The “smart grid” of knowledge – musing on an analogy of knowledge and power
March 19th - 2009 Oakland Posted in Knowledge |
Some would argue that the most valuable resource on this planet is not oil, nor gas, nor even water, but knowledge. We are living in a “knowledge economy” – this is something the leaders of the world’s richest nations openly preach. “Education, education, education” is a familiar mantra that demonstrates the political importance placed upon this valuable resource.
Regarding energy, popular misconception is that there is a serious shortage of energy resources. In reality, we have unimaginable, almost infinite energy resources, 99.9999% of which we never even attempt to use. What we really lack is sufficiently sophisticated technology to efficiently extract energy and transform it into a useful form. And what do we need to develop suitable technology? That most elusive but valuable of resources: knowledge.
We can use wind turbine blades to transform the kinetic energy of the wind (ultimately derived from the sun), to the mechanical energy in a turbine, to electrical energy via an induction generator. This can then be transported through cables to undergo any number of conversions, back to mechanical, to heat, to light, or even radio waves, turning an otherwise useless resource into something useful.
Extend this analogy to knowledge itself. We possess an unimaginably abundant resource of knowledge, of which 99.9999% of which is never used, or lies redundant. Some is captured in patents, publications, reports, and even blogs, but most of all it lies in our heads. So in the same way that infinite energy resources need to be effectively tapped, transported and converted, so too does knowledge, from a useless dormant form into something useful.
So if energy has the wind turbine, the PV cells, photosynthesis, electricity pylons, and transformers, what capture and conversion mechanism does knowledge have? Databases? Books? The Internet? These can at best be viewed as storage mediums, and only a part of what is needed. To be really useful, knowledge needs to be dynamic, to flow, and be converted to different forms, just as electricity is converted or oil refined.
The current infrastructure for capturing latent knowledge, converting it into a useful format and enabling it to flow to those who demand it, when they demand it has an immeasurably low efficiency - yet this is arguably our most vital resource!
So what about our infrastructure for the flow of knowledge? Is this not the most neglected of them all? Just as energy distribution is being slowly revolutionized by the introduction of the “smart grid” knowledge is quietly undergoing its own revolution. So what will the “smart grid of knowledge” look like? In a new world of efficiently distributed demand and supply of knowledge, where do organizational boundaries lie? Does this not lead to an ultimately flexible labour market, where a job is in fact only for a few hours or days, let alone a life? It all reminds me of the Bob Dylan lyric, “The answers are blowing in the wind”.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
When comparing energy generation and distribution with knowledge management systems, some apparent analogies exist, but also fundamental differences spring to mind.
One of the problems plaguing the advancement of power generation and management is the inability of current technology to store electricity and put it to use whenever required. Therefore, electricity still has to be generated and used there and then, otherwise it is wasted.
Another characteristic of power generation with today’s technology is its linearity, from raw energy source to electricity to grid and from there to the consumer.
With knowledge we have the converse situation:
• Knowledge can be stored
• Knowledge and its generation are not linear. This adds flexibility as well as complexity to any future grid.
• Knowledge can undergo transformation and be returned to the grid with higher value
• Knowledge can be re-consumed infinitely
Currently the internet serves as a fluid knowledge grid and is supported by different add-ons such as for profit databases, search engines, and smaller local or specialist knowledge communities that both add to the knowledge grid as well as consume from it. There is also a myriad of smaller enterprises that plough through the pile of information and knowledge available and put the relevant parts to use for a particular purpose.
The evolution of a knowledge generation, management and consumption grid as a smart grid requires to deal with complexity and consumer/human behaviour. I am not sure whether efficiencies in supply of knowledge can easily surpass the ability of knowledge consumers in processing knowledge and translating it into action. Therefore, I assume that organisational boundaries are rather defined by our (human) capability and willingness to adapt to highly efficient distribution of knowledge and its consequences. Furthermore, there will be a considerable degree of resistance to streamlining and increasing the efficiency of knowledge management due to the requirement for change in business models that govern businesses dealing with knowledge based products.
One example arises from the Point of Care (POC) medical diagnostic industry. The medical diagnosis business is mainly run through diagnostic laboratories that are the link between the doctor and the results of the patient’s health check tests, enabling a confident diagnosis. However, advances in medical and diagnostic technology towards simplification and miniaturisation of the tests is gradually making the diagnostic lab obsolete, because the doctor or even the patient, with the use of ever advancing technology, can perform the tests themselves, and get the results in real time. But at the moment matters are more complicated. This potential linearity of use cannot be achieved as long as the interests of the diagnostic services industry are not addressed (http://www.i-micronews.com/news/Point-of-Care-Diagnostics-Challenges-Advances,3347.html).
Therefore, a smart knowledge grid based on maximum efficiency may elude us for a long time, despite the existence of enabling technologies, until the so called soft issues are resolved. In order to move towards the desired level of efficiency faster there is a requirement for rethinking the business of knowledge merchandise in light of the new technological era and easing/enabling the transition for those most affected.