The concept of cradle to cradle is used to describe materials or products that are recycled into a new product at the end of its useful life. The products have an end and are then transformed into something new, useful; a new product surfaces again and the cradle to cradle cycle continues.
Thinking about information with a cradle to cradle concept is an interesting concept to me. It seems information has a cradle to cradle cycle. Information needs and questions are in need of continuous new thinking, fresh research and concepts on a regular basis.
At the latest AIIP conference Association Independent Information Professionals Stephen Abram Stephen's Lighthouse talked about the need for information professionals to answer the newer questions of how and why, versus the older questions of who, what, where, when. The cradle to cradle concept for information could take the information need/question from its infancy asking who, what, where, when, into its growth of how and why. Bury the question at the end of its life (is the end after the how and why are answered?) and begin the information need/question again from cradle to cradle, constantly refreshing the questions and answers.
It seems at times information professionals need to put to bed some of the answers and and start again with the questions. Grow them in a cradle to cradle manner, knowing perhaps the questions and answers will start, grow, be buried and grow again with a part of the old question into a new and unique set of questions and answers.
A book by William McDonough & Michael Braungart is listed below on "how to innovate within today's economic
environment. Part social history, part green business primer,
part design manual, the book makes plain that the re-invention
of human industry is not only within our grasp, it is our
best hope for a future of sustaining prosperity." Combining an information professionals ability to find and analyze information with the ability to answer how and why, bury it and start again could be a powerful remedy to many current and future questions in need of answers.
Cradle to Cradle: remaking the way we make things.
