who support KM are, well, converts to whom the sermon is preached. What then should KM professionals do? Should we even bother to sell KM to those on the other side of the divide? Or should we just work with our allies to effect as much positive change as we possibly can? I need to think about this for a while, for I have no answers that people already toiling tirelessly to change organisational culture want to hear. In the meantime, let me go back to Caravaggio. Methinks that he’s trying to tell me something. Change Management, Culture, KM Critiqued, Social Network Analysis When I first arrived in Rome 6 weeks ago one of the most talked about events was a Caravaggio exhibition. When people found out that I missed that one, they told me to visit the Borghese Gallery which houses permanent exhibits of various artists including of course Caravaggio. Yesterday, the Telegraph published a feature article by Andrew Graham-Dixon about a book he has written called “Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane”. Three days ago, my colleague came into the office ecstatic that she had been accepted as a disciple by a 31-year-old painter who paints like Caravaggio. She mused that someone like Roberto Ferri was the reason that she believed in reincarnation. She invited me to visit his studio in September and I pondered over what I would say to someone who might be the incarnate of Caravaggio. With all these signals that I’m receiving about Caravaggio, is the cosmos conspiring to tell me something? Perhaps a life-changing encounter is imminent, when my purpose in life will finally be revealed? 

image

I have contrived to make you see a particular pattern, but pattern recognition is what we do naturally anyway. Our brains are wired to pick out patterns in our experiences. It is a basic survival instinct shared by many species. What separates us as a species is the ability to make sense of those patterns and also to do something about problematic patterns.

For instance, many species know that when big cats are around something or someone gets eaten. Homosapiens alone have figured out that the law of the savanna is survival of the fittest although there are ways to work around it, like with spears or fire or guns.

We are not always successful when it comes to pattern sensemaking, however. In fact, we sometimes get it terribly wrong. Think Salem witch hunt, superstitions and religious faiths requiring human sacrifice.

image

Why do we get it so wrong sometimes? One reason is simply the absence of scientific knowledge. We simply know more since the Enlightenment when scientific studies became de rigueur.

Another reason is psychological. We pick up information that confirms what we want to or already believe, and ignore the rest. This phenomenon is called confirmation bias. David McRaney has just written a very nice blog post on this phenomenon. And Valdis Krebs, whose tweet about McRaney’s post is what got my attention in the first place, has been doing a social network analysis of the book buying patterns of Americans since 2003. His analysis found that people who belong to one political party almost never buy books that are favourable to the other party. They simply read materials that affirm what they already believe.

Confirmation bias is hence very, very bad news. It suggests that regardless what you try to tell people they will only tune into those bits that are already aligned with their beliefs, thereby entrenching those beliefs even deeper. Consider any initiative whose success is predicated on people changing their attitudes and behaviours, like KM. The existence of confirmation bias suggests that people who are biased against KM will always find evidence to disprove its efficacy, while those who support KM are, well, converts to whom the sermon is preached.

What then should KM professionals do? Should we even bother to sell KM to those on the other side of the divide? Or should we just work with our allies to effect as much positive change as we possibly can?

I need to think about this for a while, for I have no answers that people already toiling tirelessly to change organisational culture want to hear. In the meantime, let me go back to Caravaggio. Methinks that he’s trying to tell me something.

]]> 2010-07-01T20:06:01+08:00 Edgar Tan Blog>> Where There’s A Prosecco http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/where_theres_a_prosecco/ What happens when your corridors look like this? If you’re lucky, this happens. This bar across the road from our office complex probably has a name but I’ve only ever heard it referred to by its moniker OTR (Over the Road). Here, you’ll meet colleagues whom you may never ever bump into along the chilly corridors. And, after a few prosecco together, you’re soon more than just nameless colleagues. The “spirit” will triumph. Culture, Innovation, Knowledge Sharing What happens when your corridors look like this?

image



If you’re lucky, this happens.

image


This bar across the road from our office complex probably has a name but I’ve only ever heard it referred to by its moniker OTR (Over the Road). Here, you’ll meet colleagues whom you may never ever bump into along the chilly corridors. And, after a few prosecco together, you’re soon more than just nameless colleagues.

The “spirit” will triumph.

]]> 2010-06-24T20:16:00+08:00 Edgar Tan Blog>> Damn You, Facebook! http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/damn_you_facebook/ You’re new in town. You meet new people, and they want to be friends… on Facebook. What do you do? Do you: (a) accept request (b) ignore request (c) accept request but only for a limited profile (d) do nothing It depends, of course. For me a request from a colleague is clearly a (d). Facebook to me is for friends; for everything else there’s LinkedIn. Until of course that colleague becomes a friend, then s/he gets the privilege of knowing what you had for supper the night before. The problem with choosing (d) for colleagues is those darn corridors that you share with them, where the chances of the topic of friend request coming up are unreal. “What did you do over the weekend?”, you ask innocently. And you get a reply like, “Well, I did this and that. And if you had accepted my friend request you’d have known that already.” So what do you do if you want to avoid unnecessary grief? Someone suggested that I go for ( c ). To do ( c ) you’d need to group your “friends” into different lists, and every time you post an update of any sort you specify which lists can view the update and which cannot. The person who offered me the suggestion has 7 lists: Intimate Friends Close Friends Classmates Family Relatives Work Partners Limited Profile Did your head spin? Imagine the amount of time and effort needed for that level of differentiation, and the categories aren’t even mutually exclusive! As far as I can tell, he likes people in the first group most and those in the last least. Are we spending too much time social networking? According to Nielson the world spends 22% of internet time on social networking (thanks to Gauri Salokhe for alerting me to this link). I’m suddenly nostalgic of those good old pre-Facebook days when maintaining social networks was so much less complicated. Communities, Social Network Analysis You’re new in town. You meet new people, and they want to be friends… on Facebook. What do you do? Do you:

(a) accept request
(b) ignore request
(c) accept request but only for a limited profile
(d) do nothing

imageimage

It depends, of course. For me a request from a colleague is clearly a (d). Facebook to me is for friends; for everything else there’s LinkedIn. Until of course that colleague becomes a friend, then s/he gets the privilege of knowing what you had for supper the night before.

The problem with choosing (d) for colleagues is those darn corridors that you share with them, where the chances of the topic of friend request coming up are unreal. “What did you do over the weekend?”, you ask innocently. And you get a reply like, “Well, I did this and that. And if you had accepted my friend request you’d have known that already.”

So what do you do if you want to avoid unnecessary grief? Someone suggested that I go for ( c ). To do ( c ) you’d need to group your “friends” into different lists, and every time you post an update of any sort you specify which lists can view the update and which cannot. The person who offered me the suggestion has 7 lists:

  • Intimate Friends

  • Close Friends

  • Classmates

  • Family

  • Relatives

  • Work Partners

  • Limited Profile

Did your head spin? Imagine the amount of time and effort needed for that level of differentiation, and the categories aren’t even mutually exclusive! As far as I can tell, he likes people in the first group most and those in the last least.

Are we spending too much time social networking? According to Nielson the world spends 22% of internet time on social networking (thanks to Gauri Salokhe for alerting me to this link). I’m suddenly nostalgic of those good old pre-Facebook days when maintaining social networks was so much less complicated.

]]> 2010-06-24T18:04:00+08:00 Edgar Tan Organising Knowledge>> Synaptica Express http://www.greenchameleon.com/ok/view/synaptica_express/ Synaptica is one of the most powerful taxonomy management software applications available; up till now it has only been available in a rather pricey enterprise version. Now, in a potentially game changing move for this market, they have released “Synaptica Express”, a simpler, single license version hosted in the cloud at just US$100 per month. This is the price where experimentation is possible, and where taxonomies can be developed by individuals for clients internal or external, and then passed on to an enterprise version or another application that uses it. It will be interesting to see how this develops! Here’s the promo video: Taxonomy, Video Synaptica is one of the most powerful taxonomy management software applications available; up till now it has only been available in a rather pricey enterprise version. Now, in a potentially game changing move for this market, they have released “Synaptica Express”, a simpler, single license version hosted in the cloud at just US$100 per month. This is the price where experimentation is possible, and where taxonomies can be developed by individuals for clients internal or external, and then passed on to an enterprise version or another application that uses it. It will be interesting to see how this develops! Here’s the promo video:

]]> 2010-06-19T11:16:00+08:00 Patrick Lambe