Think You Don't Manage Your Knowledge? Think Again

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Fact First

Think You Don’t Manage Knowledge? Think Again! Everyone, to some degree, manages information and knowledge through both analog and digital tools, such as commonplace notebooks and note-taking apps, as well as through interactions with others (Siegel, 2024). Whether we are aware of it or not, we are distributing our cognition (Hutchins, 2000) and extending our minds (Paul, 2021). This blog post aims to demonstrate that we are all, in various ways, already engaging in knowledge management and inherently possess a personal knowledge management system.

Questionable Assumptions

This bar chart displays the results of a non-representative ad-hoc survey conducted among 29 students from various disciplines at German universities during NoteLabs’ last knowledge management workshop. It indicates that the participants have different opinions on the statement that they do not engage in (personal) knowledge management yet (1 = I do not agree at all; 7 = I fully agree). The results indicate diverse opinions on personal engagement in knowledge management, with 13 respondents (44.7%) disagreeing that they do not engage, 7 (24.1%) undecided, and 9 (31.1%) agreeing with the statement. This illustrates varying levels of awareness and acknowledgment of their personal knowledge management (PKM) systems and practices.

The uncertainty about or misunderstandings regarding engagement in knowledge management and having a PKM may stem from a few common questionable assumptions:

Narrow conception of tools for thought: Many erroneously believe that PKM is limited to using digital tools for thought, such as note-taking applications. However, any resource aiding cognitive processes—such as written language, drawings, or spreadsheets—should be considered a tool for thought (Hutchins, 2002; Siegel, 2024).
Misconceptions about PKMS: Another misunderstanding is, that PKM requires a separate, sophisticated system with complex workflows. Forte (2022; insertion St.S.) clarifies a crucial point: “A Second Brain [—or as we might call it, a PKMS—] is not something you either have or don’t have”. This statement counters this false dichotomy. In reality, we all have created our own PKMS more or less (un)consciously for managing both our analog and digital stuff (Bergman & Whitaker, 2016) in professional and private contexts, thereby extending and distributing our cognition.

Misunderstandings about PKM(S) can lead to overlooking the value of already set up tools and practices for KM and missed opportunities for intentionally refining them.

Some Remedies

Recognition and Reflection: Recognize and acknowledge the everyday activities, tools (whether frequently used or not), and interactions with others as integral components of your PKMS, and thoughtfully leverage them to distribute and extend your cognition (Forte, 2021, Hutchins, 2002; Paul, 2021).
Systematization and Intentionality: Enhance the visibility and observability of your knowledge management practices, to ensure that they align with your professional or personal goals. Keep track of which tools you use and for what purpose. When refining your PKMS think not only about adding additional applications and practices but also about deimplementation (Adams et al., 2021).
Process-orientation: Addressing these issues requires more than attempting to fix your PKM or PKMS in a herculean one-time effort; instead it involves a mindful reflection on your assumptions, goals, practices, and tools as part of a continuous process.

Concluding Thoughts

The belief that one does not have a PKMS or does not engage in PKM stems from a narrow understanding of what constitutes these. In reality, we all engage in various forms of (P)KM through our daily interactions and already have a PKMS. The challenge lies in recognizing them, making them more systematic and intentional, thereby making them more effective and efficient.

Comments? Questions? Feedback?

Your thoughts and feedback are welcome. How do manage your knowledge? Let us know in the comments below.

References

Adams, G. S., Converse, B. A., Hales, A. H., & Klotz, L. E. (2021). People systematically overlook subtractive changes. Nature, 592(7853), 258–261. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03380-y
Bergman, O. & Whittaker, S. (2016). The science of managing our digital stuff. MIT Press.
Forte (2021). The 9 Biggest Myths and Misconceptions about Building a Second Brain. https://fortelabs.com/blog/9-biggest-myths-and-misconceptions-about-basb/
Hutchins, E. (2000). Distributed Cognition. http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/Anthro179a/DistributedCognition.pdf
Paul, A. M. (2021). The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain. Mariner Books.
Siegel, S. T. (2024). From Hieroglyphs to Hyperlinks: Why Knowledge Management Is as Old as Time and Not a New Phenomenon. Note Lab. https://notelab.hypotheses.org/1645

OpenEdition schlägt Ihnen vor, diesen Beitrag wie folgt zu zitieren:
Dr. Stefan T. Siegel (31. Juli 2024). Think You Don’t Manage Your Knowledge? Think Again! Note Lab. Abgerufen am 28. Juli 2025 von https://doi.org/10.58079/126hr

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