If you have been following the developments, dreams, and travails in the quest to build a self-driving car, you may have heard the story about the lady with a duck. I think this story has great applicability as we build our knowledge management systems and information centers.

Wow! It’s what we want to hear when users start using any new piece of software. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often. That’s all about to change because of two important trends: Experience Design or XD – the practice of focusing on the quality of the user experience, and XD Enabled Software - which empowers non-technical people to create the “wow factor” end users crave. McKinsey’s recent podcast, The Power of Design Thinking, has important observations for anyone implementing new systems.

I recently watched a great series on Acorn TV, titled “Liberty of London.” It’s about how the iconic British department store, founded in 1875, has been revitalized to broaden its appeal, enhance its image and expand its client base. They didn’t change the store name – it’s a huge asset. But they did a lot of things that change how the store is perceived.

In The Stormy Librarian, there are various information and knowledge management challenges. Many are common to special librarians, despite the sector, organization size or geography they support. Planning to overcome these challenges is an important part of the role. Luckily, help is on the way.

McKinsey & Company’s recent podcast, How Companies Become Digital Leaders, raised a number of key points that we can all apply to our own careers. Jay Scanlan, head of McKinsey’s Digital Strategy Practice, states in the podcast, “[companies that are] digital leaders massively outperform digital followers and digital laggards.” This applies equally to knowledge management professionals.

In my first post on the changing habits of information consumers and the changing role of information professionals as part of the knowledge supply chain, I shared examples of increasing complexity, underpinned by technology and changes in personal preference. In this post, let’s take a look at the third paradigm (KM 3.0) and see what it means for the sustainability and relevance of knowledge managers and special librarians.

As I was finishing last week’s successful webinar on KM Pitfalls with Stan Garfield, an audience member asked a question about Enterprise Social Networks and their value. It made me think about Lucidea CEO Ron Aspe’s blog post on the ways in which information consumption is changing, and has changed over time - and how our personal habits are a key driver of this change. Let me explain…

A recent Harvard Business Review article entitled The Limits of Empathy got me thinking about why many knowledge managers and information specialists are so great at their jobs – and how being empathetic can hamper their efforts.

So, you don’t tweet. Should you? Research shows that Millennials, who have entry-and mid-level jobs in the companies you and I work in, have different expectations about getting and sharing information. Tweeting, pinning, linking, and “Instagramming” are the new information channels.

The way people engage with information every day is changing. Why is this important? It’s not about what we industry veterans think is the “best way” to find important content - it’s what our end users think that matters.

I was speaking with a client the other day about faceted search. (For more information on that subject see my recent blog post “A Firm Foundation for Faceted Search.”) We discussed the need for well-organized and well-structured data to support useful faceted searching. The client challenged that need, and stated she had read and been told that some forms of search require no data preparation and will work with completely unstructured data.

In Seth Earley’s interesting blog post “What’s in Store for 2016,” he mentions a Frog Design report that lists “Friendship as a Service” as one of the coming technology trends. A less cynical view of the interest in (and benefits of) connectedness with others encompasses our concept of “return on partnership,” which we believe is just as valuable as “return on investment.”

I recently saw a great infographic based on Larry Cooperman’s book, Managing the One-Person Library. It’s a “test” that allows you to assess whether you have the right stuff to operate as a solo librarian (and it can also be used as a recruiting and hiring aid). Please read on for some secrets to effective one-person library management.

Faceted searching works well when your content is well organized and well cataloged. What exactly does that mean, and what are the benefits of faceted searching?

I just read a CMSWire blog post on “Preparing for the Future of Knowledge Management.” While the article contains some excellent advice, I strongly disagree with one of the core recommendations.

The other day I joined a discussion on content migration with a client who is beginning a KM project. While preparing for the meeting I ran into this post. It’s from a customer support company, but many of the migration issues they face are similar to my KM experiences. I’d like to share some of the strategies we’ve used over time to turn this early implementation challenge into an opportunity for KM success.

As highlighted in Lucidea’s lighthearted short video introducing The Stormy Librarian, there are many information and knowledge management challenges common to special librarians the world over, no matter what sector, organization size or geography. Strategies to solve these are important for the sustainability of the profession - and help is on the way.

My old Webster’s Dictionary defines innovation as:
1)  the introduction of something new
2)  a new idea, method, or device: novelty

My own definition is simpler: a new or better way of reaching a goal.

When I think of innovation in a museum context, I think about the new and exciting ways that museums are reaching out to the community. Certainly the traditional still works: public programs continue to inspire repeat visits to the museum, and the work that museum educators do with schools continues to make new museum visitors out of children who, without these programs, may never be taken to a museum.