In the design of an information or knowledge-based system, values are built in to the fundamental assumptions about what information and knowledge actually is. Such values can be understood in an overarching and philosophical sense, as well as in a situated sense within certain communities, organizations, and particular types of users. In fact, such fundamental reflections are an essential first step to ensure that the knowledge-based initiative has a clear trajectory to follow. The design of knowledge organization — not the adaptation and implementation of standard or popular classification systems — is a phase that most people ignore out of convenience for a quick launch of a beta version, or a tight budget that needs to be spent for a clear ROI. The benefits of designing a knowledge organization strategy (which may involve conducting domain analysis, user studies, genre and document mapping) are not concrete, but it is fundamental to the long-term success of any information and knowledge-based undertaking. In fact, the whole process might not be that different from engaging in a philosophical discourse on epistemology, or a reflection about the nature of knowledge, but situated in a real-life context with design implications (whether that’s system design, website design, or library design). In effect, you are developing a model of knowledge (in my case, a model of music knowledge) that is conceptualized to serve a particular community (in my case, online self-taught musicians). I also articulated this in about 7500 words, this post is a coles notes-to-myself!
Posts Tagged ‘process’
The challenge of unlearning (science).
In music-esque, My Work on October 28, 2009 at 1:38 pmEthnographic research is difficult, in the way it challenges the more scientific approach to research. Instead of going in with a theory, as is typical of deductive reasoning in most scientific approaches, an inductive approach demands that we begin with observation. The identification process is not identifying a problem and hypothesizing a solution, but identifying an interesting phenomenon, and immersing yourself in it. This is pretty easy to understand. We do no go in assuming we know how Mendelssohn responded to his reception in England, nor can one go into a study of Kabuki theatre in Japan claiming to know anything. Yet in that context, music is the focus, supported by research into the social, historical and cultural contexts, vis-à-vis fieldnotes and general immersion (especially in ethnomusicology) into the musical world.
One of the things I recall from my ethnomusicology course, was a simple question: What do you do, while in the process of writing your ethnography, you encounter information that challenges or contradicts what you have been writing in your analysis? It’s not a trick question.
Collaboration might be a bad word.
In ICTs, Reflections on April 28, 2009 at 4:08 pmThe possibility for collaboration has increased as much as the possibility for confusion and frustration. Wikipedia is the most visible example of that. A triumph of people pooling together, as well as the first indicator of what happens when socially-motivated applications reaches a certain critical mass.
I’m not going to talk about the social phenomena at large, however. What has inspired this post happens within the realm of a small design firm, and a long standing client, in which there are important lessons that I have learned.
A new creative for an old product is a great place to start new processes. Quark files can be dumped as we create the layouts in InDesign, structure in the copy and text can be trimmed of all the extra ‘improvements’ that built up over the years, and it’s a magical and optimistic time for everyone. Until we start getting down to the business of production. Read the rest of this entry »
