It shouldn't be used to refer to specific techniques (e.g. Compendium, VE) in such a way that the practice of those techniques in and of themselves 'counts' as KA. To me KA is something that certain uses of techniques like those, and unspecified others, can evoke. It's a phenomenon of which certain practices can count as instances, but not automatically.
I tried to write about this in Defining Knowledge Art:
"Knowledge Art is not a set of techniques or a theory. It more refers to a phenomenon and a potential -- something that emerges from particular practices. It involves seeing a problem from multiple perspectives; enabling a kind of multidimensional seeing; matching the representational and dialogic needs of a group at particular moments; expressing, holding, and interrelating multiple meanings; aggregating elements and relationships over time, and enabling insight at any level, time, or slice." etc.
I think there are some useful distinctions there. It would be too easy for KA to be used to refer to any use of a tool like Powerpoint, the way KM has been debased as a term.
An analogy might be that not every guitarist playing a I-IV-V progression really gets to say that they're playing the blues. The 'real' blues has to have some kind of authenticity of expression and depth that gets coupled with the specific technique. This is not to say that the examples below or that Chuck has given don't have this, but rather that as written, to me, they sound close to equating VE and Compendium with KA inherently, rather than the use of those techniques in those situations rose to the level of KA.
Does that make sense? Hope it doesn't sound doctrinaire or hair-splitting, if it does then I wasn't able to be clear and will try again.
From an IM chat w/Simon this morning:
I say:
to me KA is something that is already out there that we are trying to bring into presence
I say:
saying "Compendium is Knowledge Art" really means "Compendium can be a way of creating Knowledge Art"
Simon says:
right - so in that sense so better not to label any speific technique with that as its main name (but can refer to a KA research effort or emergent theme)
Simon says:
and Technique X as an example of KA
I say:
right... or even closer Technique X as an example of a way to get to KA
I say:
(though that sounds awkward)
Simon says:
Knowledge Artistry draws attention to the process, not just the product...
I say:
but anyway it's certainly not C+VE
I say:
right -- process