THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700




April 28, 2000 02:32:23

04 00067 61 00042801




Mr. Jack Park
jackpark@thinkalong.com
Street address
Palo Alto, CA Zip

Subject:   Knowledge Define, Distinguish Data,
Use case scenarios for OSS development

Dear Jack,

The letter I am forwarding from Eric illustrates the issues we discussed a few days ago. I am way behind in the record due to the trial, but hope to get caught up this weekend.

I am sending you under separate cover some discussion with LANL about a possible meeting the week of May 21. I am trying to get a contact at Intel to sponsor my end of the meeting. That probably won't happen, but there will likely be a meeting somewhere that week. Possibly you would like to attend. I will keep you posted.

Thanks too for the plug on "Rod" to Doug's team.

My feeling is that there is a disconnect with Doug's guys that is pretty natural due to cultural blinders, as reported on May 27, 1999. Eric's letter to Lee Iverson saying Lee's submission of use case stuff is "on the mark" or whatever, shows the challenge we face. I looked at Lee's submission. It is standard project management; very useful, but nothing to do with KM, and so it is not going to get us to the DKR, particularly in light of the fact that the DKR largely already exists in a work-a-day form, and only awaits engineering refinement. It is a completely new development path, with endless potential that fits Doug's big picture goals.

There is only one way to the DKR.

You have to jump up a notch on the cognitive scale from information to knowledge, and this requires a theory of intelligence that can be meaningfully addressed by technology. A great theory that cannot be implemented is of no use. Great technology that is not applied in the right way, is of no use.

The reason this is so difficult is because it takes daily experience working with the knowledge creation process, i.e., "intelligence," in order to place the mind in a frame to grasp the power of knowledge, as distinct from information, essentially because the mind performs the conversion on automatic pilot, so it is hidden from the conscious mind. When we initially see the mechanics, it seems foreign and incorrect. So, in effect, the design required to support knowledge management remains a secret.

Doug has asked our team several times to do a work up like Bellinger defining "knowledge" and KM. I have mentioned this several times, as well, but there is no traction. This is a cultural blinders issue!!!

In any case, I feel fortunate to have found a kindred spirit. We have to keep plugging looking for people willing to suspend their belief in order to gain the experience needed for understanding a new path. We need a core group of disciples.

Let me know if you want to participate in the meeting with Cliff the week of May 21.

Additionally, I am happy to demo SDS for you at your convenience. Just let me know. I have not pushed this with the SRI group, because there is no indication they are ready.

Sincerely,

THE WELCH COMPANY



Rod Welch
rowelch@attglobal.net