This diagram shows the losses when tacit knowledge is converted to explicit knowledge:
Here are ways we build our own tacit knowledge from explicit knowledge that we read:
Corresponding KM tools are in the pink and light blue callouts.
In learning certain skills, reading a manual may be incomplete or inadequate. For example, in riding a bicycle the usual learning sequence is: observe – practice, or observe – practice with coaching. I further improved the first figure above by including “demonstrate” and the second figure by including practice “with coaching” (thanks to two suggestions from Charlie Dibsdale).
The figures include the comments for improvement from Silva Ferretti (thanks Silva!). If you have other comments or suggestions for improvement, please post it here.
You can use these diagrams for non-commercial purposes but please give CCLFI acknowledgement each time you show or use it. CCLFI is the KM, OL (=organizational learning) and KBD (=knowledge-based development) advocacy, training and consulting organization I belong to.
Cheers!
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Tags: explicit knowledge, knowledge management, tacit knowledge
December 30, 2008 at 6:35 am
How does this model relate to the knowledge necessary to ride a bicycle? Please explain.
December 30, 2008 at 8:45 am
In the particular case of riding a bicycle, the learning sequence is: observe – practice, or observe – practice with coaching.
I am including this in the blog text, with acknowledgement to you Charlie. Thank you!
May 22, 2011 at 2:28 am
Many thanks for the acknowledgement, that is very gracious of you.
Show and tell in story telling, is indeed very powerful, but tacit knowledge is very difficult to express, so maybe show may not be strong enough, is ‘demonstrate’ a better description?
B. Rgds, Charlie
May 23, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Hi Charlie, I added “demonstrate” in the first figure, following your second comment. I also changed the text to acknowledge your two separate suggestions. Thanks a second time!