From Objects to Assets: The Fungibility of Knowledge

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From Objects to Assets The Fungibility of
Knowledge

• Christopher W. Higgins, Esq.

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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

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The Knowledge Object
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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

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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.

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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

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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

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From Knowledge Object to Asset
Etc.
E-M-C-Commerce Applications
Etc.
Etc.
Integration Applications
KM Applications
Multiple Data Types
Multiple Data Uses
Structured Data
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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

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Enabling Knowledge Assets

• 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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What makes Knowledge Strategic?

• Maximization of tangible values
• Maximization of intangible values
• Customers
• Products
• Operations
• IP
• Specialization and knowledge gravity

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Questions?