From Objects to Assets: The Fungibility of Knowledge

Christopher W. Higgins, Esq.

My Agenda (and yes, I do have one)

• Global Knowledge Processing Architecture

• From Knowledge Objects to Assets

• Links and link management applications

• Strategic Management of Enterprise IP

• Getting on the Knowledge Bus

The Knowledge Object

So what is a Knowledge Object?

• Self-defined information• Data, meta-data and

processing instructions• High fidelity and reliability• A Set of concepts and

relationships as links• Only as reliable as the links

and link mgmt. software

All Knowledge Objects are…

• A semantic instance in time.

• Based on reference to other knowledge.

• Infinitely variable and complex.

• Expressible as some set of relationships.

• Definable as nested, interdependent links.

• Dependent on the syntax and processing of those links in order to be exchanged.

Proprietary Knowledge Objects

• Defined in a vendor-specific syntax

• Controlled by a closed, proprietary model

• Dependent on that vendor for all processing

• Integration is application-based with increasing marginal costs of exchange

• Real-time dependence on specific commercial platforms

Generic Knowledge Objects

• Defined in a public meta-syntax

• Controlled by an open, dynamic model

• Independent of any vendor for processing

• Integration is information-based with diminishing marginal costs of exchange

• Real-time interoperability among commercial trading platforms

StructuredData

MultipleData

Types

XML(data)

XML(data)

UnstructuredData

From Knowledge Object to Asset

MultipleDataUses

Etc. E-M-C-Commerce Applications Etc.

Etc.Integration ApplicationsKM Applications

So what is a Knowledge Asset?

• Conceptual object based on strategic goals

• May be known or latent

• May be tangible or intangible

• Subject to any knowledge schema

• Documentable with explicit constraints

• Subject to exchange and/or collaboration in multiple contexts

• Design an Enterprise Knowledge Schema– Capture and detail enterprise data flows– Design/empower data value adds

• Engineer incentives to nurture innovation– Increase valuation through IP mgmt process– Open architecture rewards

• Translate innovations into tangible assets– Develop systems to track & evaluate – Develop systems to protect and exploit

• Explicitly encode IP and Corporate policies– Translate human strategies into systems architectures

Enabling Knowledge Assets

Knowledge Transactions

• Internet enables new markets and models

• Value and a common contextual grammar

• Transaction costs and automation

• Specialization can produce diminishing marginal cost for each transaction

• Knowledge processes, products and services can create fungible IP assets

Knowledge Value Exchange

• Digital delivery and consumption• Benchmarking and the evolution of native

semantic models and processing tools• Reflected by the relative change of

relationships and architecture• Represents an intersection of value

propositions among participants• Dependent on linking and addressing

The Importance of Linking(E-applications)

• Vendor-neutrality and public syntax

• Must protect evolving relationships from information loss over time

• Utilize the explicit definition of a relationship as the means for processing it

• Designed to enable sub-component management of any granularity

The Importance of Addressing(E-Services)

• Real-time interoperability

• Data delivery and presentation

• Data validation

• Data certification

• Data escrow and brokering services

• Business records maintenance

The Importance of Strategy

• Knowledge Rules Engine and transactions

• Defines classes of users and uses

• Implements policies under semantic models and through interactive semantic processes

• Allows real-time prioritization of proposed knowledge transactions

• Allows dynamic reposition of assets

What makes Knowledge Strategic?

• Maximization of tangible values

• Maximization of intangible values– Customers– Products– Operations– IP

• Specialization and knowledge gravity

Knowledge Solutions Markets

• Enabled by infrastructure for new business services and models

• First mover advantage (vendors are still important)

• The opportunity in Verticals

• Convergence and long-term interoperability

• The automation of knowledge

The Value of Automation

• Operational cost savings +

• Resource reuse savings +

• Some f(x) of market share, scale and valuation increases +

• Revenue generated by any new IP +

• Competitive advantage gained by proper IP protection and exploitation

The Internet is a Knowledge Bus

• Channel over which knowledge flows

• Connects knowledge processing devices

• Common medium for exchanging semantics

• Depends on a common contextual grammar

• Must mediate semantic values and document structural transactions

• Creates dynamic semantic interoperability

Semantic Interoperability

• Exploits generic addressing and linking

• Unifies the infrastructure for:– Data integration– User and use policy implementation– Knowledge personalization

• New world of fungible knowledge assets

• New challenges in IT management

How To Get On The Bus

• Proper incentives for market formation

• Enlightened standardization

• Support for new IP revenue models

• Reliable transaction documentation

• Accessibility of business records to dispute resolution

• All depend on linking and addressing

Questions?