Call For Collaboration
The wiki media is perfectly suited for collaboration. A CallForCollaboration can be thought of as similar to a call for papers for a seminar or proceeding. It is a marshalling of resources based upon common interest in the creation of a RealWorldObject or a RealWorldProcess utilizing the synergy of many people working as one, but supplying their several mind sets, abilities, and resources (cf. CrowdSourceing).
Collaboration is hard. A media (even as cool as wiki) is not sufficient to enable collaboration.
- A call for papers is a call for individuals to present what they know - easy.
- A call for collaboration is a call for individuals to work together - hard.
I would like to work together in a synergistic way to create software and value (and I guess I am not alone in this). I am trying this on a local level in Chicago (but even this, with face to face communication, is hard).
Collaboration requires several principles to be in place:
- a unifying purpose
- a clear understanding of who does what
- an integration plan
- unambiguous interfaces
(for collaborating software components I also add, OnceAndOnlyOnce and unambiguous interfaces) -- PaulCaswell
There are some other useful principles at: http://www.communitycollaboration.net/id22.htm (this link is broken) Summarized by the following:
- Start With a Unifying Purpose
- Create, maintain and update SimplePracticalMissionStatements
- Set Goals and Objectives
- Believe in what you are Doing and the People who are Doing It
- LeadershipByExample
- Coordination - Organize and Document Efforts
- Stewardship of Time and Resources
- Openness Empowerment and Accommodation
- Communicate as Friends
- Discover and Encourage Areas of Interest
- Recognize Personal Responsibility, Others Efforts
- No Sacred Cows
- Perseverance, Continuity, Consistency and Dependability
- Evaluate, Feedback
- Celebrate Successes, Be Flexible, Show Gratitude
- Underlying these rules, always remember three fundamental principals.
- Everyone needs to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Everyone needs to be heard.
- All of the information needs to be clear for everyone.
With VideoConferenceMeetings, A CallForCollaboration can convene participants in a relatively short (almost within minutes) period of time, providing many of above characteristics to be employed.
- examples:
- GoogleHangouts
- OoVoo