a sure-fire way to "go viral"

Marshall Kirkpatrick has a great post over at Read/Write Web about keeping momentum. In that post, he describes one technique - make yourself a public case study.

". . . .other vendors follow up announcements by publicly using their own tools to deliver high value resources that demonstrate how valuable those tools can be. This is easier said than done but it's the best way to follow up momentum from an announcement that we know of. Two of our favorite examples are Slideshare adviser Dave McClure's slideshows about what startups in general should know about and the graphic design tutorials made by SaaS design tool company Aviary.

These are the kinds of media items, built with the company's own tools, that get passed around to audiences far wider than just those who would be interested in the companies themselves. They demonstrate though, just how usefull the tools can be. Instead of marketing to one thousand people who might be interested in Slideshare or Aviary, these resources reach audiences of hundreds of thousands of people, of which a smaller percentage but larger absolute number of people will be interested in the company itself.

Got that? After a launch event, follow it up by using your own product or services to create a resource that "goes viral!" No problem, right? Of course this is much easier said than done and is done poorly far more often than it is done well - but nobody said any of this would be easy."

more fall glory

Back in September, in reply to a blog post, I wrote. . . .

Ancient scriptures say, life is measured by the breaths we take, but now the Masters say, life is measured by the moments that take our breath away. . . . What if, in the grand scheme of things, these are the dots in our life's tapestry? Then, in nurturing more of this precious moments, we can connect the dots easier. : ) Ahhh, when our Spirit is nourished, it sure is easier to capture (& sustain) the beauty in our web of life!

Today I find my breathless moments in the spectacular colors of Fall! E-N-J-O-Y! ! !

home sweet home

Labels & Lids

A label puts a lid on whatever it is that's being labeled.

From Information Architecture to Knowledge Architecture

The simple answer is that knowledge is information plus various kinds of contexts and so knowledge architecture starts with information architecture (organization, navigating, labeling and retrieval of information) and adds different types of intellectual, personal and social contexts.

A context is something that gives meaning and depth to information. Rather than try to define context further, let me tell you a story. Recently, I was at a doctor’s office and the doctor came out and told a young woman that since she had changed her appointment from the following day to today that he wasn’t able to get her charts. He repeated that information and waited for a reaction from the young woman who, since she didn’t have the context that would give meaning to that piece of information, remained silent. She didn’t know if the doctor’s information meant the doctor wouldn’t see her, if the appointment could be held but wouldn’t be as productive, or if she needed to do something. The doctor knew the context, which was twofold: Not having a chart meant that the doctor would be less effective and that he would have to work harder to elicit information from her.

The doctor transmitted the necessary information but not the necessary knowledge, and the result was a complete lack of understanding. I can only hope that the doctor was better at communicating context in the actual interview. Perhaps if the doctor had a button that she could click on (Explain, or More Info, or What Does That Mean?), the woman would have understood. In other words, if there had only been a knowledge architecture supporting the interaction.

Knowledge architecture then is the attempt to create an intellectual infrastructure that can support the organization and retrieval of not just information but sets of related contexts around information--contexts that change over time and with different dimensions of applications.

Knowledge architecture deals with a richer, more multidimensional intellectual universe of discourse and through that richer universe, must deal with the shifting chaotic world of applied information, i.e., contexts of actions.

Tom Reamy is chief knowledge architect for KAPS Group (kapsgroup), a group of knowledge architecture consultants), e-mail treamy@well.com.

Alan Cohen on the Economy

An ancient Chinese blessing wishes recipients, "May you live in interesting times." Well, we now have the answer to that prayer. Actually, all times are interesting, just in different ways.

During the last week and month the economy seems to be at the top of most people's list of urgent issues to think and talk about. Today the U.S. government is issuing a new policy to deal with the economic upsets of late. Below are some suggestions on how to get to a better feeling place about the economy, and generate practical results for yourself and others.

Here is my six-point plan. I am not an economist, and frankly I don't understand all of the complexities of the current market. I do, however, understand the relationship between thought, belief, feeling, attitude, expectation, identity, and practical prosperity.

So here is my six-point plan, which will surely work if you apply it:
1. Vision, 2. Trust, 3. Reframe, 4. Reset Priorities, 5. Circulate, Milk Every Moment.

Read the full details here - http://www.unityfc.org/alancohen.html

Autumn in New Paltz NY

intense yellows, burnt oranges, brilliant reds

the breath-taking & heart-warming pallettes of Fall in New York

Nature weilds her magic, reminding us of our innate divinity.