Yesterday Chuck Hollis, EMC’s VP of Technology Alliances, blogged about EMC’s core beliefs in which he made the following statement: Information is becoming the single most important asset in the world today [emphasis is his]. Information is only as good as what you can do with it–what it puts into motion.
Therefore, I would argue that knowledge derived from information is more important than information alone.
Clearly both Chuck and I–a fellow EMC employee and software architect–don’t work in HR; otherwise, we’d be putting people above all else–and I try to.
To more effectively derive knowledge from information, better tools are required. And these tools aren’t just limited to IT, where Chuck puts his focus. Better tools are required for all those who come in contact with information, particularly knowledge workers. It’s about more than just dashboards and pie charts, too–much more! It’s about information analytics. It’s about visualization infrastructure to bring all forms of data and content–information–to life.
And it’s not about them, you or me; it’s about us. I need better tools to understand the mountains of information forming around me at an alarming rate. I need ways to bring fresh perspective and presentation–like contextual pivoting–so that I can know.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Storagezilla // May 6, 2007 at 8:47 am
You’re out in front on this one Craig. Knowledge is ultimately where I believe EMC is going it’s just that the company is currently in the information phase.
Data -> Information -> Knowledge
2 Craig Randall // May 6, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Thanks for the comment, Mark. I agree that information is perhaps EMC’s greatest focus, but I’m confident that the “knowledge dividend” isn’t lost on us. Mark Lewis recently indicated the same sentiment about knowledge. Whether it’s ECM or ILM, I think a fair bit about M’s dividends. If I’m the customer, what does management yield? What are its dividends? Deeply supporting the formation and realization of actionable, relevant and timely knowledge is right at the top of my list of expectations.
3 jeffspitulnik // May 6, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I read Mr. Hollis’ Blog for the first time after following your reference to it, Craig. I had to triple check the date on that post… I thought it was something he may have written circa late 1970s, around the time the common folk starting seriously talking about the Information Age. Eerily telling….
I also found it sadly funny that Mr. Hollis thinks people might be laughing at him for suggesting a company needs a vision. Huh.
Ah well, at least it’s pen to paper. I’ll print it out and give a copy to some customers I know.
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