Thursday, August 23, 2012

It's About the Design: Knowledge Networks

Dr. Kirby Wright has brought new design concepts to the idea of knowledge networks (the evolution of communities of practice). The practical, visible version of what Kirby is thinking about for knowledge networks can be found at landuseKN.ca.

And you can hear Kirby talk in detail about these new design concepts on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2- 4 pm at 10155-102 Street, Commerce Place, Edmonton, 4th floor, Room 4L. Kirby's presentation launches the Edmonton KM Network's fall seminar series on New Website Design Perspectives to Engage Customers in Knowledge Networks.

Kirby defines the design concepts for knowledge networks in "Website Design Concepts, Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network" and he talks about them in this YouTube video.


landuseKN.ca is the website for the Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network (ALuKN), under the management of the Foothills Research Institute. I work with Kirby Wright in developing the partnerships and creating the connections to actionable information (Kirby's definition of knowledge) for land-use practitioners and policy makers. The Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network helps with effective land use planning, analysis and decision making by:
  • Providing access to high-quality, relevant, trusted and accessible information and knowledge resources
  • Supporting the many networks, organizations and individuals involved in land use issues
  • Providing technologies, resources and information management to land use professionals and organizations
  • Facilitating conversations and dialogues to explore land use challenges and issue.
 
In Kirby's introduction, he says: "The key for the ALuKN web presence is to focus on ideas and issues. These ideas are selected because they are topical and relevant. Land-use issues encompass environmental, economic as well as social dimensions; land-use issues are multi-dimensional and varied. To reflect this diversity, the ALuKN site will need to be continually renewed and updated as new issues are introduced and profiled."

I will talk more about our journey into supporting a knowledge network on a very large issue (land-use in Alberta, Canada) that started a year and half ago in March 2011.