Sources of Knowledge within a Digital Sector

 Sources of knowledge within a digital sector 

 

Academic publications 

These include academy papers, research journals and magazines. The advantage of these sources is that they usually focus on one specific topic and varied perspectives are provided. A downside of these sources is that they may use highly technical language which may not be best for someone who has little to no knowledge in the subject beforehand.

Websites 

A lot of websites can produce valuable sources. For example, forums, social media, blogs, stats websites, and wikis all contain knowledge which can be used to learn about different topics. One advantage to these is that they are universally accessible as everyone with access to a web browser can find them. This makes them non-disclosed and open to view. However, one drawback is that they can contain false information that will prevent learning. The world wide web is unregulated which means that anyone can put up anything. This creates a vulnerability where anyone can post fake or unreliable knowledge which could be mistrusted as real.

E-learning 

E-learning takes place digitally, usually using personal devices. They can consist of online courses, videos, text files, animations and audio. These sources all give practical tasks and interactive quizzes to test and teach users. Many courses can be delivered by MOOCs (massive, open, online, course) which give users a qualification when completed. An advantage to e-learning is that it is easy to get involved with and learn from. The courses are often regulated by large companies such as Microsoft and Cisco so only reliable knowledge is present. One disadvantage is that some are highly expensive, and everyone may not be able to afford to take part.

Professional networks and peers 

As people progress in their careers, they create relationships with professionals and other people in the same field. These contacts can be useful in sharing knowledge about related topics in a human friendly interaction. Many people belong to a professional body which runs conferences and network meetings. These provide useful knowledge from people doing talks, lectures and other physical communication events. One benefit of this source is that you can ask questions based on how well you understand the topic at hand. One disadvantage of a professional network is that you may be given unreliable information or information that has been over-dramatised for effect.

Supplier literature 

This source can take multiple different forms including instruction manuals, tehcnical details or information about up-and-coming products. These are supplied when a product is bought and can be in a hard copy or electronic format. This is the most valid and reliable source of information as it is written by the manufacturer themselves and so it will contain the most up-to-date research and tests. One disadvantage is that they are often not formatted very well and so they are hard to read. They can also miss out certain topics the manufacturer does not deem to be important.

White papers 

There are two different types of white paper: 

• Information documents providing details of a solution or product that an organisation sells or is planning to sell in the future. 
• A document that presents government policies and legislation to gather public reaction. 

The information documents are usually the most relevant and reliable source as they are written for the sole purpose of learning and gaining knowledge. A white paper document will provide accurate and detailed information about a certain topic over a wide range of subjects and sectors. One advantage is that they are so in-depth with their topic and that they are so varied. However, a disadvantage of them can be that they are created for marketing purposes and designed to sway public opinion and view which may make them slightly unreliable.