Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is a collection of systems, tools, and methodologies to optimize efficiency in consuming content, processing it, and creating something with it. PKMs are often used by knowledge workers as tools of the trade.
Components of a PKM
At its core, every PKM must include methodologies or tools for the following components.
Content collection
Content collection involves the intentional consumption of content. In the collection phase, not much original thought is usually required. However, content collection must still be:
Intentional. We are bombarded by content from all angles, so the efficient knowledge worker must build up the skills or use tools that enable effective triage, distinguishing between noise and valuable ideas.
Filtered. In addition to choosing which content to consume in the first place, content that is consumed must be filtered in some way. That is, your system must allow you to highlight or take preliminary notes on initial content so that it is reduced to essential points in some way. That way, only a smaller amount of ideas make it through to the next stage.
PKM tools
- Obsidian - site: This is my current tool of choice, and by far my highest recommendation
- Notion - site: proprietary, but the prettiest of the lot. Easy publishing and powerful databases. I would be using this if the previous two didn’t exist.
PKM Methodologies
There are many methodologies about PKM, each one attempting to describe the best way to capture, process, organize, and use notes over time.