Yes, there's trial and error, but you don't get too many errors in that context. Neal, given his perspective as a writer, was quick to realize that the way that whole tome was turned into practice was through training and through stories. If you listen to the stories you will learn the ways of the ship and the ways of the sea as they have been learned by those who have come before. I have spent the past five years researching various aspects of the topic, looking at how knowledge is generated, acquired, captured, represented, distributed, and utilized in organizations. I believe, however, that what Neal saw at the Constitution can help us in tackling this difficult dilemma.
Stories are a very powerful way to represent complex, multi-dimensional concepts.
While a certain amount of knowledge can be reflected as information, stories hold the key to unlocking the vital knowledge which remains beyond the reach of easily codified information. While the specific actions taken may be very different, at its root knowledge management is really about increasing the effectiveness of the creation, diffusion, and adoption of ideas. Most all of the efforts outlined above are useful, to at least some extent, as they help organizations discover heretofore hidden value in ideas and intellect. Unfortunately, many knowledge management initiatives have found only the tip of the iceberg, since the vast majority of what people know lies below the surface of their conscious understanding about what they know-the difference between explicit and tacit knowledge. And this is the difference that makes all the difference.