Looking for fast, single source, access to JIT information on key business issues? Do you have a whole library of business books, but no easy way to access the ideas and the gems across your collection? On the road and wish you could take your personal library with you?, Found a key concept in a book and wish to know what others are saying around that subject?
Ever thought what a concept really is, how they can be applied or what they mean?
* A container for (an) idea(s) and meaning
* A higher level abstraction or category
* An index term or symbol for use in navigation
* A representation of shared meaning and special language
What are the important aspects and qualities of a concept used in this way?
* Our agreement around its negotiated meaning
* The facts, objects, roles and relationships it represents
* It`s utility in a language sense, a handle or affordance for meaning
* The links & relationships to other concepts
So what do your concepts look like?
* Are they crisp containers, slicing the universe of objects?
* Do they have fuzzy boundaries and partial membership?
* Is it possible for an instance to belong to many overlapping concepts at the same time?
* Are they anchored in original meaning & difficult to change?
* Do they mutate under conversation, as the group changes and meaning is negotiated?
What tools do you use to handle concepts?
* Just what I know, I know (aka have not thought about this yet or just my head)
* An associative network like Idea Fisher
Concepts are thought kernels, make sure you do not throw out the wheat with the chaff!!
Concepts in practice - MeansBusiness
Take a look at their site, I think there is value in this approach and believe it can be applied to the business knowledge within your firm, giving access to memos, e-mails, research reports, white papers, project proposals, library literature and internet gems. The secret lies in crafting an ontology that delivers meaning to your organization and then hanging as much as you can off that 'knowledge map'. Just imagine what you can do with a useful concept level ontology:
a) List related training
b) Point to FAQs & solutions
c) Recommend experts
d) Show related concepts / topics
e) Display current gaps and opportunties
f) Indicate maket trends, customer wishes & requests
g) Post your latest answers, research and work in progress
h) Provide a hub for interested parties to make make contact
Now that is making content work!!
What are your opinions?
The notion of a central ontology from which to hand things is an expression of power and contrary to getting participation. Concepts don't originate in groups. They originate with the individual. They are later communicated in groups.
The list of things that you intend to hang off this ontology is so post concept that they hardly matter. By the time there is training for a concept, some other concept is more important.
Posted by: David Locke | December 19, 2003 at 05:55 PM