Comments on: Community Fragmentation http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/ Gary Barber rants on user experience, and the controlled chaos of the Web Industry Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:19:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Web Demon http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5545 Web Demon Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:05:24 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5545 The problem is all of these industries are ultra competitive. It's kind of like asking the Russian space-race team to co-operate with the American space-race team back in the cold war - noone wants to give the other a competitive advantage. I know within our own company though we have a tight network of contractors who work with us. In order to be competitive, we need all of these people. The tricky part is since they're not in-house, they can also work for our competitiors. In order to build a tighter community, you would have to create a focus on something that isn't our work. The problem is all of these industries are ultra competitive. It’s kind of like asking the Russian space-race team to co-operate with the American space-race team back in the cold war – noone wants to give the other a competitive advantage.

I know within our own company though we have a tight network of contractors who work with us. In order to be competitive, we need all of these people. The tricky part is since they’re not in-house, they can also work for our competitiors. In order to build a tighter community, you would have to create a focus on something that isn’t our work.

]]> By: Judy O'Connell http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5507 Judy O'Connell Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:21:49 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5507 Not sure about all the groups you listed - but there is certainly a dire need to get educators teaching on the web connected to other communities beyond the education community. Though some would be well out of the league of the educator networks, there would be news and views and perspectives that need to filter more strongly back into the education sector to those teaching the web. So stronger ways of 'cross-fertilisation' would be a great thing. I for one would love it - don't want industry secrets :-) just want to work more effectively in an online environment! Not sure about all the groups you listed – but there is certainly a dire need to get educators teaching on the web connected to other communities beyond the education community. Though some would be well out of the league of the educator networks, there would be news and views and perspectives that need to filter more strongly back into the education sector to those teaching the web. So stronger ways of ‘cross-fertilisation’ would be a great thing. I for one would love it – don’t want industry secrets :-) just want to work more effectively in an online environment!

]]> By: Gary Barber http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5497 Gary Barber Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:51:29 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5497 @Gregor - I agree this would not work for business level partnerships. But it does need considering on the level of general community communication and professional development. An area where business relationships and chasing the dollar is put aside. @Gregor – I agree this would not work for business level partnerships.

But it does need considering on the level of general community communication and professional development. An area where business relationships and chasing the dollar is put aside.

]]> By: Gregor T. http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5496 Gregor T. Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:29:05 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5496 I think the main problem is all those communities compete in one way or another. You can´t build up solid cooperations while there´s a way to find new partners for every project. Also switching among the community will make it difficult to get to know each other well enough (sometimes a long-term development of a business relationship). It would be great if it worked - if you could link all parts (or parties) together for a more efficient work. But as long there´s competition, noone will want that others have the same opportunities as well (and maybe work with their partners - not to mention how difficult it will be keeping business secrets). I think the main problem is all those communities compete in one way or another. You can´t build up solid cooperations while there´s a way to find new partners for every project. Also switching among the community will make it difficult to get to know each other well enough (sometimes a long-term development of a business relationship).

It would be great if it worked – if you could link all parts (or parties) together for a more efficient work. But as long there´s competition, noone will want that others have the same opportunities as well (and maybe work with their partners – not to mention how difficult it will be keeping business secrets).

]]> By: Vicki http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5489 Vicki Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:35:57 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5489 Well here is an opportunity for AWIA to become relevant to the whole industry. The folks in the silos need to see how AWIA is relevant to *them* first. And then AWIA is in a unique position to be able to pull them all together. In any organisation, the individual will feel more valued and more positive about their own input, when they see how they are relevant to the organisation as a whole, rather than working in an isolated box their employer has placed them in. This translates on a broader level within the industry as a whole, too. And many organisations would like to see themselves, as organisations not individuals, making an impact, gaining a name for themselves, etc., too. One idea would be for AWIA to have representatives for all the industry areas you listed above. These reps could actively work towards bringing folks from their areas in to share ideas and information. The barcamp type of thing is not going to appeal to many members of these groups so those that won't attend a barcamp (or indeed anything outside of work hours - and it's actually normal for most folks not to attend work stuff outside of work hours) need to be catered for. Managers and those who are not actually IT or web workers in any way, but whose responsibilities include IT and web stuff, also need to be catered for. When folks feel their input is valued and important in the scheme of things, they get excited and want to contribute more. Just my first random thoughts about it! Vicki. :-) Well here is an opportunity for AWIA to become relevant to the whole industry. The folks in the silos need to see how AWIA is relevant to *them* first. And then AWIA is in a unique position to be able to pull them all together.

In any organisation, the individual will feel more valued and more positive about their own input, when they see how they are relevant to the organisation as a whole, rather than working in an isolated box their employer has placed them in. This translates on a broader level within the industry as a whole, too.

And many organisations would like to see themselves, as organisations not individuals, making an impact, gaining a name for themselves, etc., too.

One idea would be for AWIA to have representatives for all the industry areas you listed above. These reps could actively work towards bringing folks from their areas in to share ideas and information.

The barcamp type of thing is not going to appeal to many members of these groups so those that won’t attend a barcamp (or indeed anything outside of work hours – and it’s actually normal for most folks not to attend work stuff outside of work hours) need to be catered for.

Managers and those who are not actually IT or web workers in any way, but whose responsibilities include IT and web stuff, also need to be catered for.

When folks feel their input is valued and important in the scheme of things, they get excited and want to contribute more.

Just my first random thoughts about it!

Vicki. :-)

]]> By: grum http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/comment-page-1/#comment-5488 grum Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:28:51 +0000 http://manwithnoblog.com/2008/01/27/community-fragmentation/#comment-5488 Unfortunately when it comes to joining any sort of commuity with another, you'll hit the same road block as everyone else has in the past - there hasnt been and will never be a single point of contact for collaboration which will be accepted by the macrocommunity as a whole. What we need is a person (or persons) who have fingers in the pie of most of the communities to take the initiative and champion a hub for all. But who has the time or patience to do this? Unfortunately when it comes to joining any sort of commuity with another, you’ll hit the same road block as everyone else has in the past – there hasnt been and will never be a single point of contact for collaboration which will be accepted by the macrocommunity as a whole.

What we need is a person (or persons) who have fingers in the pie of most of the communities to take the initiative and champion a hub for all.

But who has the time or patience to do this?

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