Weekend One

I thought I knew how to use Google? Well the truth is, I didn't even know how to use the search function let alone all the applications and other features. So amazing all this stuff is out there for free, and that I might even be able to figure out, with some help, how to use some of it. Case in point - I am a blogger now! :)

Wikinomics: Chapter Five Reflections

Chapter Five

What strikes you as interesting and why?

The responses from big media firms about how they could respond to the “threats” posed by user generated content was interesting. The ideas provided were very good, but I have not seen any of these put into practice by big media. It is similar to many big companies. Even if they have an idea about the changes that need to be made, which many do not, they do not act. It seems technology and the consumers are passing them by.

What application do you see between what you’re reading and your experiences? How so?

The first example that came to mind was this class. Allowing the class to create the syllabus and outline for the course to include assignments and grading. This is a great example of modeling what is being taught. This is not often the case. I have taken classes about the importance of interaction and application during training where the facilitator lectured the entire time. No time was provided for interaction and no connection was made as to how the martial could be applied.

When learning about collaboration and prosumers it makes perfect sense to make the learners the prosumers.

What implication do you see for how you and others learn? Why are these worth noting?

Prosumption in learning would dramatically increase efficiency and effectiveness. If learners played a key role in what and how they learned, it would change the face of learning. What a way to increase the WIFM. If the learner had an active role in the creation of the class and the ability to provide ongoing feedback to tweak the class, they would have a vested interest in the topics and how the class turns out.

This could be implemented even in corporate training. The scale to which the learner controls the content may differ based upon the subject, but the concept can work. There would always be topics that must be covered especially with regulatory, safety, or technical training, but there is no reason the learners cannot play a bigger role in what and how they learn.

What are you struggling to understand and why?

I am struggling with copyrights, piracy, intellectual property rules. I am not sure I ever really knew all the rules, but now it seems the lines are blurring from what is protected and what is not. The record companies are still fighting to uphold strict copyrights, but now some artists are not? How does a person know what they can use and what is protected?

Wikinomics: Chapter Four Reflections

Chapter Four

What strikes you as interesting and why?

Assume the best people reside outside your doors. This is not a traditional thought. Most companies promote internally and externally the fact they have the best and the brightest. But, when looking at the entire world as your resource, it is easy to see how there may be better people out there. Comparing the world’s ideas to those from the 5000 employees that work within the confines of a company could lead you to believe the best people are outside the company. I had never thought about that comparison before or the opportunities available with mass collaboration.

How might you use these technologies in your workplace? Advantages? Disadvantages? Challenges? Benefits? Why?

The concept of ideagoras could be used in my workplace on a smaller scale even if the organization is not willing to search for solutions outside the company. The organization has about 10,000 employees, but it is divided into divisions and departments that often know little about how the other areas are run. I think the organization would benefit from tapping into resources across business units and departments. If there was a board to post questions/problems to tap into other leaders, IT areas, or training and development employees to see what solutions are out there, I think we could all learn something and be better for it. I am sure we repeat mistakes across business units due to a lack of collaboration or willingness to ask for help outside our own business units.

Other thoughts

Solutions in search of questions and questions in search of ideas: what a great concept. Of course a retired scientist should be paired up with an R&D department looking for answers. How great is it that this retired scientists can solve problems and provide unique solutions big R&D departments had not considered. This is a brilliant idea to connect those in search of help with those that have the answers. I do, however, see how the balance of these external resources and internal resources will become an increasingly difficult task. Along with the mindset change needed for the big companies to open their R&D vaults: their safety nets.

Wikinomics: Chapter Three Reflections

Chapter Three

What strikes you as interesting and why?

The Wiki process. As you can see from the previous chapters, I have some questions about how to maintain the accuracy of Wikipedia. I cannot believe there are only 5 paid staffers and most of the edits / updates are from volunteers that love their topics. Compared to the Nupedia Company that was also discussed it seems the risk of inaccuracy is worth taking as Nupedia never got off the group with all the hoops to jump through within the review and approval process.

Also interesting to see that Wikipedia has 4 inaccuracies to Brintannica’s 3 – however Wikipedia’s were fixed already.

How might you use these technologies in your workplace? Advantages? Disadvantages? Challenges? Benefits? Why?

I love the ability to get information into a wiki quickly, without the painful review process currently required in my company, but I still do not believe our leaders would see this benefit outweighing the risk or incorrect information. However, the self-selection, bottom-up control, and self policing argument is a good one. We have vast online resources that are a nightmare to keep updated. The process is painful and requires a number of sign-offs. I wonder if we had a wiki format in which people could self-select topics in which they had an interest/expertise and they were ultimately in charge of maintaining that topic if we may actually have more accurate information.

What are you struggling to understand and why?

Open source. I have read the success stories in the book and see how powerful this type of collaboration can be, but I still have questions about ownership and profit. I am not sure where this goes if every company adopts this mindset? Yet I also wonder what will happen to the companies that do not embrace it.

Wikinomics: Chapter Two Reflections

Chapter Two

What strikes you as interesting and why?

Coase’s Law was interesting to me. The fact that it was written in the 1930’s, but still true today, and in fact may help explain why companies finally have to change again. Companies that continue to perform transactions in house that are cheaper in the marketplace and miss the opportunities the Internet and collaboration provide are not going to make it.

What application do you see between what you’re reading and your experiences? How so?

I don’t see much application. In the departments in which I have worked, I have found a traditional view toward leadership and training. There is still an overarching belief that classroom lecture is the best way to train; quick and you get the right information disseminated. Everything in this chapter goes against this idea. How do you know someone else does not have a better idea or a better way to do something? Is there really one right way? How can you keep the staff engaged without the option for input? How can you keep them engaged in training? How can anyone learn without application and interaction?

What implication do you see for how you and others learn? Why are these worth noting?

The discussion about the Net Generation was interesting, especially the idea that the real problem with education is not the undisciplined students, the teachers, or the standards rather the lack of engaging content. When learners are used to creating their own content, collaborating to get answers, and finding information about anything they are interested in within seconds, it is easy to see how a traditional classroom setting would not offer the engagement needed. The need for application, self-directed learning, interaction, and collaboration is greater than ever. I think this is not only true for schools, but also for corporate learning. It is extremely important for corporations to realize this when designing/developing training

How might you use these technologies in your workplace? Advantages? Disadvantages? Challenges? Benefits? Why?

I think blogs could be utilized in a number of ways in the corporate training world. Blogs would be a great way to get learners to reflect upon their learning; I don’t think we do enough of that. Others could learn from their peer’s experiences. The facilitator could provide questions or additional learning following a training session in a blog, which provides reinforcement for the training received and an arena for continued feedback and learning.
I still have questions about wiki’s and how they are maintained. I think they could be a valuable tool, but in my work environment the idea that anyone can add comments, correct or not, is a risk most are not willing to take.

Wikinomics: Chapter One Reflections

Chapter One

What strikes you as interesting and why?

I found the success stories of self-organization vs. hierarchical management interesting. My work experience has included a heavy dose of hierarchy. I do not believe it is always the most successful leadership model, but it is the one I have seen most often and the one that has been rewarded within the organizations in which I work. Why don’t companies see this?

I loved the example of the companies that have successfully used this for R&D. Amazing stories. It shows that even a highly regulated and typically secretive industry, pharmaceuticals, can even use collaboration to their advantage.

What application do you see between what you’re reading and your experiences? How so?

I love the idea of putting a question out for all to help answer. On a small scale, I saw this work so effectively this week at work. We have a team of instructional designers that do not collaborate like we should, but one of the designers was struggling with how to present some material. She sent a message out to the entire department; the responses were amazing. The training will be so much better due to that small act of collaboration. On a larger scale the opportunities are endless.

What are you struggling to understand and why?

Peer production – collaborating openly to drive innovation and growth in an industry sounds great, but how do you get a traditional business to utilize these tactics?

Being Open / Peering / Sharing /and Acting Globally are not typical concepts considered. Working in a traditional business that is heavily regulated it is hard to envision this happening. You do not share openly and collaborate with competitors. You do not post the questions you are having trouble solving or ask for help. You protect what you know and what you don’t know. Even within the business units you can find areas where sharing among your own teams is not done, those that know keep that knowledge in order to maintain their status. I am struggling how you get the collaboration started.



The second thing I am struggling with is the accuracy of Wikipedia or any Wiki. If I am a new leaner that does not know anything about the topic, I will have no way of knowing the information is not correct.