Knowledge Matters™

A simple model which I find useful is the “Six Knows Knowledge Model ” shown below. The model has its origins in the Rudyard Kipling poem “I Keep Six Honest Serving-Men ” , but no doubt I will be challenged on this assertion! That said it is a model that serves me well, except I would add ‘know how much’ as a node. Let me describe each node.

‘Know what’ knowledge is the knowledge about how to find the relevant data to produce information. It is not about the data or information itself. This knowledge is increasing in importance simply because of the sheer volume of data that is now available to a corporation. For a knowledge manager the ‘know what’ dimension represents a real challenge, because discovering where knowledge resides, internal to and external to the enterprise, is crucial to success.

‘Know how’ knowledge is skills based and generally, but not exclusively, personal in nature. ‘Know how’ knowledge is expert insight that allows an individual to interpret and give meaning to emerging complexity, and is often used to predict outcomes. It plays a key role in all enterprise activities. ‘Know how’ knowledge is also found in teams, and is represented in the shared routines, social relationships, and lexicons. Without ‘know how’ knowledge teams cannot operate effectively. The challenge for the knowledge manager is to capture ‘know how’ knowledge as it is generally not codified and most often is tacit.

‘Know why’ knowledge is both explicit and tacit, and involves the ability to understand and explain natural and social phenomena. It is explanatory and deals with principles.

‘Know who’ knowledge is a form of individual and social knowledge that is largely tacit. It involves information about the gatekeepers to ‘know what’, the owners of ‘know how’ knowledge, and the possessors of ‘know why’ knowledge.

‘Know who’ knowledge also deals with the ability to cooperate effectively with different types of people and experts, and is a fundamental precondition for the learning organisation. It is learnt in both formal and informal social practise, in specialised education environments, and with day-to-day dealings with colleagues, customers, and competitors. It follows therefore that for a knowledge management initiative to succeed it is essential that ‘know who’ knowledge is tapped.

‘Know where’ and ‘know when’ knowledge is economically useful knowledge about markets. It is knowledge that provides an economic advantage. For example Wal-Mart discovered a relationship between the sale of beer and nappies. They also found on further examination the correlation was greater on a Friday evening. Wal-Mart increased sales by collocating the items near check-out counters on Fridays (Martin 2000). This represents both ‘know where’ and ‘know when’ knowledge. The ‘know where’ part is the collocation of the items. The ‘know when’ part is Friday evenings.

The Six Knows Knowledge Model is a useful framework I have employed consciously and unconsciously all my life, and continue to do so. It’s hard to deny if you want the complete story then answering the what, why, when, how, where and who questions matters!

Regards, Graham

Reference:

Martin, J. (2000). After the Internet: Alien Intelligence. Washington DC, Capital Press.