Serendipitous Connections Research Articles

Contemporary Data Management for Biodiversity Observation Networks leading to Linked Open Data Publishing through Distributed Techniques applying RO-Crate and GitHub Actions

Contemporary Data Management for Biodiversity Observation Networks leading to Linked Open Data Publishing through Distributed Techniques applying RO-Crate and GitHub Actions

Knowledge Lost, Knowledge Gained

Migrating archival description from paper-based finding aids to structured online data reconfigures the dynamics of archival representation and interactions. This paper considers the knowledge implications of transferring traditional finding aids to Discover Archives, a university-wide implementation of Access to Memory (AtoM) at the University of Toronto. The migration and translation of varied descriptive practices to conform to a single system that is accessible to anyone, anywhere, effectively shifts both where and how users interface with archives and their material. This paper reflects on how different sets of knowledge are reorganized in these shifts. Discover Archives empowers researchers to do independent searches using the full breadth of their domain expertise, seemingly unbound from archival gatekeeping. At the same time, these searches are performed in the absence of archivists' unstructured mediation, where searches benefit from human interaction and the kinds of knowledges that reference staff draw on to handle complex reference questions, especially those from novice archival users. We explore the extent to which that lost knowledge can be drawn back into archival interactions via rich metadata that documents contexts and relationships embedded within Discover Archives and beyond. Internal user experience design (UXD) research on Discover Archives highlights a gap between current online description and habitual user expectations in web search and discovery. To help bridge this gap, we contributed to broader discovery nodes such as linked open "context hubs" like Wikipedia and Wikidata, which can supplement hierarchical description with linked metadata and visualization capabilities. These can reintroduce rhizomatic and serendipitous connections, enabled by archivist, researcher, and larger sets of community knowledges, to the benefit of both the user and the archivist.

Media Business Transformation in the Workplace: Creating a Culture of Innovation

The lessons of business history have taught us that there is no such thing as a static market. Global competition and the power of intelligent networking have engendered a new competitive spirit that cuts across countries and companies alike. This is particularly true in the field of media and telecommunications where once great companies fall victim to creative destruction;supplanted by the next communication start-up company with a good idea. From the original AT&T Bell Labs to the modern-day Googleplex, the history of innovative discovery is really the study of how organizations set out to problem solve. One of the goals of highly successful companies is to make innovation a sustainable, repeatable process. In order to accomplish this, innovative companies create the right kind of culture in which to do good work. This article will look at the challenges associated with new product development and how good companies go about creating a culture of innovation and discovery. The second part of this article looks at the qualities and characteristics that make innovation a sustainable, repeatable process. Special attention is given to such ideas as the importance of risk and experimentation, creating the proper workspace, mobility and virtual communication, serendipitous connections and the value of external partnerships and collaboration.

Encouraging serendipity in research: Designing technologies to support connection-making

Mobile applications have the ability to present information to users that is influenced by their surroundings, activities and interests. Such applications have the potential to influence the likelihood of individuals experiencing 'serendipity', through a combination of information, context, insight and activity. This study reports the deployment of a system that sends push text suggestions to users throughout the day, where the content of those messages is informed by users' experience and interests. We investigated the responses to and interactions with messages that varied in format and relevance, and which were received at different times throughout the day. Sixteen participants were asked to use a mobile diary application to record their experiences and thoughts regarding information that was received over a period of five consecutive days. Results suggest that participants' perception of the received suggestions was influenced by the relevance of the suggestion to their interests, but that there were also positive attitudes towards seemingly irrelevant information. Qualitative data indicates that participants, if in an appropriate time and place, are willing to accept and act upon push suggestions as long as the number of suggestions that they receive is not overwhelming. This study contributes towards an understanding of how mobile users make connections with new information, furthering our understanding of how serendipitous connections and insightful thinking could be accommodated using technology. Tailored text messaging applied to a connection-making framework.'Irrelevant' text messages appeared to be positively perceived by participants.Suggestions' phrasing did not influence participants' responses on the suggestions.Unexpectedness involves location, memories, familiarity and non-familiarity.We propose a connection-making model and framework for design.

Assessing the Tangible and Intangible Impacts of the Convergence of E-learning and Knowledge Management

Learning comes through creating and applying knowledge, whilst learning increases an individual's and organization's knowledge asset. Both e-learning and knowledge management feed off the same root: learning, improved capacity to perform work tasks, ability to make effective decisions, and positively impact the world around us. The difference between KM and e-learning is a function of time; knowledge management is dynamic, e-learning is static. As a medium, e-learning allows for the sharing of knowledge that has been tested, researched and organized. Knowledge management is much livelier. Conversations and sharing understanding happens in real time. Through KM, tacit understanding can be communicated, problems can be jointly solved, and serendipitous connections are formed. KM is chaotic, current. KM is ecology; e-learning is the architecture. E-learning courses become outdated, while KM environments are continually fresh and reflective of current activity in a field. Anyway, the strengths of the two fields need to be brought together. KM should feed into e-learning in order for the content of the to remain fresh and to tap learners into a sustained knowledge environment after the course is done and e-learning should feed into the KM environment to provide easy mechanisms for organizing information in the manner that