"Why Tacit Knowledge is More Important Than Deliberate Practice" and "The design of effective public digital organisations 💪"

"Why Tacit Knowledge is More Important Than Deliberate Practice" and "The design of effective public digital organisations 💪"

In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving world, the need for expertise and effective organizations has become more crucial than ever. Two seemingly unrelated topics, tacit knowledge and effective digital organizations, share common points and can provide valuable insights into achieving success in different domains.

Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge that cannot be easily expressed in words alone. It is the kind of knowledge that is acquired through imitation, emulation, and apprenticeship. Think of learning to ride a bicycle successfully. You don't learn it by reading a manual or listening to someone explain the mechanics of balancing and pedaling. Instead, you learn by observing and copying what an experienced cyclist does until you internalize the principles behind the actions.

The importance of tacit knowledge lies in its ability to teach us complicated judgment and instantaneous solution selection. It is the kind of knowledge that balances dozens of considerations against each other. Trying to explain this type of knowledge through explicit instruction alone is often ineffective. In fact, the odds are good that when someone starts explaining something with a long list of caveats, they are relying on tacit knowledge in action.

However, the difficulty in capturing tacit knowledge and making it explicit has led some to believe that it is not worth pursuing. The idea of encoding all the nuances and branches of a human expert's knowledge into an expert system or a set of procedures is extremely challenging. In fact, it can hinder the development of expertise and prevent individuals from engaging in creative problem-solving.

Instead of trying to make tacit knowledge explicit, it is more useful to think about ways to gain that knowledge directly. Emulating masters, seeking feedback, and learning through osmosis are more effective methods in acquiring tacit knowledge. This approach is exemplified by the process of learning under a master in fields like investing, where individuals work closely with experienced mentors to learn the ropes.

Interestingly, the field of Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) focuses on finding ways to make the acquisition of tacit knowledge more effective. By studying the methods and approaches used by experts in various domains, researchers can uncover valuable insights into how to enhance the learning process.

Now, let's shift our focus to the design of effective public digital organizations. In today's digital age, organizations need to embrace technology and innovation to stay relevant and efficient. Society expects public organizations to be as accountable, if not more, than their private counterparts. Transparency is a key aspect of building trust and ensuring the performance of public works.

Successful digital products and organizations are often built by long-lived multi-disciplinary teams that have the power to shape their own work. These empowered product teams are responsible for consistently creating new value for customers and the business. They go beyond simply tweaking and optimizing existing products, instead focusing on developing each product to reach its full potential.

Product management plays a crucial role in translating organizational strategy into actionable plans for multiple product teams. An executive team that consciously supports and empowers these product teams is more likely to achieve success. This approach allows for vertical responsibility, where empowered product teams deliver value for customers, while functions take on the horizontal responsibility of building organizational capability.

A prime example of this approach can be seen in Steve Jobs' transformation of Apple upon his return as CEO. He eliminated the general managers of all business units, consolidated the company under one profit and loss statement, and combined the functional departments into one cohesive organization. This restructuring allowed for a more streamlined and empowered approach to product development and innovation.

In conclusion, tacit knowledge and effective digital organizations share common ground in their emphasis on emulation, empowerment, and continuous learning. To leverage tacit knowledge effectively, we should focus on acquiring it directly through observation, emulation, and feedback. On the other hand, building effective digital organizations requires empowering product teams and creating a culture of innovation and transparency.

Actionable advice:

1. Seek out mentors or experts in your field and learn through emulation and feedback. Embrace the principles behind their actions and strive to develop your own tacit knowledge.
2. Foster a culture of empowerment within your organization. Encourage teams to take ownership of their work and provide them with the autonomy to shape their projects.
3. Embrace transparency and accountability. Whether you're in a public or private organization, prioritize open communication and ensure that performance and decision-making processes are accessible to all stakeholders.

By combining the power of tacit knowledge and effective digital organizations, we can pave the way for success and innovation in various domains. These seemingly disparate topics provide valuable insights into how we can excel in an ever-changing world. So let's embrace emulation, empowerment, and continuous learning to unlock our full potential and create meaningful impact.