Ever wonder why so many software vendors use vertical stacks to demonstrate their products? Perhaps it makes sense when evaluating platforms, APIs, integration points… but does it really make sense when we trace the functional life of our information? Doesn’t it make sense to look at content in the context of flow – how it moves among and around users, devices and applications, gathering value and contextual richness along the way.

When I provide an introduction to Enterprise Content Management to a business-use audience, I like to look at things horizontally. Where does content originate? Who needs to work with it? How does it support other content and applications? How is it consumed? What happens when it has reached the end of its natural business cycle?

I call this slide “ECM for the Information Worker”, and like to trace content movement as it lives its natural business usefulness. “Follow the bouncing ball“of the document.

The importance of thinking of how information flows horizontally – as it moves across business unit silos, from team to team, experienced via a range of user interfaces and applications really rang home when I read a blog post this weekend from a GTEC 2008 attendee. Public sector IT professional Jeff Rose shared his observations and his own ‘a-ha’ moment as he attended a GTEC keynote last year by the then Chief Librarian and Archivist Ian E. Wilson. In Jeff’s own words:

“He spoke passionately about digitization and the preservation of Canadian culture. He spoke on information and knowledge. It was maybe the first time I’d really considered the distinction.

He said information only becomes knowledge when a person learns it and can make use of it, that we have much more information than we do knowledge.

He quoted T. S. Eliot: “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? / Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”

I was a developer. 13 years in what I thought of as “IT”. Gradually coming to think of myself as an IM practitioner. I was eating this stuff up with a spoon.

He said this: “The real organizational structure is based on how the information flows.” (emphasis mine, from the Westin Hotel notepad on which I hastily scribbled it down) Socks, consider yourselves knocked off.”

A shift in thinking from Information Technology to Information Management professional – the kind of epiphany absolutely essential as we build a public sector workforce equipped and ready for the new collaborative world of Government 2.0.

And yes, as Ian Wilson transitions into his new role as director of the Stratford Institute, the newest University of Waterloo research facility, Ottawa’s loss is indeed Stratford’s gain. The kick off conference – Canada 3.0 Forum – to christen this brand new think-tank will be June 8-9 in Stratford Ontario. If you’re interested in digital media, international commerce and culture, think about joining other public policy-makers and technology leaders. Register here: http://canada30.uwaterloo.ca/