I challenge the notion that collaboration will increase simply because of the availability of a new set of interrelated tools, or Web 2.0. This is the same trap that allowed thousands to think of e-learning as a fast and cheap alternative to other options, when in fact it is a complex and viable approach, but not always fast, nor easy, especially when you want quality outcomes. Good elearning requires a shift in operating culture. Likewise, collaboration requires a cultural shift...

I believe there is a great deal of potential to distributed collaboration. I'd go so far as to say it will be a required competence and essential business/organization activity. It will be facilitated to some extent by tools. But it won't happen without us increasing our skills, practices and intentions for collaboration.

The story ("Google Anything, so Long as It's Not Google"), by Randall Stross, highlights Schmidt's refusal to speak to anyone from CNet after that firm published a story by reporter Elinor Mills, who simply used Google.com to compile everything she could about Schmidt.

Come on, Eric, you're basically a good guy. How can you be so inconsistent as to think that the transparency you've created for all the rest of us shouldn't apply to you too?

Here's a teaser ("The PC and open source will outlive Windows"):

"The PC platform is going to outlive the Windows platform. In other words, because the PC platform is essentially open, it can run other operating systems, and it's open to people modifying it. So it will have a longer life span than Microsoft Windows, which is maintained, operated, and completely controlled by a single corporation. I don't think Microsoft is going to maintain its ascendancy forever. In fact, I would be surprised it it's anywhere near as dominant 10 years from now as it is now."

The whole thing is worth your time if you care at all about the future of technology.

Tag: technology

]]> 6786@http://futuretense.corante.com/ Trends 2005-07-28T17:31:02-05:00 http://futuretense.corante.com/archives/2005/07/18/telework_at_sun_and_city_of_san_francisco.php There's a great story in today's San Francisco Chronicle about telework, shared workspaces, and the power of technology to provide business continuity "insurance" ("Work is Where You Hang Your Coat"). The story, by Carolyn Said, features Sun's iWork program and uses Sun's support of a distributed work pilot at the City of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors being led by our friend Gloria Young. - jim ware [Tag: distributedwork]

]]> 6768@http://futuretense.corante.com/ Blink › 2005-07-18T12:14:01-05:00 http://futuretense.corante.com/archives/2005/07/12/is_there_a_muni_wifi_in_your_future.php There is an important article in this week's Newsweek Magazine about the future of municipal WiFi systems ("Pulling the Plug on Local Internet").

The issue of course, is that private ISP's are fighting the whole concept of low-cost municipally managed WiFi - they see it (correctly!) as a serious threat to "their" franchise. -- jim ware

]]> 6761@http://futuretense.corante.com/ Blink › 2005-07-12T23:54:10-05:00 http://futuretense.corante.com/archives/2005/07/12/social_network_analysis.php SmartMobs pointed me to CIO's article about what Mars is doing with Social Network Analysis (SNA). I am learning more and more about this and just starting to understand the practice and the benefits for organizations. There seem to be several applications for this technology in many aspects of org design, capability building and talent management.

I see direct implications for HR professionals in the Talent Review process. The information and data provided by SNA is important input to help determine who holds the knowledge - and who are deemed as the "important go to people." (It's funny that at Mars it seemed that there was interest in lessening the time interruptions so that these key people could keep working on on their projects.) Yes, that is important for the business and at the same time it is equally as important to put these "go to people" in a special category - that of "coach - meaning one who works with others to extend their skills and capabilities." This becomes part of their role in the org. (It should be revered as a very important and strategic role and therefore treated as such with appropriate comp, etc. - something like what GE did in the past with their battalion of six sigma black belts.)

It seems like these analyses can help us pinpoint who the coaches should be and therefore during the Talent Review Process they can be identified as "Critical Talent." The organization needs to assist the "coaches" in learning how to transfer knowledge and by developing "talent salons" - places where those who are quick learners can go to receive the needed knowledge and skills. (I believe this can be a combo of online tools, processes and meetings.) I still have a bias for some F2F for the all time critical component of transfering knowledge which is the debriefing discussion. Many times companies move so fast that the "so what" and "now what" of the learning is left off and people just move on to the next assignment, project, etc. without adequately capturing and/or ingraining the learning. The coaches would ensure that this occurs.

Another extremely good resource article to shed more light on this topic is called "New Tools to Link the Changing Workforce" written by William Ives, Robin Athey and Adriaan Jooste.

]]> 6759@http://futuretense.corante.com/ Collaborative Technologies 2005-07-12T08:06:03-05:00 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/