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. 

Now Dan Roam , quite independently of me, has enhanced the usefulness of the model by introducing a visual thinking element to it - he's also picked up on the how much dimension. Have a look at this presentation , but in particular slide seven (the preceding slides give some background and explanation). What I really like is the ability to add some discipline and consistency to my mind-mapping and rich pictures. With just six icons I can now draw the essence of a problem or a solution. Sure the devil is in the detail, but if nothing else this exercise aids clarity and helps to get to common understanding and shared meaning.

The rest of Dan's presentation is full of useful gems. In particular I like this paragraph:

"When the first person said, "A picture is worth a thousand words," he or she permanently warped our understanding of pictures. The point of a good picture isn't to eliminate words, it's to replace as many as possible so that the words we do use are the important ones. Rather than spending time verbally describing coordinates, positions, percentages, qualities and quantities, if we simply show them, we have more time to talk about what they mean."

Now isn't that what we are always trying to do? Meaning always has more value than mere description.

The Six Knows Knowledge Model is a useful framework I have employed consciously and unconsciously all my life, and continue to do so. Dan Roam's simple enhancement will mean I'll use it more. It's hard to deny if you want the complete story then answering the what, why, when, how, where and who questions matters, and drawing it in a consistent way will aid understanding!

Regards, Graham