Lecture by Peter Pennefather during first class of KMD1001, fall 2012

1. THE MEANING OF
KNOWLEDGE MEDIA DESIGN
CONCEPTS
Peter Pennefather, PhD
Outreach Director, Knowledge Media Design Institute
Academic Director, Laboratory of Collaborative Diagnostics
Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto, 144 College St, Toronto ON, M5S 3M2, CAN
416-978-6607; p.pennefather@utoronto.ca

2. What is Design
• A sensemaking process where intentions are specified together
with the thinges and concerns they relate to (Latour).
• These relationships are then mapped and significant information
identified for acting on desired transformations.
• Plans and prototypes are then explored to synthesize information
and to make sense of what can be done to act on intentions within
identifiable constraints.
• In the face of always limited knowledge, design is necessarily
provisional, subject to iterative redesign (messy/adaptive/complex)

3. What are Digital Media
Digital media are communication formats for sending and
receiving information that rely on the power of digitally
coding data (bits & bytes). Enables the Internet
.
What are Digital Knowledge Media
Digital media become knowledge media when they are
designed and used explicitly to share and build knowledge
and support collaboration within a knowledge system
They enhance human thinking, creativity, communication,
learning, etc within specific contexts and specific
knowledge systems

4. Digital knowledge media are:
formats enabling digitization of data and presentation of
information so as to allow groups to build, represent, and
mobilize contextualized knowledge within a system.

5. Definitions
Knowledge: “justified true belief and acceptance” that increases capacity
for effective action by a community sharing a common problem or goal.
It can be possessed by individuals and groups (Bray).
It is community-based not commodity-based.
System: Organized set of procedures for accomplishing a task or a goal
Knowledge System: A means of applying knowledge
Socio-Technical Knowledge System: An approach to applying knowledge
within complex communities that recognizes the interaction between
people and technology in workplaces
Gestell (frame): “the reunion of the organising process, which overcomes
in a felicitous way the dichotomy between the ‘structural’, i.e. static, aspects
of infrastructure and their dynamics”
— Ciborra & Hanseth, 1998; all that binds infrastructure together

6. Probing the Frame - Framing the Probe
through a design process
Sanders E (2008). Interactions, 15(6)

7. Cultural considerations are needed to design knowledge media
applications that build on articulated information with rusted
provenance to enable distributed knowing:
- what the function is about (identity/representation) (codification)
- how the function works (production) (abstraction)
- how the function is used (consumption/governance) (diffusion)
Community of Practice Circuit of Culture Information Space
(Wenger) (Du Gay et al.) (Boisot)

8. Integrative Knowledge Media Design Research
Model
People Seeking & Sharing Information
(People)
Sense-making, Knowledge Building, Community-of-Practice
Colleges & Universities, Internet, Libraries, Media, Publishing, Consulting
Knowledge Media Design
a design process to explore ways of enabling
formatting of data and presentation of information
so as to allow groups to build, represent, and
mobilize contextualized knowledge within a system
Knowledge Systems Systems of Devices & Media
(Place) (Technology)
Academic Disciplines & Media Industrial Design & Engineering,
Higher & Professional Education ICT, Electronics, Informatics

9. Integrative Knowledge Media Design Research Model
People Seeking & Sharing Information
(People)
Sense-making, knowledge Buiding, Community-of-Practice
Colleges & Universities, Internet, Libraries, Media, Publishing, Consulting
Knowledge Media Design
a design process to explore ways of enabling
formatting of data and presentation of information
ia
so as to allow groups to build, represent, and
ed
mobilize contextualized knowledge within a system
g
M
tic rin
Kn ic D rofes
Ac High
ma e e
&
Knowledge Media
ad er
ow isc sion
s
for gin
ctr ig ogy) s
em & P
Ele Des chnol ice
Designer
led (Pl iplin al E
, In E n
(Te ev
(knowledge integrationist)
on n &
geace) es &duca
D
Sy
of
ics
st e
ms
m
ial
ste
s
st r
M tion
,
Sy
ICT
du
ed
In
ia

10. Matrix of themes and Challenges to be considered in the course
Sub-Theme: Having Knowledge & Visualizing of Actions Embodying Interactions
Challenge: Mapping Intentions & Consequences & Solutions
Design &
Wayfinding
Knowledge &
Interdisciplinarity
Media &
Embodiment

13. Assignments:
•KMD concept map assignment – 15% (due Tues. Oct. 9 online)
•A paired group presentation on course themes – 15% (over term)
•Active participation in class and online – 15%
•Specific KMD framework analysis & critique project – total 50% (5+5+15+25%)
•Summary Description of Design Brief (3 pages; see below) – 5% (Oct 29)
•Framework visualization & annotated bibliography informing framework – 5% (Oct 29)
•Presentation of framework design analysis & evaluation strategy – 15% (Nov 12,19,26)
•Final report (around 3000 words) – 25% (due Dec 22)
5. Public group presentation on KMD topic – 5% TBD around KMDI holiday party

14. Wayfinding, Sensemaking & Design Technology
• Wayfinding reflects a process for enabling dead reckoning and
situational awareness for navigating built environments.
• Sensemaking reflects the process of navigating cognitive gaps
through making sense of available data
• Design reflects a process of navigating the fit of possible
solutions to existing needs so that an actions can be proposed
• They all attempt to build trust in symbols and signs that build
bridges between past experiences and possible futures
• They can all be collaborative