Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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What is NetIKX (Network for Information and Knowledge eXchange)?
NetIKX is a fully independent Community of Interest. Our focus is on the practical issues of managing information and knowledge in the workplace.
We are a friendly, low cost network for professionals from Information Science, HR, ICT and other business functions who want to learn and share good practice and helpful tips about managing and exploiting information and knowledge. We hold six meetings each year. We are definitely not just a 'talking shop'; we aim to give members practical ideas to take back to their own organisations.
NetIKX is constituted as a not-for-profit unincorporated society. NetIKX is self-managed and self-funded.
More About Us
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When and why was NetIKX formed?
NetIKX was formed in late 2006 by the then management committee of KIMNET (an Aslib Special Interest Group) so as to create a fully independent network with membership open to all. However, the history and antecedents of NetIKX stretch back to 1992 when the IRM (Information Resource Management) Network was formed. Some members of the NetIKX management committee were founding members of the original IRM Network and thus bring many years of knowledge and experience to benefit NetIKX today.
Through learning and sharing, our purpose is to help and support our members in their roles and to enhance their careers, and in turn to help their organisations to gain greater value through better use and management of information and knowledge.
More about the history of NetIKX
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What is the connection between NetIKX and Aslib?
There is no connection between NetIKX and Aslib. NetIKX is a fully independent network with membership open to all.
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What is the relationship between NetIKX and KIMNET?
NetIKX is a fully independent network with membership open to all. In 2006 KIMNET operated as a Special Interest Group of Aslib with membership restricted to Aslib members. The future of KIMNET will be determined by Aslib.
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Who should join NetIKX?
Anyone with an interest in information and knowledge management can join NetIKX. We welcome members from large and small organisation in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Whether you are just starting out on your career in this area or have a wealth of experience we are confident NetIKX has something to offer you.
The purpose of NetIKX is to provide a forum to promote learning and sharing for information professionals and others (in the UK or overseas) involved in, or interested in, information and knowledge management. It offers the opportunity to meet, network and exchange information with other members and other individuals or groups with common interests. Membership is open to all who share these interests.
You should join because for a modest fee we believe we provide far greater value (over a whole year) than for example a single half day seminar. Why not try it and see?
Online Membership Application
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What are the benefits of NetIKX membership?
Members are entitled to attend all NetIKX meetings (normally 6 per year) without any additional charges, saving over £200 on non-member fees. Members also have access to the Members Only area of this web site. Meeting Reports and speaker presentations for all meetings are published in this Members Only area, along with an archive of similar material from selected earlier meetings. Members will also have the advantage of the Membership Directory in the Members Only area to facilitate networking.
We believe the 6 NetIKX meetings in a year offer you better value than a three day conference at less than one tenth of the cost, and with more convenient use of your time.
More about membership and the benefits.
More about past meetings and speakers.
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How much does NetIKX membership cost? Why are the fees so low?
The membership fees for 2006/07 are £90 for Individual membership and £120 for Corporate membership. The non-member fee to attend a single meeting is £50. Fees are reviewed annually. NetIKX is not registered for VAT and thus no VAT is payable.
The fees are kept low to encourage membership. We are able to do this because the management and running of the network is undertaken on an entirely voluntary basis by the Management Committee.
More about membership and current fees
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What is the difference between 'Individual' and 'Corporate' membership?
'Individual' membership allows the named person only to attend meetings; substitutes are not permitted.
'Corporate' membership still requires a named individual as the prime member, but they can send a substitute and up to two additional colleagues from their organisation may attend meetings at no charge.
One password for the Members Only area of the Web Site is issued to the named 'Individual' or 'Corporate' member.
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Do I have to attend all meetings to make it worthwhile joining?
No. If you attended only two meetings in a year it would still be more economic to join than attend as a non-member. Even if you attended only one meeting, membership is still good value as you have access to Meeting reports and speaker presentations from all meetings (something not available to non-members).
We believe the 6 NetIKX meetings in a year offer you better value than a three day conference at less than one tenth of the cost, and with more convenient use of your time.
Online Membership Application
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Can non-members attend NetIKX meetings?
A non-member can attend a NetIKX meeting subject to payment of the non-member fee of £50 (in 2007). Please use the Event Sign Up page to register for a meeting.
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How is NetIKX managed?
From its formation in October 2006 for a period of 6-9 months NetIKX is being managed by an interim Management Committee. Members of the Management Committee are volunteers and do not receive any payment other than expenses (at cost) for attending occasional face to face meetings. One of the first tasks of the interim Management Committee is to propose a constitution for NetIKX which will include arrangements for electing the Management Committee from 2007 onwards.
The Management Committee includes the following positions/roles: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Manager, Web Site Manager, Programme Manager, and Meetings Manager. The Management Committee meets approximately 10 times a year and 8 of these meetings are usually audio-conferences to save time and expense.
More about the Management Committee
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How is NetIKX funded?
NetIKX is primarily funded through membership fees and non-member meeting fees.
NetIKX may seek modest sponsorship support. Sponsors have no control or direct influence on the running of the network.
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What are NetIKX meetings like?
First of all they are welcoming and friendly. The format of a meeting is typically:
- Announcements
- Main speaker presentation
- Tea and time to talk
- Questions, discussion and/or small syndicate groups and feedback session
- Summary of key learning points
However we are always flexible and if members and/or the speaker want to structure the meeting differently then we do so.
The meetings are always followed by informal social occasions where members are able (if they wish) to take the opportunity to talk to colleagues and/or our main speaker directly to follow up on their particular issues or interests.
More about past meetings and speakers.
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When and where are NetIKX meetings held?
NetIKX meetings are currently held in the afternoon starting at 14:30; the formal finish time is 17:00 but informal discussion over refreshments continues until around 18:00 for those who wish to stay on and take the opportunity to talk to colleagues and/or our main speaker directly to follow up on their particular issues or interests.
Meetings are held at various easily accessible locations in central London. We encourage member organisations with suitable facilities in London to provide venues whenever possible.
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How are the speakers selected?
We aim to select speakers in response the challenges and issues raised by members across the whole spectrum of information and knowledge management subject area. We collect this knowledge both formally and informally at meetings and elsewhere and through occasional member surveys. The Programme Manager takes the major role in putting the meetings programme together on behalf of the Management Committee.
The standard of our speakers is consistently high. We have attracted many of the leading thinkers on the subjects of Information Resources Management and Knowledge Management, including David Skyrme of Skyrme Associates, Marcus Speh of Shell, Prof Richard Potter now with Qinetiq, David Snowden then of IBM, Victoria Ward of Sparknow and many others. A list of selected list of earlier meetings (of our predecessor networks) and in most cases the Meeting Reports and a copies of the speaker presentations is available to NetIKX members in the Members Only section of the web site.
More about past meetings and speakers.
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What is available in the 'Members Only' area of the web site?
The 'Members Only' area includes:
- Meeting Reports, speaker presentations and any other presentation material from the current year's meetings
- An archive of most of the Meeting Reports and speaker presentations from earlier meetings of our predecessor networks
- A Membership directory where members can choose to make their fields of expertise, interests and contact details available to other members for networking purposes
- A Resource Centre which will include selected documents and links to sites of particular interest to members. We do not aim to compete with other sites which already provide a rich source of valuable IM & KM resources, and these pages will be built up as NetIKX becomes established. Members may submit or suggest items to be included.
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What do I do if I have forgotten my password?
Send an e-mail to the Membership Manager stating your name and we will e-mail you your password as soon as we can.
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What is knowledge?
There are many views and definitions; this is a NetIKX perspective
Everybody quotes Francis Bacon "Knowledge is power" but few are familiar with the full quotation: "Knowledge is power. But mere knowledge is not power; it is only possibility. Action is power; and its highest manifestation is when it is directed by knowledge." For the individual, the acquisition of knowledge can be for personal pleasure. But for organisations, we take the view that knowledge is 'that which enlightens decisions and action'. In other words, knowledge is anything that helps an organisation to make decisions and undertake actions and as such it includes tacit knowledge (in people's heads), information (explicit knowledge) and processes (the how to, sometimes called embedded knowledge). The inescapable conclusion is that the key asset/resource for any organisation to survive is its knowledge.
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What is information?
There are many views and definitions; this is a NetIKX perspective
Information is a subset of knowledge. It is that element of knowledge that is written down, explicit knowledge, and is sometimes defined as 'data organised for a purpose'. The scientific definition of information is; 'That which reduces uncertainty'. Another way of looking at the issue is to say that 'knowledge is what we know', in which case information is the articulated and recorded part of what we know.
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What is Knowledge Management?
There are many views and definitions; this is a NetIKX perspective
Knowledge Management is a set of ideas that help to understand the nature of the knowledge and how it is used in decisions and actions. It is helping managers to create, organise, store, use and enhance the knowledge resources available to them. From a different perspective, knowledge management is about extending a manager's toolset, giving him/her greater opportunities to make the right decisions and a greater chance of achieving the desired strategy.
If your query is not covered above you can ask your own question by clicking here. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
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