DaChispa

Very weird moment this morning. I was reading a fictional book – a modern thriller – and there was a paragraph describing the work that one of the protagonists was doing. She is portrayed as a high flier, closing a deal. When she gets back to the office she (to paraphrase) writes up the deal and posts it on the global network so that the information is immediately available to colleagues across the world.

That sounds very much like a good practice KM example – it just threw me slightly that it surfaced in the middle of my light reading. Does this mean that KM is now embedded in the business world to the extent that it is used as a bit of scene setting for a good story? Seems so…

I admit it, I am a Babylon 5 addict – I think it was a brilliant conceived and executed sci fi saga that still holds up a good 20 years later. I’m gradually re-watching it at the moment and noticed a really prescient re-cycling moment. Two of the characters met at the ‘newstand’ where they put in their papers, dialled up what they wanted, and it came back to them with the day’s news. It was particularly interesting because the paper paradigm remained, they didn’t go as far an e-paper. With the advent of e-book readers, I wonder whether there will finally be a paradigm shift. I like the feel of paper, but if I can get 100s of books on a small reader – on which I can change the text size as my eyesight gets worse – I might make the change myself.

You really see how the world is changing when you notice the flexibility people now have in how they manage their social and working lives. I sat on the train a few nights ago and heard a group of early teens discuss arrangements. It was quickly evident that they were plugged into a much wider virtual network, not only by text, but also via Facebook (which they were checking on their phones). Plans could be made or changed on the fly and easily communicated. It did make me wonder whether this might lead to a death of patience. If everything is so quick – rapidly changing plans, sound byte entertainment, fast access to information – is there a danger that just stopping and thinking might become a disappearing skill?

..the question was ‘how will you make use of this in your job?’ The answer? ‘Quickly’.

The round up of news on MSN: what I learnt this week – a really easy way to package up useful knowledge for colleagues.

I just learnt how to post straight from slideshare – I really like this very simple lesson in how to network well – even if you feel it isn’t your natural style…

For some reason this christmas cracker joke really tickled me:

Why is an elephant large grey and wrinkly?
Because if it were small, white and smooth it would be an aspirin!

I’m not sure why I find this so funny, but it makes me laugh every time I read it.

I couldn’t wait to see Moon on DVD – and I wasn’t disappointed. For me, the highlight was Kevin Spacey as Gertie, the machine in several parts with emoticons emulate facial expressions. The director didn’t even try to make the machine look human – it was a machine with a screen that used yellow smiley faces (or frowning or puzzled yellow smiley faces) to support its words. It also acted in an inexplicably irrational way. The best part was that they never tried to explain why Gertie made the choices it made, it always looked like a machine and yet there was an impression of personality and free will. Very satisfying film. Sci fi thriller with some philosophy thrown in.

Saw a great ‘persuade you to visit our stand in 60 seconds’ exhibitor pitch approach at a conference. The seconds counted down on the screen behind and the audience applauded each pitch when time was up. It worked really well. What I learnt from it was that you really can’t use jargon if you only have 60 seconds – it wastes time and you won’t get people to visit you because they have no idea what you are talking about.

Was buying an upgrade to my train ticket this morning and was quoted £6.50. Then realised I needed a return…£4.50…
At one time the ticket seller would have advised me that it was cheaper to get a return when I first asked – what happened to good customer information?