Culture Cannot Take Root with AI Alone

Last October, I wrote an article titled "Entropy and Homeostasis".

In simple terms, entropy refers to "disorder."
In physics, it is believed that if left alone, energy dissipates and the entire universe moves toward a more disordered state. Organizations are the same. As the number of people, departments, and information increases, the entropy of an organization naturally grows.

Manufacturing has 5S

At that time, I cited "5S" as a way to suppress organizational entropy.

5S is not just about tidying up.
It is a philosophy of placing necessary items in designated spots and maintaining that state as a habit. Someone on the front lines notices, "This is easier to use this way," starts making improvements, which then spread and eventually become the standard.

5S is, in essence, the autonomous improvement activities of the front lines.

What is 5S for knowledge work?

So, what is "5S" in knowledge work?
If we translate it into a world where knowledge creates value, what exactly corresponds to "5S"?

I believe the answer is "Wiki".
The "Wiki" in Wikipedia is said to be derived from "Wiki Wiki," which means "fast" in Hawaiian. It was named with the goal of allowing anyone to edit quickly.

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia compiled by volunteers. Editors are not paid, and people from all over the world continue to write and edit autonomously.

On Wikipedia, anyone can write and edit articles.
Of course, there are certain rules, but there is a culture where the act of "trying to write" itself is welcomed.

Autonomy fosters culture

I believe it is good to create a Wiki within a company.
That is because I believe a Wiki can become a hub for fostering corporate culture.

It is a "culture of returning knowledge to its designated place."
Ordering people to "write an internal Wiki" does not create a culture.
Someone posts content to the Wiki on their own, and someone else edits it on their own. That is an action born from the desire to "share knowledge that only I know with everyone else".

The same is likely true for "5S."
There are people who try to keep tools and supplies in their designated places. They are not doing it for themselves. They are doing it "for the sake of someone else" who will use them next.

On the other hand, there are also people who leave such things scattered.
In an organization, the force trying to maintain order and the force trying to create disorder are always mixed. I previously described that relationship as "entropy and homeostasis."

Organizations always have entropy and homeostasis in opposition. That is unavoidable, but I think that how much we can increase the number of people who think "for the sake of someone else" is what leads to organizational culture.

Culture cannot take root with AI alone

Recently, AI adoption has been popular.
However, organizational knowledge cannot be organized by AI alone.

AI demonstrates its power only when there is a culture where employees share knowledge and accumulate improvements on a daily basis. That is why I believe there are things to consider before AI training.

That is to foster a corporate culture where employees can safely experiment, improve, and share knowledge.

You can create new content without anyone getting angry.
If you introduce it by saying, "I made this," you will be welcomed.
Such an atmosphere that embraces small challenges fosters culture.

AI alone cannot take root in culture.
However, in a company where a culture of sharing knowledge has taken root, AI will surely help that culture grow many times over.