Disqus - Latest Comments for VMaryAbraham

Re: What is Knowledge Management?

driessen — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:59:35 -0000

Thanks for the comment, Mary. Agree! It's in the word Czar (negative association). My point is: we need someone to coordinate and cultivate KM.

Re: What is Knowledge Management?

VMaryAbraham — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:18:52 -0000

Samuel -

You're right that some centralized support for KM is helpful. A global KM facilitator or coordinator might be welcome. However, a czar (with all the powers and privileges that title entails) suggests someone who imposes top-down policies. In our emergent, collaborative world, a czar seems regressive.

- Mary

Re: Regrets

VMaryAbraham — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:48:11 -0000

Thanks so much, Craig. The problem with so many situations like this is
that while you're making the decision, it seems quite rational. It's only
with the benefit of hindsight (and perspective) that you discover you blew
it!

Oh well, perhaps the best we can do is live and learn so we don't make the
same mistake twice.

- Mary

Re: Mind Reading

jackvinson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:52:11 -0000

I don't recall the name of the services, but forms of this idea have been around a while. Even Microsoft's beloved Clippy was a form of this: I see you are doing X, here are some recommendations for assistance. or I see you have been doing Y, I've focused your search on that topic.

Re: Mind Reading

VMaryAbraham — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:26:54 -0000

You're right, Jack. The frequent requests for a Google-like search often
masked a desire for simplicity (and good results, of course) in the face of
embarrassingly bad search tools within the enterprise. However, the folks
asking for Google at work didn't always understand exactly what it took
Google to deliver simplicity and good results -- millions of dollars spent
keeping their algorithms state of the art. That's an investment most firms
are unwilling to make. Nonetheless, the insistence on having Google at work
has led several in the law firm world to work with vendors to create search
tools that provide amazing results via a simple interface. I suspect that
the lawyers in the firms that have adopted this approach don't ask for
Google anymore.

Once services like Pulse become more common, I expect users within the
Enterprise will begin to insist that they receive work related information
in the same intuitive way. Search tool vendors will have to deliver.

- Mary

Re: 100 and Counting

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:16:46 -0000

Thanks, Dave. So perhaps she has discovered the true Elixir of Life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elixir_of_life

- Mary

Re: Dating a Beautiful Model

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:53:50 -0000

Thanks for your kind words, Ann.

- Mary

Re: Dating a Beautiful Model

annbjork — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:27:24 -0000

I couldn’t agree more, we really have to get past the “quick-fix” view of thinking that KM is either all about collecting documents or applying advanced IT systems to “solve” all KM issues. Model documents are important and shouldn’t be underestimated, but they are only one part of the business development support that KM can offer. Your article illustrated this conclusion in an excellent way. I really appreciate your initiated and thoughtful KM insights on this blog.

- Ann

Re: Dating a Beautiful Model

VMaryAbraham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:02:40 -0000

Thanks so much for your comments, Ann. It looks like your firm has done
exactly what it should -- adapt the best of KM thinking to improve the
practice of law. It's only when we get past a simplistic view of KM =
models/document collections that we can think holistically and creatively
about what a firm really needs to become more effective and efficient.

Good luck with your KM efforts!

- Mary

Re: KM’s Worst Enemy

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:34:45 -0000

Swan -

Given the "soft benefits" of KM, it may be hard to actually quantify the
full cost of ownership. Nonetheless, knowlege mangers are not off the
hook. We just have to work harder to be sure we have a defensible way of
explaining and substantiating the costs and benefits of KM. But even if we
can't nail down every last item, I suspect that simply making the effort
will prove beneficial.

- Mary

Re: KM’s Worst Enemy

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:21:45 -0000

Doug -

You're right that a fixed fee billing structure makes the benefits of model
documents more intuitively obvious. Nonetheless, my point about checking
premises remains. We won't know for sure that a model has been helpful
unless we can actually identify and measure the impact of that model.
Alternatively, we'll need solid and consistent anecdotal evidence that a
particular model was helpful. Are firms ready to do that kind of due
diligence review?

- Mary

Re: Thought Experiment #1: The KM R&D Budget

VMaryAbraham — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:40:28 -0000

Delete.

Re: Is LinkedIn Working for You?

VMaryAbraham — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Dave -

Active moderation appears to be the key. Without some judicious weeding and
guidance, the group discussions get smothered by poor quality content.

- Mary

Re: Is LinkedIn Working for You?

Dave — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:37:38 -0000

I think there is a certain amount of luck, but I think the common threads are:
- Forum linked to a professional group or tied to a specific area of interest
- National or international membership
- Active moderation either by the group founder or the sponsoring organization

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

VMaryAbraham — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:20:23 -0000

Phil -

As you can see, my blog posts reflect my ongoing internal conversation on these topics!

I like your nomination for the best of best practices (i.e., do the hard work of thinking for yourself). It's guaranteed to work, assuming one's thinking is sound!

- Mary

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

filazavr — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:42:06 -0000

Mary,

You already had answered first question in your post Resting on Your Laurels Ruins Best Practices :)

I am personally against blind following of any best practices in any case in any discipline. I know only one best practice which applies to any of discipline in any case "...actually do the hard work of thinking for yourself..". I am trying to do my best to follow this best practice every single day.

I believe that best practices should not be followed blindly but rather for should make people think themselves. However I can't say all disciplines as I have experience in some of them only.

Phil

Re: Are Law Firms Ready for Mobile and Social?

VMaryAbraham — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:42:16 -0000

That's a fair question, Doug.

When I saw that announcement about the WordPress plugin the other day, I
realized that it was time to do some housekeeping/maintenance on my blog.

What is it they say? It's the cobbler's children who go without shoes!

- Mary

Re: Is LinkedIn Working for You?

VMaryAbraham — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:46:46 -0000

Jordan -

Don't worry about your "rolodex view" of LinkedIn, You're in excellent company!

On the issue of contacts, I've heard that there is an alternative theory according to which our LinkedIn contacts shouldn't be limited to just friends and acquaintances, but should stretch to people who are within our sphere, albeit it around the edges. This theory suggests that in an era of weak ties, the more such ties you have, the better. The downside is that once you let everyone into your circle, you may have to make difficult decisions about which requests you will fulfill and which people you will ignore.

Thanks for being such a diligent moderator of a LinkedIn group. I wish the others were as diligent. I've found that the presence of low-quality discussion topics, shallow consultant opinion pieces, and cheap ploys by folks trawling for contacts has greatly diminished the usefulness of Groups for me. It's a shame there isn't a rating system for groups. Perhaps that might clean things up a little.

Finally, the issue of LinkedIn's value proposition is important. If all you're doing is keeping your own contact information up to date and surfing for news occasionally, then the value proposition is positive. But the moment you start wasting time on difficult requests or dead-end discussions, LinkedIn becomes expensive because it starts costing too much time. That's the challenge LinkedIn poses for me.

- Mary

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

VMaryAbraham — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:35:21 -0000

Phil -

You raise an intriguing question. Are there ANY best practices in any disciplines that may safely be followed blindly? If not, what's really a best practice?

- Mary

Re: Resting on Your Laurels Ruins Best Practices

VMaryAbraham — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:27:08 -0000

Rick -

You're right that knowledge by itself is insufficient. What we need is
judgment (born of experience) that allows us to determine how much of that
knowledge is applicable to our own situation. (I am a little skeptical of
the urge to adopt another's best practice wholesale.) At the end of the
day, it's that judgment that helps us identify practices that are best for
us and improve them as necessary.

- Mary

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

filazavr — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:58:36 -0000

Mary,

I think that the more constant subject of discipline is the wider context where best practices should be followed scrupulously. Even medicine with the human body as a subject has best practices working in most contexts but from time to time researches proof that the practice should be changed.
For those disciplines which have less constant subject like KM best practices should be more general guidelines than the action plans.

Phil

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:05:07 -0000

Thanks, Phil.

It's possible that some disciplines (for example, medicine?) actually have best practices that work in most contexts and should be followed scrupulously -- at least until research shows that they shouldn't be. However, I wonder if this is the exception rather than the rule? How many other disciplines can make a similar claim?

- Mary

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:49:34 -0000

Nimmy -

I like your idea of distilling the core concepts derived from best practices
and then adapting them for our own environments. In that way, we learn from
others, borrow the best from them, but still create a solution that actually
works for us. It's a win-win all around.

- Mary

Re: Just Tell Me What Works!

VMaryAbraham — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:06:26 -0000

Thanks very much, Gerard.

You and your team are famous for thinking creatively about how to improve the practice and business of law. It appears that the starting point is innovating sufficiently to make the inevitable mistake or two. Then, the key is to respond quickly. You've mentioned the need to listen carefully and adapt rapidly. Both of these essential behaviors are too frequently ignored when we are fixated on implementing best practices.

Good luck with your e-mail transparency project!

- Mary

Re: Is LinkedIn Working for You?

VMaryAbraham — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:48:01 -0000

Dave -

70% is a pretty good proportion. It sounds like you've found the right groups for your interests. Do you use a particular process for identifying productive groups?

- Mary