How To Learn Procedural Knowledge

"PK tells us how to get things done and how to do them well !

Meaning

Procedural Knowledge (PK) is information, in written or oral form, that describes how to do something with a high level of quality.

Examples of Procedural Knowledge

  • How to perform as a professional, e.g. how to design, research, lead, write, problem solve, listen, and run a great meeting.
  • How to run an organization, e.g. how to set up a mission, execute a strategic plan, or set up a book keeping system.
  • How to accomplish a task, e.g. how to weld, write a memo, build a thermocouple

Facts about Procedural Knowledge

  • PK describes what experts do.
  • PK describes the easy way to do something (experts always do things the easy way; it is human nature).
  • PK describes how to produce quality.
  • PK is an idealization (representation) of what the expert does. Like notes on a page of music, it only represents the music. If the notes are played badly, the music will be no good. If the notes are played at a virtuoso level, the music will radiate with beauty.
  • PK is nearly always rejected by novices. The reason is that people do things in the ways that make the most sense to them. Novices cannot be handed the wisdom of the expert.

How to Learn Procedural Knowledge

Step 1. Recognize that the fastest path to becoming good is to start with great procedural knowledge and make it your own. (most people waste an extraordinary amount of time as they reinvent the wheel by discovering the procedural knowledge through a process of trial and error).

Step 2. Find great procedural knowledge. Most technical books present PK. You can also ask experts how they proceed and then write this down.

Step 3. Write down (i.e. represent) the PK using your words and ideas. You can list steps. You can list best practices. You can make diagrams. etc.

Step 4. Practice your PK over and over and continually refine your approach. During this practice get feedback if possible. Also, find things to read or talk to experts. Over time, the PK will become your way of doing things.

Tips

  • Keep PK simple (7 ideas or steps maximum).
  • Write down your PK in a place where you can easily find it
  • Book/Internet present PK for nearly any topic or performance you can think of
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