[OSList] Fwd: Help Requested in Co-Creating an OST Community Knowledge Repository

[Lucas Cioffi]

Hi All,

Wow- today's been quite an active day on this list!

I've been thinking about something for a while, and here's why I'm
writing... I believe that we can tap the collective intelligence of the OS
community in a new way, so I'm looking for a few collaborators to achieve
something a little ambitious: the co-creation of a community knowledge
repository.  But not a dry one; one that's fun, social, and useful.  One
that can help us tap into our rich discussion archives effectively.

To keep this email short, more details are at the very bottom.  Here's the
invitation:

   - please drop me a note if you'd like to collaborate with me on this; it
   is a work in progress
   - you can read more details at the bottom and respond with
   questions/suggestions to me or the whole group
   - Harrison gave me permission to seed the knowledge repository with
   insights from *OST: A User's Guide*. The knowledge repository can
   contain recommendations from all of us-- from how we each prepare for
   events to our individual techniques for holding space effectively.  If you
   tend to be an "early adopter" you can jump right in to test it out or to
   add your own techniques & recommendations: http://barkbest.com/157
   - you can watch a 3-min overview video of the knowledge repository tool
   (I am the software developer) here:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn0pZhgFVDk

So this is a starting point.  There's a lot of learning ahead for me and
perhaps many of us in order to make this truly align with the needs of the
community.

I know this project can be amazing if it helps us to *build and strengthen
relationships within the community* and if it enables us to *share ideas
among the members of our wonderful community in new ways*.  Would anyone
like to explore this path with me?  More specifics are below!

Lucas Cioffi
Co-Founder, Bark!Best
NCDD Board Member 2010-13
Charlottesville, VA
917-528-1831


*DETAILS:*

*What kind of knowledge repository are you proposing?*
This would be a knowledge repository that would store short questions and
short answers (not discussion-- that's what the OS List is for).  It is a
place for group brainstorming to create lists of helpful answers from a
diverse group of peers.  If a topic deserves more discussion, anyone can
schedule a video chat around it-- similar to a breakout session in Open
Space.  The knowledge repository would be easily searchable.  It would
allow people to ask new questions and to receive answers quickly.

*What is an example question in the knowledge repository?*
"What are some of the best items to confirm with the managers of the
venue?"  Chapter 2 of the OST User's Guide has three answers: flexible food
schedule, off-limits areas, and the tape test.  The community probably has
dozens of helpful answers to this question, and Bark!Best can help us
gather many them.  Here's that example question in the knowledge
repository: http://barkbest.com/s/pcLgt <http://www.barkbest.com/s/pcLgt>

*Is this supposed to replace the OS discussion list?*
This knowledge repository and the discussion list will complement each
other.  They make each other stronger.

*How does this work with the OS discussion list?*
A few ways:
*1. *The knowledge repository can be a user-friendly way for people to
connect to discussion list archives; when someone posts an answer to a
question in the knowledge repository, they can link to the exact right
place in the archives to provide more context for their answer.  The OS
discussion list archives are hard to search.  For example, you can try
searching the archives
here<http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/>;
it's not so easy to find exactly what one needs.  As a result of these
archives being hard to search, there is so much great content and so many
insights from previous discussions that are going largely unused.  If a few
people step forward, we can sift through the archives to plug them into the
knowledge repository so that they get recycled into our present-day
thinking.
*2. *Anyone can use the knowledge repository to schedule a video chat to
take the conversation deeper and share this video chat invitation through
the discussion list.
*3. *A single weekly summary of all activity in the knowledge repository
can be sent out to the discussion list.
*4.* The knowledge repository will create new insights that will spark new
discussions on the OS List.

*What are next steps?*
I think I've found a decent way to start this journey, and I know that the
process will continue to improve with your input.  Harrison granted me
permission to seed this space with quotes from the OST User's Guide.  I put
in one chapter's worth of insights so far.  I'm looking for the community's
advice and some collaborators to help me figure out the path forward.

*Can someone use the knowledge repository to learn everything they need to
know about facilitating an Open Space event?*
Just as one cannot simply follow a checklist to learn how to fall in love,
one cannot use the knowledge repository to learn everything they need to
know to become an OS facilitator.  However, the knowledge repository will
make it possible for any member of the OS community to search for existing
recommendations, to ask new questions, and to receive new answers quickly.
 When you're planning your next event, it's a great way to double-check
yourself using the collective wisdom of the community.  In your practice of
OS, when you discover a new insight that's not yet in the knowledge
repository, you can add it so others can benefit!

*How much will this cost?*
This is a free service for the OS community.  Given what I might learn from
the OS community, I hope to build a business around this tool and sell my
services to other communities.  Ya' gotta start somewhere, so I'm starting
in one of the communities that I belong to.

*What values are you designing into the tool?*
Emergence-- anyone can ask a question or make a recommendation.
Privacy-- you can remain anonymous if you choose, however most people will
probably not be anonymous
Community-- it's easy for people to connect over shared interests using
video chat; the purpose is to build new relationships as we share knowledge
Relationships-- helping people connect by text and live video around shared
challenges and interests
Transparency-- the data is open
Efficiency-- creating a way to organize the insights of many in a
streamlined fashion
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20140131/20d11fec/attachment-0007.htm>