- 0 Talk
-
5/6/10 - How to collaborate online: The case of "The Portland Bottom Line"
Session led by Peter Korchnak
How do we share the great things Portland businesses are doing
Crowdsourced book, self-published (print on demand)
1 idea or practice per submission, 150 total, written by local small businesses
Collaborating online is possible
Using the POST framework from "Groundswell", but add Purpose before People - sharing sustainable practices
- People - team of 4: 2 managers, copyeditor, graphic designer
- Objectives - published book, follow timeline
- Strategies - online collaboration, print on demand, content by crowd (people we don't know), nonprofit benefits from net profits
- Tools
Tools - external
- WordPress site
- PBWorks - wiki for submissions
- Probably Lulu for printing, sales
Tools - internal, back end
- Google Docs for initial planning
- Google Wave for conversation threads, brainstorming
- Dropbox - sharing files
- XMind - mind mapping
- Skype - weekly meetings
Lessons learned
- Tools come last - first determine, What is the purpose?
- Have an open mind, be willing to learn
Sustainable Catering Association - now forming, interest from all over the US, interested in distance collaboration and communication - need to figure out how
How do you find people to collaborate with, esp. if you don't know them? LinkedIn groups/discussions; market research
How do you ensure a diversity of voices? Element of surprise, like the unconference - whoever comes is the right people; spread the word through own social networks and those of contributors
How do you get people to participate? What matters is not the # of people, but having the right ones, those who care
Fear in online collaboration: Protection of intellectual capital - legal system hasn't kept up with reality; why lock content if people can benefit from it? Creative Commons as one potential solution
Why 150 participants? Dunbar Number, and approx. # of days per year it does not rain in Portland