Examples of such communities abound, including (in the KM realm) KMers.org, KMwaves.org and SIKM. But you don’t need to look further than Google to find a wealth of thriving community eco-systems, many with processes for identifying experts and collecting knowledge. Easy access to collaboration tools like Twitter, Skype, blogs, wikis and Google Wave provide the underlying technology that makes such collaboration possible among participants who might otherwise never meet.

It’s reasonable to suggest that real knowledge management occurs in many of these external communities, even if it isn’t really considered KM by its participants.

In this environment, each enterprise (theoretically) has its own knowledge management methodology and systems. In addition, each external community (i.e. KMers.org) also has their own methodology and systems… and community. A professional at Partner C can collaborate and share knowledge within their own enterprise, and/or within any number of external communities. But they remain separate systems. When internal knowledge and expertise comes up short, he must repeat the process (if he’s motivated) in whatever external communities he is involved in.

Extra-Enterprise KM

What I am interested in exploring is what I’ve termed extra-enterprise knowledge management. This involves tightly coupled KM shared within a known group of enterprises, and ideally with integration to traditional intra-enterprise KM systems.

In this environment, there remain internal KM processes and tools, but with strong connections to other valued enterprises — clients, partners, suppliers and in some cases even competitors may fit the bill. The professional in Company A can begin their search for knowledge or expertise within their enterprise, but can also extend that to include the community that “lives” at the intersection of the participating enterprises. It’s KM beyond the firewall.

This happens today in small groups, and generally through personal networking (who you know). I’d like to extend this to the broader enterprise.

There are numerous obstacles and questions that must be resolved to make this a reality. There are legal and regulatory problems, technical issues, and culture clashes, each of which I will explore in the future. But extra-enterprise KM holds tremendous promise for extending and leveraging knowledge sharing and collaboration. Whatever it is called, it’s the next wave of KM.

Interested in continuing the discussion? I am moderating a Twitter chat event titled KM Beyond the Firewall at KMers.org on March 9, 2010 at noon EST.

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And the lifestream is precisely where Flavors.me excels. As they describe themselves, “Flavors.me allows anyone to create an elegant website using personal content from around the internet.”

I read (briefly) about Flavors.me in one of the feeds that I scan, but when I saw Bryan Harney tweeted about Flavor.me, I decided to check it out.

The service very simply and elegantly does what it sets out to do — creating a portal to your presence on various social networks. You can upload a background, tweak the colors and fonts and configure which services you want to connect to and share. There’s no direct interactivity, but in my view, that’s a good thing. If someone wants to comment on your Flickr photostream or retweet that clever quote, they can click through to the source service and do it there.

The best way to “get” Flavors.me is to poke around and try it, but if you’re timid about sharing, Flavors.me creator Jack Zerby has posted a terrific video overview.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now go check out my Flavors.me site, and then give it a try!

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Self-described change agent Seth Godin has put together a free e-book that I’d like to share with you. What Matters Now is a compilation of one page essays by over seventy notable authors.

One of my favorites was titled “Gumption” by novelist J.C. Hutchins. His message, like many contained in the book, is well-timed and thought provoking end-of-the-year reading.

Most of us settle in, and settle for what we have. Rather than pursue, we accept. Our lives become unwitting celebrations of passivity: we undervalue our work and perceive ourselves as wage slaves (and so we phone it in at the day gig), we consume compulsively (but not create), we pine for better lives (but live vicariously through our televisions).

These corners we paint ourselves into, it’s no way to live. There’s no adventure here, no passion, no hunger for change. Remember that relentless optimism you once had? The goals you wished to achieve, before settling in? They’re still there. You need a nudge to find them; a little gumption.

You can start that business. You can lose that weight. You can quit smoking, and learn to garden, and write that book, and be a better parent, and be all the things you want to be … the thing this world needs you to be. It requires courage and faith, both of which you can muster. It requires effort — but this effortless life isn’t as satisfying as it seems, is it?

Declare war on passivity. Hush the inner voice that insists you’re over the hill, past your prime, unworthy of attaining those dreams. Disbelief is now the enemy, as is the notion of settling. Get hungry — hyena hungry. Get fired up. Find your backbone, and your wings.

Flap ‘em. It’s the only way you’ll be able to fly.

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A backpacking trip of this sort isn’t really an expedition, but it’s no walk in the woods, either. There are long months of planning, preparation, and dedicated training required for a successful through-hike of the JMT.

Right now, training is a huge part of my preparation. Last March at my annual physical, my physician said my cholesterol was bordering on “bad” and suggested I lose some weight. Since then, I’ve been eating healthier and exercising regularly. My cholesterol has dropped from 198 to 143. And I’ve lost over 35 lbs.

Two weeks ago I hiked up San Gorgonio via the Fish Creek trail. At an elevation of 11,501.6 feet, it’s the highest peak in Southern California.  The 19.4 mile round trip wasn’t easy, especially once I hit about 10,000 feet, but I felt strong, and passed 16 people on my way up the mountain.

Last weekend was a new challenge. How would it feel to cover the average distance for the JMT with a fully-loaded backpack? I loaded my backpack with several gallon-sized jugs of water and hit the hills of Crystal Cove with my girlfriend to find out. I mapped out an 11 mile course with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and was really surprised to find how easy it was! Yes, I’ve been hiking and mountain biking regularly, but this was my first hike in a long while carrying a full-loaded backpack.

It didn’t occur to me until later that the weight I was carrying in my backpack equaled the weight I had lost over the summer. What a shocker! The good news is that I’m much healthier and getting even better each day!

Here’s a look at the route I took:

Technology Tidbits

Some people have asked what I use to record my hikes. I did a bit of research, and settled on the Trails app for my iPhone 2G. It uses the built-in GPS capabilities of my iPhone, and does a fairly accurate job of recording the route. It also gives me several options for sharing the recorded GPS data, including posting to my EveryTrail account.

The Trails app is $3.99, but I like it better than the several free options that were out there, including the EveryTrail iPhone app. The downside of this approach is that the GPS recording really drains the battery fast. To make it last, I start with a full charge, turn off wifi and 3G, and dial down the brightness to preserve power. Trails will automatically turn off the screen when you slip the phone into your pocket, using the same proximity technology that turns off the display when you hold the phone to your ear. It helps!

Eventually I may spring for some add-on juice to let me record longer hikes, but so far, this has worked pretty well. I was even able to use this setup on my 19.4 mile San Gorgonio hike, though to conserve battery, I only recorded one half of the out-and-back trip.

What’s next?

This will be my second time backpacking the entire John Muir Trail. The first time was in July 1980, making this the 30th anniversary of that original trek. A fitting milestone, don’t you think?

I’m still assembling my JMT team. Two of my kids are interested, as well as a couple of friends, with firm commitment needed soon. Ideally the group size will be 5-6 people, with others providing support (transportation, possibly food drops or segment companions) . I’ll be finalizing my equipment list in November and applying for permits in December. And of course, training. I’m still mountain biking, but now I hike a couple times a week. I lead a Wednesday night hike, take my dog on increasingly long walks (she’s up to six miles now!) and work in a longer, more strenuous hike on the weekends.

And (in my spare time — hah!) I’m working on a top-secret new web site where I’ll be posting details on the planning, equipment selection, preparation and (of course) an extensive post-trip report with photos.

If you’re interested in joining me on this adventure, let me know!

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As it turns out, life is a journey, and the secret is to keep going… onward.

Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo.

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If your business, web site or service is not leveraging social media, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to extend your reach. But what exactly is social media, and what can it do for you from a business perspective? The following slide show provides a clear, well-defined explanation.

Is your company using social media? How? Or why not?

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Ignite was started in Seattle in 2006 by Brady Forrest and Bre Pettis. Since then 100s of 5 minute talks have been given across the world. There are thriving Ignite communities in Seattle, Portland, Paris, and NYC.

Scott Berkun provides a terrific overview of what Ignite is and why you should give it a try, and it’s in Ignite format (of course).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Since I first learned about Ignite, I’ve been itching to give the format a try. Most of the presentations I’ve given in the past at conferences have been 30-60 minutes in length. The idea of using just five minutes to get your point across in a compelling way is exciting.

Ignite has finally come to Los Angeles with help from geek dinner, and I’m going to be one of 13 people standing up and presenting at the inaugural Ignite LA event. I’ll be speaking on something that I’m passionate about–nurturing virtual communities behind the enterprise firewall. Sexy, if you’re a social media geek in an enterprise world.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and want to drop in to check it out, you can RSVP here. Admission is free, and there will be booze and food available. Drink up. I’m much more entertaining after you’ve had a few cold ones.

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Now you’ve seen it. Have a nice Sunday.

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A new project from Small Batch Inc. looks to change all that. Typekit promises to give you the ability to embed fonts on any web page with full fidelity and typographic control. 

Typekit is not yet available, but you can sign-up here to be notified as soon as it is.

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Google is making it easier for people to find you — if you are using Google Profiles. As reported on the official Google blog, once you setup your Google Profile, your profile may show up at the bottom of search results. I say “may” because if you have a fairly common name, you’re stuck with competition.

In my case, a search for Jeff Hester brings up the astronomer (not me), the business owner in Oklahoma (also not me), but also this blog (most definitely me, and #2 on page one). At the bottom of the search results page, you’ll see this:

Hint: I’m the guy on the left. You’ll note that Google also puts links to search for me on several popular social networks, including MySpace, Facebook, Classmates and LinkedIn. 

Simon Mackie at Web Worker Daily shared these step-by-step instructions for setting up your own Google Profile:

1. Go to the Google Profiles site.
2. Sign in with your Google account. 
3. Fill out the form. Add a photo and links to your sites. 

Remember that information you share will be available for others to see. You can share as much or as little as you like, but Google will rank a well-filled profile higher than a skimpy one. 

Have you setup your Google Profile? 

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Companies committed to a culture of antidesign (also consultants like Jakob Nielsen) may occasionally succeed in the marketplace, but they do so in spite of their antidesign, not because of it. Of course we can’t prove that; we can’t run a controlled experiment, let alone 41 of them with distinct shades of blue. It is merely one of those things a visually literate person knows. The fact that you don’t know it, or you deny it’s important, or deny it even can be known goes to show you really are better suited to programming a computer all day than dealing with actual human beings.

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On the surface, robo-calls and text messages may seem like equal nuisances, but anectdotal evidence suggests that Obama’s text messages have been much more effective. 

With a little thought and it’s easy to understand why. A text message is permission based and less intrusive. I had to provide my mobile number willingly to sign-up for Obama’s text alerts. And I can read them when it’s convenient. In contrast, I have never received a recorded message that didn’t piss me off just a little. Who wants to be interupted by a recorded message? Not me. 

Hats off to Obama for his great use of this technology. And be sure to vote on November 4th.

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Here’s a preview of the new dashboard:

The new dashboard is really a great improvement, with at-a-glance views of the stats effecting your blog. I also like the “quick post” feature and the ability to reply directly to comments. An already amazing product is getting even better. 

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Things is a nice little commercial iPhone app that dovetails with David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology for time and task management. I was using Todoist for a while, which is a nice, free web-based to-do list. I experimented with Jott, which is notable for its voice-driven interface. But so far, I like Things simple, no-nonsense interface. 

So what’s on my plate today? 

First, I’m doing a little rearranging right here. I’m updating the blog theme to make better use of screen real estate in general, and the right column in particular. I’m also going to be updating Wordpress and some 

plugins in preparation for next month’s release of Wordpress 2.7. And I’ll be adding the top content, making it easy for new readers to find the “greatest hits” (yes, there are a few). 

Next, I’ll be working on my two big forum sites, GetGamer and BigBlueBall. I use vBulletin on both, and they are both ready for upgrades to the latest versions. I’ll be adding a storefront to the GetGamer site in preparation for the holidays, and fleshing out the design mockups for BigBlueBall (which hasn’t been refreshed since 2005!). 

If you feel like checking in or throwing a little morale support my way, leave me a comment. I’ll also be online throughout the day, so feel free to drop me an IM.

Oh, and for you design geeks out there, check out Cultured Code’s “making of” Things for a pictorial that shows how they designed Things for the iPhone UI.

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