SV: Social media sites / OST + wiki = ProjectWiki

[Robert Fabian]

Some background on my Drupal comment ...

In my experience, the best information systems "mirror" the socio-tech
systems they are intended to serve. When the architectures are in conflict
the information system is a constant source of frustration (and error) for
the people forced to use it. It is possible to pull back from a full
"mirror" to provide a minimal architecture that people can deploy as they
see fit. The information system doesn't encourage any specific kind of
deployment.

Against this consider three OST support/extensions system tools: Blog; Wiki;
and Drupal Organic Groups. Blogs are easy to understand, but everything
hangs off the initial post; the system provides no direct support for any
structuring of the information. Wikis do support structuring, but are
significantly less easy (familiar) for many. Further, the crowd approach to
structuring depends on a relatively high level of activity. I would be
concerned that a lightly used Wiki might imply a structure that the crowd
would not, in fact, support, but became the default through limited use.

Drupal and Organic Groups pose a different challenge. Within an Organic
Group participants can be free to add any kind of content, from simple web
pages to faqs to "books" (a Drupal "book" is really a wiki, but with a table
of contents). The Group has available to it a full range of web based
information container tools. The boundaries can be made as open or closed as
one might want. But this is going to be a universe that many will find
strange and not all that natural. However, with experience, it can become a
natural home for Group discussions and contributions.

The Drupal answer has the virtue that it can provide a good "mirror" to the
emergent social organization of an Open Space. The cost is a somewhat higher
learning curve. Depending on the tech-comfort of the participants it could
be an effective support/extension environment. It's an opportunity that
appeals to me. I would be happy to explore it further if there is interest.

Bob Fabian

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