As we discussed in 05.05 Introduction to Knowledge Management Systems (KMs), Personal Knowledge Management is all about networked knowledge (i.e., connected ideas). Instead of taking notes isolated on paper or in Word documents, it’s about creating a Knowledge Graph. That is, a set of notes connected in various ways.
It’s important to realize that a Knowledge Graph is much more valuable than individual and unconnected notes. The value not only lies in the accumulated knowledge, but also in the fact that the different pieces are connected together.
As you learn and grow, you'll accumulate more and more knowledge. While each piece is important, the relationships between ideas is, at least, as important as the ideas themselves.
In 05.12 How to connect ideas, we’ll explore ways to connect ideas. For now, let’s focus on how to dive into PKM.
A screenshot of my current Personal Knowledge Graph
When someone dives into PKM, the first thing they do (consciously or not) is design their own system. For instance, mine currently relies mainly on Obsidian for digital notes, journaling and periodic reviews. I combine Obsidian with pen & paper, voice capture and e-mails for capturing information/knowledge. By the way, I've created the Obsidian Starter Kit based on it.
I advise you to be intentional about your PKM system. You need one, and you should design yours purposefully, based on your needs and goals.
I've actually created a complete course about Knowledge Management, explaining how to approach this in detail: https://knowledge-management-for-beginners.com
That being said, I also advise you to keep things as simple as possible for as long as possible. The first step is building the habit of "doing" PKM, and just like all habits, it's easier to create it when it's easier to do it! When you start, focus on doing, not researching the best tools and techniques. Do invest in your PKM system, but only when you're certain that you need more. You'll add complexity later, if needed, and only when needed. So, please, keep the following point in mind: note-taking and PKM are nothing but tools. Choosing the perfect note-taking tool is pointless. Spending countless hours designing the perfect PKM system is not necessary. Focus on your personal and professional goals. From there, you'll know what you need to learn, what you need to research, how much information you need to "capture", etc. Focus on your goals.
Also, don’t try to become a “learning machine”. You don’t need to capture all the information your come across. Don’t start highlighting everything in books and articles. Don’t create thousands of bookmarks, save thousands of PDF files, etc. This won’t help you make progress! Capturing too much information is just another form of procrastination and hoarding. Information overload is a real danger, which we are all subject to. We all need less noise and more signal in our lives. A solid PKM system can help you make progress, but misusing it can lead to real headaches and little progress. Before you dive into PKM, review and improve your current way of filtering and exploring information. Train your brain to recognize valuable and credible sources. Filter out what does not align with your goals, and ignore everything but what helps you move forward.
PKM is no silver bullet. It takes time and effort to create leverage with a PKM system. There's no free lunch. So consider the time you have available in your life before you embark on a PKM journey, and set realistic expectations.
I have invested hundreds of hours into my system, and although I do find it incredibly valuable, it has still cost me a ton of time and effort. If you do invest time in PKM, note-taking, and note-making, then make sure you leverage your system to make progress in your life, work, and/or projects.
To create a solid PKM system, I advise you to choose a single tool where you’ll regroup all your knowledge. I prefer digital solutions and in particular a tool called Obsidian.