Lessons from Firefox: #5 – Think hybrid
This is the fifth in a seven-part series based on The Mozilla School of Management in which I’m applying Mozilla’s principles to wiki collaboration (parts 1,2,3,4 of the series). Think hybrid Open-source approaches can go further when they’re paired with conventional approaches. Find ways to blend community-driven efforts into your current operations, rather than jumping […]
Lessons from Firefox: #4 – Nurture renegades
This is the fourth in a seven-part series based on The Mozilla School of Management in which I’m applying Mozilla’s principles to wiki collaboration (parts 1,2,3 of the series). Nurture renegades Interesting things happen when people are allowed to break the rules. Firefox, for instance, was created not by Mozilla’s main development team, but by […]
Lessons from Firefox: #3 – Lead by following
This is the third in a seven-part series based on The Mozilla School of Management in which I’m applying Mozilla’s principles to wiki collaboration (parts 1,2 of the series). Lead by following Paradoxically, managers can be more influential by judiciously declining to exert control. How this applies to wiki collaboration: A wiki has the best […]
Guest blogging this week for ZDNet Web 2.0 Explorer
I’m guest blogging for Web 2.0 Explorer, Alan Graham’s ZDNet blog. So far, I’ve written about the growing use of wikis in education in Davids versus Goliath: a comparison of wikis versus Blackboard CMS. From the post: “The fundamental difference between the two is this: Blackboard is something designed to do everything, and the wiki […]
Lessons from Firefox: #2 – Just ask
This is the second in a seven-part series based on The Mozilla School of Management in which I’m applying Mozilla’s principles to wiki collaboration (part 1 of the series). Just ask There seems to be no limit to what volunteers are willing and able to do for an organization they believe in. But hardly anyone […]
Lessons from Firefox: #1 – It’s the community, stupid
How do you run an organization composed of thousands of volunteers scattered around the world? That’s the question asked by The Mozilla School of Management, a feature in the February issue of Inc. magazine. The article resonated with me because the answers apply equally to an organization’s approach to successful wiki collaboration. In a series […]
Wikipatterns.com in the blogosphere
Since Wikipatterns.com launched on February 14th, a number of bloggers have discussed, praised, criticised, and analyzed the wiki. Here a sampling of what people have had to say: Mike Gunderloy, WebWorkerDaily: “There’s a lot of knowledge distilled in this site. If you’re trying to figure out how to get people on board with a wiki […]
Contribute to the social media & Web 2.0 Wiki Carnival!
This week, Michele Martin and David Wilcox are running a Wiki Carnival to collect resources and answer questions on using social media and Web 2.0 tools in nonprofits. They’re asking participants to either post directly to their wiki or email either of them at michelemartin [at] yahoo.com or david [at] partnerships.org.uk. Here’s what Michele and […]
Using collective intelligence and the wiki to improve how you work, as you work
Jim McGee writes about Alan Kay’s recent interview by CIO Insight magazine, in which he discusses what isn’t right about personal computing and how we should change our thinking for the next generation of computing. From the interview, entitled Alan Kay: The PC Must be Revamped–Now: “Engelbart, right from his very first proposal to ARPA […]
Northern Voice 2007
I’ll be spending the weekend at Northern Voice 2007, in Vancouver, billed as “Canada’s blogging conference.” Here’s how the organizers describe it: “In 2005, the organizers of Canada’s first weblogging conference put on an event that was inexpensive, informal, and accessible to techies and newbies alike. From those humble beginnings Northern Voice has been transformed […]
What’s my role in Wikipatterns.com?
As Atlassian’s wiki evangelist, one of my main projects was launching Wikipatterns.com and helping it grow into a worthwhile, valuable resource for all wiki users. But what exactly is my role on the site? In every other wiki I’ve set up, I’ve been the sole champion or one of a small group of champions, and […]
How’s Wikipatterns.com doing?
Since announcing Wikipatterns on Wednesday, contributors have added 8 new patterns, growing from 29 to 37 patterns! Traffic on the site has tripled every day. The site has also gotten a number of blog mentions, and we’re hearing from people that it’s a very worthwhile project, especially since it benefits everyone. Some examples: Adrian Sutton […]
Introducing Wikipatterns.com
The biggest challenge you face after first deciding to use a wiki is getting all of your coworkers to use it too. Some organisations have been extremely effective at getting mass participation on their wikis, others not so much. How did you get everyone in your community (company, department, or broader community) to use a […]
Introducing Wikipatterns.com
The biggest challenge you face after first deciding to use a wiki is getting all of your coworkers to use it too. Some organisations have been extremely effective at getting mass participation on their wikis, others not so much. How did you get everyone in your community (company, department, or broader community) to use a […]
Jakob Nielsen blasts wiki as over-hyped
In his annual 10 Best-Designed Intranets list, Jakob Nielsen makes two very concerning statements. First, he argues for an “editorial approach
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