Jul 14
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.
Jul 06
Developing a Knowledge Continuity Strategy for the NASA Constellation Program
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.”
Jul 02
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?
Jun 25
Where There’s A Prosecco
What happens when your corridors look like this?
Jun 25
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
Jun 16
The Technology Question in KM Tools
In my recent posts I was rather focusing on some soft factors of implementing knowledge related activities, like suggestions for organising your knowledge or on how to promote knowledge management initiatives. In my work, we focus around 80% of our time on these soft ingredients; but still, 20% of the work is the underlying technology. In order to enable knowledge sharing, we require tools and platforms.
Jun 04
No Longer a (KM4Dev) Virgin … and Catching Up with Social Media
Last night I attended my first KM4Dev (Rome) informal gathering in a quirky little joint just off Piazza Navona. Michael Riggs of the Food and Agriculture Organization and Roxanna Samii of the International Fund for Agriculture Development shared their take on the uneasy role of social media at the WSIS conference at which they presented in May this year. My mental capacity was a bit stunted by the two gin tonic, but this is what I can recall of what was shared:
May 25
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution!
Another funny, moving, inspiring talk by Sir Ken Robinson. Parents, educators, policy makers, listen!
copy and paste->
May 13
Origins Business Narrative Conference Update: Conference Blog is Live!
Just an update on my post of yesterday – the conference blog is now live, with posts from our speakers and friends of the conference. Do visit, comment, and add to your blogroll!
May 12
A Storytelling Conference Fuelled by Stories
I’m very excited to be involved with Shawn Callahan and the International Storytelling Festival in organising Asia’s first storytelling conference Origins: Asia Pacific Business Narrative Conference. It will take place in Singapore, September 6-8 2010.
We have some wonderful speakers from near and far, including Victoria Ward as keynote, noted authors Terrence Gargiulo and David Drake, and presenters who have worked with stories within their organisations to effect change: the Asian Development Bank, the Ritz Carlton, the Singapore Armed Forces, to name but a few. But even more than the speakers, I’m excited about the conference design. We have designed this conference to foster interaction, network-building, sharing, learning, and above all, storytelling. Only Victoria’s keynote will be in a traditional presentation format, and even that is going to be full of stories. The other speakers will be sharing their cases in a “case study cafe” format, in rotating roundtable discussions. We have a “techniques marketplace” where speakers and delegates can offer to peer-teach storytelling and narrative techniques, and out of this we plan to produce a “techniques guidebook” for the participants as a record of our shared knowledge. And we have a “story slam” where participants can compete to show off their storytelling skills. This is going to be a wonderful event.
We’re just getting the conference blog going, so do follow it; and if you’re interested in keeping track of the conference, you can register to receive updates.
