The Mechanics of Knowledge Management

“Extracting” Nick Milo from the crowd of enthusiastic fellow-PKMers and into the podcast ring for an interview was one of the most challenging tasks for me on the second day of the summit. Of course, as you’re about to hear, it was absolutely worth it.I’m intimately acquainted with his work, but the kind of insights I was after were always missing. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself to get those titbits first-hand, I couldn’t forego it.Although this was already the fourth (and the last) recording of this edition, my interviewing skills were at their absolute worst. Luckily, Nick is a seasoned speaker who clarifies his thoughts (and thus his expression) for a living. And just like that, the interview was saved. Not only that, but more doors were opening up as this friendly coffee chat progressed. I wanted to lift the curtain ever so slightly for you and me to see beyond the perfectly packaged visual identity of Linking Your Thinking. I believe this episode drives the point home.You’ll hear about things like Nick’s boxing business, social checks, shitty books, the importance of authenticity in his and others’ work, friendship with Anne-Laure Le Cunff and Tiago Forte, and the extended note-taker archetyping, which may go beyond what you’ve heard about them so far.In the third part of the conversation, Nick generously lets us in on the behind-the-scenes of the making of his upcoming book. There’s a lot to unpack there, so I jumped on the opportunity to find out more. I’ll certainly purchase a copy once it’s out to share my opinion and thoughts with you as I always do. In the meantime, you already get a juicy teaser.So, as always, I hope this episode will be an hour well spent. If you’re a serious PKMer, Nick Milo’s name and work have undoubtedly popped on your radar on multiple occasions. I couldn’t thank him enough for sharing his valuable time and insights with all of us through The Mechanics of Knowledge Management.Happy listening. And don’t forget to… Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe

Martijn Aslander, a digital fitness missionary and information capitalist, shares his insights on personal knowledge management and community building. He reveals how prioritizing personal connections over monetary value can enhance digital community relations. Aslander discusses the importance of digital fitness for optimizing productivity and presents a philosophical view of information as capital. He advocates for transformative education to promote digital literacy and mental health, emphasizing that information can lead to substantial personal and societal benefits.

This was my second conversation with a speaker at the PKM Summit 2025 in Utrecht. Needless to say, I was still as bad of an interviewer as I was the first time. So, let’s not call it an interview but a coffee chat.Luckily for me, just like Bob Doto, Nicole van der Hoeven was very relaxed about it, so we managed to wing it beautifully.The conversation will appeal to those invested in the Obsidian ecosystem, especially if you’re not intimidated by the technical aspect of setting up your digital note-taking system.You’ll also appreciate lesser-known facts about how Nicole manages language learning, therapy, dream-logging, and complex relationship management in Obsidian.This was intentionally an unapologetically technical discussion between two engineers. I haven’t seen any of those, so I thought it’d be novel. But if you’re serious about squeezing more out of your Tool for Thought, this will be an hour well spent. Visit Nicole’s official website to take a deeper dive into her exciting universe.Happy listening.The next in the series of recordings from the latest European PKM Summit will be with its organiser and one of the most productive fellows in the Netherlands, Mr Martijn Aslander.Take control of your knowledge. Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe

Bob Doto, a writer and educator specializing in the Zettelkasten method, dives into the transformative power of personal knowledge management. He shares insights on enhancing writing practices and productivity through structured note-taking. The conversation also covers the interplay of diverse ideas in writing, emphasizing creativity over commercial pressures. Doto explores the sacred nature of books as social objects and how innovative constraints can unlock creative potential. His passion for tailoring methods to individual learning needs shines throughout the discussion.