Visualizing knowledge

Drawing on process

Knowledge falls into categories of semantic, declarative, procedural and episodic. Procedural knowledge, known in business as rules or processes, lends itself to visualization. Microsoft's (microsoft.com) SharePoint isn't known as a graphical environment. Its various forms drive databases and more complex activities require scripting and development tools. The team at Nintex saw an opportunity to build graphical user interfaces atop the SharePoint platform so users could easily visualize process knowledge.

There is also a process to getting a company up and running. At online accountancy company Crunch, managing director Darren Fell created a mind map using ThinkBuzan's iMindMap to divide the company into 11 functional areas, each with its own drill-down to summarize priorities and focus areas. Fell then linked the higher-level map to detailed maps that include projects, tasks and areas of investment. That visualization of the company facilitates the process of gaining shared understanding. To reinforce the value of visualization Fell uses mind maps to represent every process in the company. Each process is a clear, visual page.  Fell uses his visual representation of the company to speak to its competencies and capabilities.