Turn information into intelligence

Posted by Dermot Crowley on 24th July 2017

I had an appointment with my local GP this week. Being a little early, I whipped out my iPad and Apple pencil and started sketching out an idea for my next book (NEWS ALERT: Smart Teams to be published by Wiley in May 2018 – you heard it here first).

When the doctor was ready, I went into his office.  He was keen to find out what I thought of my iPad and Apple pencil because, as it turns out, he’s a huge fan of capturing notes digitally in MS OneNote.  In fact, he had just referred the previous patient to a new treatment based on notes he’d taken during a recent conference.

This to me is a prime example of turning information into intelligence. I reckon we can access almost unlimited amounts of information these days, so having enough information is never really the problem.  It’s only when we can access exactly the right information at the right time that we can use that information intelligently.  Otherwise it simply slips through our fingers.

So, how was my doctor able to bring his conference notes to life at the right time?

 

Firstly, he embraced the right technology and captured the information electronically using his iPad.  Many people find it awkward to use a laptop during meetings and conferences, whereas it’s less intrusive and more natural writing onscreen using a tablet instead.  At present, you may not be equipped with the right technology, but if it means amplifying your productivity, you should push to get that issue sorted!  Or perhaps you have the latest gadgets, but haven’t really embraced them fully.

Secondly, he made sure he could retrieve the information anywhere, anytime by storing his electronic notebooks on the cloud, and having his devices synchronised. This meant that the notes he took on his iPad at the conference automatically synced to his desktop in the office. No more frustrating situations of leaving his notes at home when he needed them most.

Finally, because he had stored the information electronically, he was able to use the search feature to find what he needed almost instantaneously.  This, plus the fact he was able to email the relevant page with the touch of a button, created a seamless and collaborative experience with his patient.

Try doing all that with a paper notepad! This local family GP was using technology in a best practice way to help him to do his job more effectively.

Now compare that to the presentation I gave last week to a senior leadership team. All were kitted out with the latest Surface Pro tablets and digital pens. All had access to MS OneNote. And yet when I asked for a show of hands, only three out of twelve were using it!  Such a waste!

Start turning information into intelligence today.  Boot up MS OneNote and give it a go.  It’s easy to use and has beautiful connectivity with your other favourite tool, MS Outlook.  To really turbocharge your team’s ability to capture, collate and collaborate, call or email me to learn more about our short OneNote Masterclass.

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