3 ms·

Scaling Tacit Knowledge

78 points by jger15 5y ago

8bitsrule 5y ago
In the beginning, reading in the basics is important because you need to know the language of the field, the special terminology. And then you're in a position to learn from experts talking to other experts (at a convention, for example). When you know enough to know what good questions are, then the expert has something to gain from the conversation.
Jensson 5y ago
> Rather than asking the expert to write down how to do great job interviews, watch a few dozen hours of the expert doing interviews. The expert wouldn't be explaining how to interview, he would be doing the actual task. This seems a close proxy for the apprenticeship version of this, sitting next to the expert. The video probably captures most of what is relevant. Software engineering could be taught to proficiency similarly. I don't know anyone who become an expert software engineer by watching people program in programming streams. You could learn a few minor tricks, but you could learn those tricks by reading blogs, but anything significant would require you to have a discussion with the expert about the topic. One way knowledge transfer doesn't really work for tacit knowledge, you need a feedback loop for it to work, like code reviews or design discussions.
- Swizec 5y ago
  One benefit of watching is that you can ask questions about things the expert doesn’t realize they’re doing. Stuff that’s so second nature to them that they forget it used to be novel. They wouldn’t put those in a book or blog. The key bit is active observation. Passive consumption doesn’t work.
  - Jensson 5y ago
    The most important part is having someone who points out the errors that you don't know you make. You can't point them out yourself or ask questions about them since you are unaware of them, you need a person who knows the stuff to go through your work and point out the errors for you. You can't put that into any media, you can't learn that by asking questions, the expert needs to review your work, there is no other way.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
  - alehlopeh 5y ago
    That’s exactly what they would put in a book

78 points by jger15 5y ago

In the beginning, reading in the basics is important because you need to know the language of the field, the special terminology. And then you're in a position to learn from experts talking to other experts (at a convention, for example). When you know enough to know what good questions are, then the expert has something to gain from the conversation.

Jensson 5y ago

> Rather than asking the expert to write down how to do great job interviews, watch a few dozen hours of the expert doing interviews. The expert wouldn't be explaining how to interview, he would be doing the actual task. This seems a close proxy for the apprenticeship version of this, sitting next to the expert. The video probably captures most of what is relevant. Software engineering could be taught to proficiency similarly. I don't know anyone who become an expert software engineer by watching people program in programming streams. You could learn a few minor tricks, but you could learn those tricks by reading blogs, but anything significant would require you to have a discussion with the expert about the topic. One way knowledge transfer doesn't really work for tacit knowledge, you need a feedback loop for it to work, like code reviews or design discussions.

Swizec 5y ago
One benefit of watching is that you can ask questions about things the expert doesn’t realize they’re doing. Stuff that’s so second nature to them that they forget it used to be novel. They wouldn’t put those in a book or blog. The key bit is active observation. Passive consumption doesn’t work.
- Jensson 5y ago
  The most important part is having someone who points out the errors that you don't know you make. You can't point them out yourself or ask questions about them since you are unaware of them, you need a person who knows the stuff to go through your work and point out the errors for you. You can't put that into any media, you can't learn that by asking questions, the expert needs to review your work, there is no other way.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- alehlopeh 5y ago
  That’s exactly what they would put in a book