Organizational Log
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Tue Aug 11, 2015
It is becoming clear how important basic collaboration structure, and collaborative literacy in communicating that structure, is to the project. Basics include Work Log, and Development Template such that now any project can be found readily on wiki. Google Docs are used for collaborative edit. I see a case for an Entrepreneur in Residence program, piloted with 6 people then done with 12 - where we all pull together, and tuition funds the process. 3-6 month time scale for full prototyping and deployment of one technology including distributive enterprise. On the collaboration front, advisors and high level collaborators who are already doing same things (such as Ashoka people at Collaborators page) - that's where the rubber hits the road - pending the social entrepreneurs having open culture. Recent conversation with Alexander Slocum reveals how backwards center of excellence academic thinking is in terms of collaborative literacy, which is the core reason why I left academia for open source. I found academia to be the antithesis of open source.
Mon Jun 29, 2015
When I spoke to Allan Savory at Permaculture Voices this year, he piqued my interest with his experience on the diffusion of new ideas. He mentioned the work of Saul Ashby about how mental models change. The comment is that public opinion must change before institutions change. The real question is - what is the definition of public opinion? Is that the .0001%? The 1%? The 5, 10, or 20%? Above 20%? What percentage is the Joe Sixpack? Cultural Creative is 20%. This is critical insight for any movement entrepreneur.
Sun Jun 28, 2015
As a result of Webinars, it appears that the excitement does not lie in the DevelopmentvMethod, but product. It always has been. So a shift to focusing around production enterprise has to be the way to move forward. This addresses the livelihood question. Development atechnique does not address livelihood in the immediate sense.
The next milestone for FeF is to recruit the first ever self-sustaining on-site collaborator. The idea would be for that person to run workshops. It appears this will be feasible when Brick Press, Power Cube, MicroTrac, Gasifier, and CNC Torch will be fully deployed. That right there is a powerful fabrication package.
A favorable scenario would be developing the first priority - agriculture. If this person knows how to build the Microtractor, and use CNC torch, and 3d model with a printer, FreeCAD, etc - they can be self-directed into high level R&D work - the key is providing sufficient direction and training, matching the skill level to the person.
There could be a 2 weeks ag/ 2 weeks running workshops every month. There would have to be a serious vetting process - maybe workshop to volunteer on site for a month at expenses paid of $15/day - to qualify for a deep immersion program. The program would offer substantive skills in agriculture and technology. From cad to Rapid prototyping to Machine Construction Set to energy to GIS to breeding.
The critical missing link is still training materials. Maybe the best way to attain organizational collaborative literacy is to write a curriculum - the teaching part - from where the goals and methodology are clarified. One major block right now is the lack of collaborative ecology. The methods and techniques of development are not clear - a persistent block. Specifically - I have not seen anyone skilled in modular breakdown, interface design, and parallel process design for product development. Thus, with little common ground, it is too steep a learning curve for someone to come up with parallel process design.
The next step on the parallel process design aspect of collaborative literacy is to define the methodology. Then, do a pilot course. If the results are favorable, as demonstrated by the ability of a leader to emerge to run a parallel dev process - then we have succeeded on two fronts. One is method of development. Two is the necessary leadership to spread the method. This is essentially a technology transfer question.
The outcome would be, for example, that a mass parallel process is begun to fulfill the open source Aquaponics project. Or nursery. Or Machine Construction Set.
To summarize, it is all about Training Program Development as the next frontier for stacking livelihoods behind GVCS development. Curriculum is key, collaborative literacy training is key - which is a mixture between tools , method, and biz dev.
Thu Jun 11, 2015
Today marks the shift to building a community development effort based on complete teams, as opposed to lean teams. We are still considering lean operation, however, we will be ramping up the recruiting function to make teams more complete. Incomplete teams are a persistent weak point of the project. Economic sufficiency is currently progressing well with the Extreme Manufacturing Workshop Model.
Wed May 6, 2015
This year marks the start of team building and training for creating high performing teams. The benefit is learning leadership and peak performance towards becoming Integrated Humans. The practice is doing world-changing work of creating Collaborative Literacy - one of core Literacy topics.