A simple approach to knowledge acquisition on the Web.

1. Knowledge Acquisition on the Web:
A Simple Approach
February 2012

2. The Web is the New Oracle…
With the vast amount of
information available about
everything you ever wanted or
need to know,
the challenge is in how to take a
swift, coherent approach to
turning data into knowledge, and
perhaps wisdom
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3. The Challenge is in Turning Data into
Knowledge, and perhaps Wisdom…
• According to Russell Ackoff, a systems
theorist and professor of organizational
change, the content of the human mind
can be classified into five categories:
• Data: symbols
• Information: data that are processed to be
useful; provides answers to "who", "what",
"where", and "when" questions
• Knowledge: application of data and
information; answers "how" questions
• Understanding: appreciation of "why"
• Wisdom: evaluated understanding
Source: http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm
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4. Here’s One Approach…
Think
Track Plan
Do Learn
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5. Think
Think
• What is your knowledge goal?
• What are you trying to learn?
• What do you want to do with
the knowledge you will gain?
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6. Plan
Plan
• What type of data or
information do you need?
• Where will you find it?
• How will you organize it?
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7. Learn
Learn
• What are your learning
objectives, i.e. what do you
need to learn in order to gain
knowledge about the
solution you seek?
• What method will you use to
learn most effectively?
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8. Do
Do
• How will you apply what
you’ve learnt?
• E.g.
– Run a test
– Write a blog
– Run a campaign
– Build a blueprint
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9. Track
Track
• How will you track how
successfully you’ve
assimilated and applied what
you set out to learn?
• Can you objectively measure
your success and
demonstrate the results to
others?
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10. Try it…
The more you use
it, the faster you Think
become.
Track Plan
Do Learn
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