Advanced Knowledge Systems in Tana
Course/Lab by Andrew Altshuler.
Cohort #8 starts January 19.
Tana is the most powerful knowledge management tool available today. Add human-grade AI to the mix, and you have your own knowledge powerhouse.
People who work with complex subjects & vast amounts of information can benefit from this a lot!
However, to truly tap into Tana's potential, you need to go beyond traditional PKM practices by updating your mental models & methods.
Recognizing this paradigm shift and adapting your approach to knowledge management is key to enhancing your:
- Understanding & articulation
- Synthesis quality
- Overall intellectual productivity
As Maggie Appleton put it:
Tana is one of the few knowledge management tools that moves beyond mimicking static text on paper. It takes the computational medium seriously. It gives regular folks access to a set of powerful primitives that previously only developers could touch.
Intro
What to expect from the course?
First principles
Building a robust knowledge system requires a nuanced understanding of computer science, cognitive science, and complexity. In the course, there will be a strong emphasis on core concepts/models for a solid foundation.
Run inside in Tana
The whole program will be fully integrated into Tana workspace. All the workshops will be done right on the spot! That will give you a full immersion effect.
Lab spirit
Although I call this program a course, there will be quite a few elements from the laboratory. You will have the opportunity to work on your own system, applying knowledge immediately, sharing raw ideas & learnings with a group.
Ecosystem
My goal is to show you real-life use cases. So, we'll explore the whole sensemaking ecosystem built around Tana. We will use Readwise, ChatGPT, Gemini, NetworkX, Perplexity, and other tools.
Testimonials
Syllabus
1. History & context
History of Computable Knowledge
Knowledge paradigms
Escaping skeuomorphism
Evolution of tools for thought
Looking forward: Expertise economy
2. Computer science for knowledge work
Information
DIKW
Computation
Representation
Object Oriented Paradigm
3. Cognitive aspect of knowledge
Cognitive load
Memory
Types of memory
Encoding, storage & retrieval
Extended mind
Minimizing computations
Tacit vs. Explicit knowledge
4. Knowledge structures
Knowledge graphs
Ontologies & schemas
Supertags & Queries
Organising principles
General framework
Scaffolding & enabling constraints
Building from first principles
Semantics & semantic functions
5. Sensemaking
Framework of understanding
Complexity
Sensemaking process
Pattern recognition
Data/Frame theory
AI-augmented sensemaking
6. AI as a knowledge co-pilot
LLMs & knowledge work
Basic prompt engineering
More complex prompts
Reasoning co-pilot
Prompt Workbench in Tana
Dynamic prompts
Custom AI commands
7. Building your KNOWLEDGE DEV Environment
Information / Knowledge lifecycle
Types of processing
Robust protocols
Threads & Flow
Export / Import / Tana Paste
Re-formatting data & information with LLMs
Data parsing into Tana
Knowledge Factory model
Filtering & compression engine
8. Synthesis
Asking the right questions
Idea Maze
Forming judgments
Making decisions
Synthesizing new frameworks
Creating reports / articles
Synthesis with AI
Live workshops
The course will be structured around live sensemaking & BUILD together sessions. All workshops will be held in shared workspace.
Tana ALIENS Game
It is a game designed to help you to get more relaxed and confident playing with Tana.
You will learn to apply key concepts from computer science by building a custom setup for aliens in a shared workspace.
Structuring the vast body of research
We'll explore Robert Kegan's works on Levels of Self.
How is his framework connected to recent scientific studies and other similar frameworks.
We're going to make a general structure that will help us to gain a better understanding of the subjects.
Making sense of complex phenomena
We'll explore the recent complex geopolitical events.
I will show you how to collect & structure evidence to make a weighted judgment about the situation.
Building your own KNOWLEDGE ENVIRONMENT
Together, we'll (re)design & build an MVP of a your PKM system using Constraints, Protocols & Threads.
The system will heavily utilize custom structures & AI.
Here is the example of SENSEMAKING ENVIRONMENT from the Cohort #2:
Cohort #8 starts January 19
Ready to join?
Standart
4 weeks cohort
Only 3 spots left
4 live workshops - 30+ lectures & demos
- 2 office hours sessions
- 10+ real-live CASE STUDIES
- 30 minutes 1:1 onboarding
- Shared Tana workspace
- Private Slack community
- Realtime & ASYNC feedback
120 minutes 1:1 coaching- 3 custom Loom demos
Cohort #8 starts January 19
Personalized
Course + personal coaching
Only 3 spots left
- 4 live workshops
- 30+ lectures & demos
- 2 office hours sessions
- 10+ real-live CASE STUDIES
- 30 minutes 1:1 onboarding
- Shared Tana workspace
- Private Slack community
- Realtime & ASYNC feedback
- 120 minutes 1:1 coaching
- 3 custom Loom demos
Cohort #8 starts January 19
FAQ
Who is this course for?
Researchers
Lifelong learners
Analysts
Consultants
Entrepreneurs
Writers
Students
Professors
Lawyers
Polymaths
Basically for all knowledge workers who deal with a lot of diverse information and want to utilize Tana's full potential.
Do I need to know Tana fundamentals to participate?
Yes. You will benefit from the course if you already have some experience with Tana and have a grasp on basic stuff: supertags, fields, and live queries.
Don't worry if your Tana skills are not perfect yet.
If you have any difficulties, I will be available to answer questions during the whole time.
At what time the live event will be held?
The live sessions happen on weekends. We've got people joining from all over the globe, so I usually run two sessions. One is in the UTC afternoon (great for Asia, Australia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe), and another in the UTC evening (perfect for Americas and Europe). I'll set the specific times based on where everyone in your cohort is located. My goal is to make sure everyone can attend comfortably!
Do I have to attend all the events?
While live events are an important part of the course, It's okay to skip some of them and watch recordings. You will get access to the recordings within 24 hours of the event.
Can I get a refund?
14-day refunds are available. Just send me an email, and I'll refund you, no questions asked.