Science and TechnologyScience and Technologyin a Wired Worldin a Wired World

““Since it is axiomatic that a firm’s greatest Since it is axiomatic that a firm’s greatest asset is its knowledge, then the firm that asset is its knowledge, then the firm that fails to generate new knowledge will fails to generate new knowledge will probably cease to exist.”probably cease to exist.”

Thomas Davenport (1998)Thomas Davenport (1998)

Canadian Forest Service - S&T Forum – June 26, 2001

Creating Knowledge is not EnoughCreating Knowledge is not Enough

Palo Alto Research Center developed:Palo Alto Research Center developed:– Graphical User Interface (GUI)Graphical User Interface (GUI)– Object-oriented programmingObject-oriented programming– Laser PrinterLaser Printer– EthernetEthernet– Notebook computer (concept)Notebook computer (concept)

Xerox stuck to it’s core business Xerox stuck to it’s core business (photocopying)(photocopying)

Apple, Hewlett Packard, 3COM became richApple, Hewlett Packard, 3COM became rich Japanese photocopiers nearly destroyed XeroxJapanese photocopiers nearly destroyed Xerox

Knowledge-Based EconomyKnowledge-Based Economy

Success based on what Success based on what you know; not what you you know; not what you own own

Value of goods based Value of goods based on knowledge contenton knowledge content

Creating and using Creating and using knowledge is the keyknowledge is the key

Internet runs two ways; Internet runs two ways; Canada must Canada must participateparticipate

Organizations must Organizations must change or become change or become irrelevantirrelevant

Rate of change is acceleratingRate of change is accelerating– Half-life of knowledgeHalf-life of knowledge approachingapproaching zero by 2035zero by 2035

Confluence of technologiesConfluence of technologies– Communication, computers, networks, Communication, computers, networks,

informationinformation Moore’s Law (technology)Moore’s Law (technology)

– Capacity doubles every 12-18 monthsCapacity doubles every 12-18 months Metcalf’s Law (networks)Metcalf’s Law (networks)

– Power is proportional to usersPower is proportional to users22

In a Wired WorldIn a Wired World

An Information SocietyAn Information Society

Fundamental socioeconomic revolutionFundamental socioeconomic revolution– societies, economies and organizations must societies, economies and organizations must

adaptadapt Global connectivityGlobal connectivity

– consequences of a global nervous systemconsequences of a global nervous system Information overloadInformation overload

– information desert to information jungleinformation desert to information jungle Increasingly complex issues Increasingly complex issues

– sustainable development, climate changesustainable development, climate change Increasing expectations of usersIncreasing expectations of users

– Accessibility, timeliness, transparencyAccessibility, timeliness, transparency

Knowledge Organization

Internal Knowledge

Nature External Knowledge

Applied Knowledge

Creation Sharing

Management

Preservation

Lost Knowledge

Knowledge 101Knowledge 101

Data - Data - What are the Facts?What are the Facts?– (observations and measurements)(observations and measurements)

Information - Information - What do they mean?What do they mean?– (interpretation within a context)(interpretation within a context)

Knowledge - Knowledge - How does it work?How does it work?– (relations between things, cause & effect)(relations between things, cause & effect)

Wisdom - Wisdom - What should I do?What should I do?– (experience and judgment)(experience and judgment)

Creating Knowledge Creating Knowledge

Drivers (problems, issues, government)

Organization (mandate, resources, culture)

People (analyze, reason, decide)

Content (facts, meaning, understanding)

Systems (information processes)

Technology (computers, communication)

Process

Data Information Knowledge Application

Production Stage

Value

Creating Knowledge - StepsCreating Knowledge - Steps

Search for existing knowledgeSearch for existing knowledge Acquire contentAcquire content Manage databasesManage databases Transform data into informationTransform data into information Synthesize new knowledgeSynthesize new knowledge Produce knowledge productsProduce knowledge products Disseminate knowledge productsDisseminate knowledge products Use knowledge to solve problemsUse knowledge to solve problems

Enabling Knowledge CreationEnabling Knowledge Creation

Descriptive - Descriptive - program descriptionsprogram descriptions

Static - Static - reports, publicationsreports, publications

Updated - Updated - inventories, statisticsinventories, statistics

Dynamic - Dynamic - information systemsinformation systems

Interactive - Interactive - decision-support decision-support

systemssystems

Creating Knowledge on the WebCreating Knowledge on the Web

User PerspectivesUser PerspectivesSSttaaggee CCoonntteenntt DDaattaa SSeeaarrcchh IInntteerraaccttiivviittyy EExxaammpplleess

Descriptive programdescriptions

none site download CanadianForest Network

Static reportspublications

static data site feedback State of theForest

Updated inventoriesstatistics

updateddatabases

organizationaldirectories,numericaldatabases

discussion,tabulate data,write reports

Forest-reliantcommunities

Dynamic informationsystems

multiple linkeddatabases

multi-agency,national digitallibraries

order services,manipulate data

Spatial FireMgmt. System

Interactive decision-support systems

customdatabases

intelligentsearches, plaintext

analyze data,remotemodelling,synthesizeinformation

NatGrid

Creating Knowledge on the WebCreating Knowledge on the Web Provider PerspectivesProvider Perspectives

DDeevveellooppmmeennttSSttaaggee

TTiimmee SSttaaffff

OObbjjeeccttiivveess PPoolliicciieess

Descriptive 1-2 mos. Casual Public relationsPresenceLearning Skills

IdentityAppearanceCommunication

Static 2-4 mos. Part-time Report PublicationAuthentication

Updated 6-12 mos. Half-time Monitoring Marketing AccessQA/QCCost recovery

Dynamic 1-2 yrs. Full time Technical supportShare dataShare information

InteroperabilityPartnerships

Interactive 3-5 yrs. Team Synthesize informationPolicy developmentResource management

Intellectual property

Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management

Capacity buildingCapacity building– resources, infrastructure, contentresources, infrastructure, content

Organizational contextOrganizational context– governance, culture, learninggovernance, culture, learning

IntegrationIntegration– vertical, horizontal, externalvertical, horizontal, external

Knowledge

Management

CapacityBuilding

Organizational Context

Resources Infra-structure

ContentGover-nance

Culture

Learning

Funds

People

Time

Technology

Systems

Management

Acquisition

Production

Dissemination

Vision

Direction

Commitment

Change

Sharing

Controlling

Education

Skills

Experience

Knowledge Management Framework

Autonomous, distributed databases & information repositories

Land

use

Resource

inventories

Resource

statisticsCensus

Data

Environmental

data Remote

sensing

Integrated data, information, and knowledge

Internet

Internet

Diverse horizontal issues

SustainableDevelopment

Climatechange

RuralCommunities

Health &Safety

Economiccompetitiveness

Aboriginal Issues

Integrating Knowledge

Preserving KnowledgePreserving Knowledge

Capture - Capture - document, codify, digitize, enterdocument, codify, digitize, enter

Organize - Organize - classification, thesauri, metadataclassification, thesauri, metadata

Store - Store - libraries,libraries, repositories, data repositories, data warehouseswarehouses

RetrieveRetrieve - browser, search engine, access - browser, search engine, access

Maintain - Maintain - security, integrity, accesssecurity, integrity, access

Migrate - Migrate - evolveevolve technologytechnology

ManageManage - value, life cycle, capacity - value, life cycle, capacity

Sharing Knowledge Sharing Knowledge

Agency 1 Information

Agency 2 Information

Internal flow regulators

Internal flow regulators

External flow regulators

Attributes Technology Infrastructure

Knowledge Flow RegulatorsKnowledge Flow Regulators

ContextContext - - issues, social, economic, natureissues, social, economic, nature

InstitutionalInstitutional - organization, national, international - organization, national, international

ContentContent - domain, provider, user - domain, provider, user

TechnologyTechnology - computers, communication, networks - computers, communication, networks

InfrastructureInfrastructure - interoperability, metadata, systems - interoperability, metadata, systems

None

High

RestrictedUnrestricted

Desired generalstate

Specific costcircumstances

Specific restrictioncircumstances

Specific costand restrictioncircumstances

Goal of proposedpolicy

NRCan Access to Knowledge PolicyNRCan Access to Knowledge Policy

Access

Cost

Adapting Content to UsersAdapting Content to Users

ScientificScientific (concepts, process, correctness) (concepts, process, correctness) TechnicalTechnical (details, precision, manuals) (details, precision, manuals) BusinessBusiness (profits, competition, case studies) (profits, competition, case studies) SynthesizedSynthesized (integration, generalities) (integration, generalities) GeneralGeneral (usability, understandability) (usability, understandability) LearningLearning (education, training, skills) (education, training, skills) YouthYouth (curiosity, fun) (curiosity, fun)

Using KnowledgeUsing Knowledge

Solve problemsSolve problems (experience, complex) (experience, complex) Support decisionsSupport decisions (quantitative, defensible) (quantitative, defensible) Reduce workReduce work (automation, systems) (automation, systems) Speed responseSpeed response (efficiency, effectiveness) (efficiency, effectiveness) Analyze issuesAnalyze issues (horizontal, multi-dimensional) (horizontal, multi-dimensional) Develop policiesDevelop policies (negotiate, conflicting) (negotiate, conflicting) Improve materialsImprove materials (stronger, use less) (stronger, use less) Enhance technologyEnhance technology (functionality, reliability) (functionality, reliability) Predict outcomesPredict outcomes (plan, anticipate) (plan, anticipate)

Knowledge Management DivisionKnowledge Management Division

Steering Committee establishedSteering Committee established– Selected DGs, Directors from all Regions, Selected DGs, Directors from all Regions,

BranchesBranches

Foundation documents being draftedFoundation documents being drafted– (business case, governance, strategic plan)(business case, governance, strategic plan)

Considerable activity under wayConsiderable activity under way– International (2), national (5), departmental (7), International (2), national (5), departmental (7),

CFS (22)CFS (22)

CFS-KM Web site CFS-KM Web site – http://cfsintranet.nrcan.gc.ca/KM/http://cfsintranet.nrcan.gc.ca/KM/

In the final analysis…In the final analysis…

““Knowledge of the universe would Knowledge of the universe would somehow be…defective were no practical somehow be…defective were no practical results to follow.”results to follow.”

Cicero (106-43 BC)Cicero (106-43 BC)