How do most people keep track of the growing amount of information that they receive? I’ve developed a personal knowledge management system, that works for me (for now, though it needs an overhaul). Managing information and keeping track of everything was a topic of conversation when four (now five) bloggers enjoyed a beer tasting and dinner in Las Vegas last week. Tony Karrer wondered if I found my Moleskine of any use, since he prefers entering notes straight to the computer. Since I type so slowly & poorly, a notebook makes more sense for me, and it’s quite portable. I admit that transcribing creates an extra step.
There was little doubt that two tools are critical in managing the information flow of the Internet Age – RSS aggregators to track blogs & news; and tagging to keep track of interesting things you find on the Net. I, for one, regularly search my tagged items and find this online database more flexible than browser-based Bookmarks or Favourites. Tagging is growing in popularity, as a recent PEW report shows that 28% of people on the Internet have tagged or categorized content.
Also, I think that there was general consensus amongst us that our blogs were great tools to help us make sense of all of this information, through writing and conversation online. Blogs give you a permanent location for your conversations and connecting with others. A blog can also be an online business card and introduction service.
Though blogs may not be for everyone, I would recommend, as a minimum, getting started with an aggregator and tagging (aka social bookmarking). These are the basic tools for self-directed learning on the Web, suitable for students, teachers, trainers, professionals and life-long learners.
Harold:
Your Moleskine, like the spiral-bound five-subject notebooks I use for certain projects, is an example of the Ellington Principle. Speaking of music, the Duke said, “If it sounds good, it is good.”