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What I do:

  • I actually help companies implement and execute the adoption, introduction and institutionalization of collaborative technologies. In doing this work, I innovate, create and stimulate, ... and when necessary agitate! I spend a lot of time making sure that things are integrated; systems, processes, information flows... It bugs me when technology is introduced that dis-integrates systems, processes, etc. I use a lot of the fundamental principles of "lean execution" to support my work.

My whitepapers and articles

Interesting people

  • Larry Cannell
    I met Larry when I was working as a consultant to the automotive firm he was with. We had the same vision for how business could leverage collaboration. Larry is a broad thinker and a good guy to exchange ideas with.
  • Michael Sampson
    Michael is an industry analyst focused on the shared spaces market -- team workspaces, portal-based interfaces, presence & availability, wireless collaboration, and real-time interaction. I like him because he doesn't just follow the crowd.

Interesting Articles by others

In Black and White series

« Document Management before Knowledge Management | Main | Principles of Process Change »

August 08, 2008

Is Wikipedia an example of controlled emergence?

I have written in previous posts about adoption models including open emergence and controlled emergence. Today's WSJ offers an article on the Wikipedia meet up in Egypt and the issues that wikipedians are facing as they deal with the aspects of growth.

The article offers insight into the tug of war of seeking to remain democratic and open, yet needing some level of organization. And although the sentiment is that Wiki has no rules, the article quotes Jimmy Wales as suggesting otherwise. It seems that as he lusts for the old days, he recognizes that wikipedia is following a path to some hierarchy and some organization. Indeed, it has rules.

This is a good article that offers some insight into the operation of one of the most successful social media activities on the web. There is likely a wiki entry and long discussion about it already.

It does seem a bit odd to me that in these days of virtual existence, that  the  guardians of wikipedia are actually meeting face to face.

Posted at 09:33 AM |

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  • Folks who read this blog are interested in: systems engineering, issues of execution and adoption, how technology can satisfy business processes, creating a sustainable plan, assuring that solutions are well integrated, improving communications, and getting stuff done.

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