For some reason…. the word legacy has been on the brain lately. Are we doing good things with this moment in time when accessible tools for creating, communicating and collaborating (how’s that for alliteration?) are developed and refined on a daily basis?  It would seem like a wasted chance to not take full advantage of these platforms.

However, legacy as the term defined by Merriam Webster as “transmitted by an ancestor” only felt partially right for describing the sense of purpose that has been gnawing as of late.  Although, I have envied those that have achieved the great accomplishment of authoring a book or composing music that lives well beyond their physical being … where I am coming from is more in line with compiling Knowledge.

For a business perspective from the past, institutional knowledge was attempted to be documented via policy manuals. Those with the task of compiling would discuss practices with the implementers, document their findings to be analyzed and revised by higher ups in the organization, and ultimately published and distributed as a way to pass on this information.

The great missing elements were;

A) True collaboration, in the sense those with the most detailed and explicit knowledge were filtered by those that were doing the documenting.

B) Ease of access and search functionality for this knowledge was hampered by the limitations of paper in a binder.

C) Refinement of the knowledge by way of simple editing tools, which would allow for updates as new knowledge was obtained.

This great bank of knowledge was obsolete almost as soon as it was published!

This is no longer the case as knowledge can be gathered and shared in real time via blogs, audio podcasts, video podcasts and ultimately collected, refined, protected and transmitted via Wikis.

Taking the extra step of establishing a Wiki seems to be the culmination point that has been missing as we have morphed from the various stages of internet functionality … however, it represents THE ultimate purpose for all of this.  Yes, it’s great that we can shop, chat with long lost friends, build communities, and send 140 character updates, but there can be nothing more responsible than compiling and refining your personal knowledge in a way that is accessible for others.

The capability is not only limited to the demands of corporations but can be applied to social scenarios  such as parenting, the arts, hobbies, etc.

A great example of creating knowledge in a real time way and transferring that information into a searchable, cross-referenced database has been developed by Leo Laporte at his great TWiT Network.

All of the information about the hosts, shows and references from his vast array of programming can be found at the TWiT Wiki. As Leo, the hosts and guests on the podcasts discuss current topics, the information that they bring to light is updated into the Wiki as another means of distributing the knowledge.

Why shouldn’t we operate under the same premise? As we are all investing considerable amounts of time creating rich media content for the web, isn’t it our responsibility to compile the information in such a way that it can be transferable?

Blogs are a great linear form of stating facts and opinions with some level of search functionality, however the content tends to scroll off the front page and land in the archives. A wiki format creates a much simpler way to maintain and access this information .. including the ability to update and collaborate.

Just think how you would feel if you had the ability to peruse your parents or grandparents Wiki detailing all that they knew about farming, blacksmithing, pottery .. or whatever their area of interests might have been.  It would be fascinating as well as informative!

Now, go forth and Wiki ….

Throughout my adult life, I have been thinking up various applications for technology.  I can remember sitting in a bar called Peabody’s in Binghamton NY discussing the possibility of inventing vending machines that would be placed in college dorms to dispense soft-serve ice cream cones.

That concept never really took off, but that kind of thought process has remained a constant for me.

Most of the ideas lose some steam and fade away, but some developments actually take root and turn into something functional.  Presently, I’m not considering turning my attention to bringing something else to life, it’s more like I am making a wish list and expecting today’s great innovators to come along and meet my demands.

I am thinking about my IPhone and the amazing applications that are being developed.  There is a great two part series rundown of IPhone applications at Todd Crawford’s blog called Todd Talks.  I recommend looking over his advice and choosing the most appropriate applications for your needs.

The application that I want to see developed for my IPhone corresponds with my growing frustration whenever visiting medical treatment facilities.  There is great debate about letting a company like Google store your personal medical records, prescriptions, allergies and all pertinent information in their vast databases for access via ubiquitous web applications.  This certainly raises serious concerns over patient privacy and many health care industry regulations would have to be amended to prevent unlawful searches.

However, I am a big proponent of cloud computing and my ability to access my work files from any internet connection has had a tremendous impact on my daily productivity.   I believe that this same concept of secure data storage can be successfully applied to the medical records industry.   As I sit with my wife or daughters trying to “remember” various procedures or treatment scenarios, always thinking that it has been over ten years since my last tetanus shot, reminding the doctor what our next scheduled visit might entail … I want that information at my fingertips!  It drives me crazy to see them scribbling on a form document that gets turned over to some office admin to manually key into our precious life records.  I’ll concede that I have been fortunate not to have had any major medical issues and maybe the procedures are better at the higher levels of treatment, but technology should allow me to maintain and access my own personal records no matter where I am seeking care.

Searching the ITunes Store there are certainly some manual entry, record keeping applications, that apply more towards simple fitness regimes.  There is even a physicians “chart” application that may lead in some interesting data portability directions.

But there is one application that piques my interest …. It’s from a company called Life Records Inc. and the application is called My Life Record. They may be on the right track.  For $49.99 the application allows me to store and access my entire family’s records.

Data entry is still a problem … a fax number and a code given to the Doctor to submit the records to the company doesn’t compel me to sign up, and it relies on HIPAA regulations that require the doctor to transmit the information to the company.  I want to use the IPhone’s extraordinary synching & imaging capabilities to get the records on the spot with a plug in and download at the end of my visit, while it simultaneously synchs with the cloud for data storage.

I also need a much better assurance and comfort level with the service provider to rely on this technology, which is why I believe it is going to take a major company initiative from the giants such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle or some other major data warehousing company to meet the needs of the entire transaction .. from doctor’s office, to application to patient.

Now get to work!