Posted by Denham on July 22, 1997 at 12:07:49:

In Reply to: On Witchcraft and Knowledge Management 'Solutions' posted by Yogesh Malhotra on July 21, 1997 at 22:43:30:

Yogesh,

You pose one of the basic conundrums of knowledge management: how to determine the "correct" solution!. My take on this is to abandon the search for the ultimate answer (or absolute truth) and be guided by pragmatics.

There is value in capturing best practices, solutions to common problems, useful heuristics BUT there must be a process that allows periodic review, open dialog and a quest for root causes. I believe this best achieved through a combination of corporate memory (repository) and deep dialog. Linking content and conversation allows for the "quick fix" based on the captured as best guess, opinion, experience. Deep dialog makes it possible to revisit these instant solutions in the light of a changing environment, looking at the situation from a different perspective, questioning "given" solutions, debating alternative concepts, presenting new world views.

The trick is getting the balance right. Asking challenging questions, listening to diverse views, seeking out & maintaining the loyality of innovative customers, allowing a culture of critique and fostering alignment, keeping a shifting goal in focus and enhancing intrinsic motivation.

Revisit the vision, the solution, the goal, its the journey thats important, there will always be another place to travel to once you have "arrived" and many routes to where you wish to be.

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