5/6/10 - How to collaborate online: The case of "The Portland Bottom Line"

Session led by Peter Korchnak

How do we share the great things Portland businesses are doing

Crowdsourced book, self-published (print on demand)

1 idea or practice per submission, 150 total, written by local small businesses

Collaborating online is possible

Using the POST framework from "Groundswell", but add Purpose before People - sharing sustainable practices
 * People - team of 4: 2 managers, copyeditor, graphic designer
 * Objectives - published book, follow timeline
 * Strategies - online collaboration, print on demand, content by crowd (people we don't know), nonprofit benefits from net profits
 * Tools

Tools - external Tools - internal, back end
 * WordPress site
 * PBWorks - wiki for submissions
 * Probably Lulu for printing, sales
 * Google Docs for initial planning
 * Google Wave for conversation threads, brainstorming
 * Dropbox - sharing files
 * XMind - mind mapping
 * Skype - weekly meetings

Lessons learned
 * Tools come last - first determine, What is the purpose?
 * Have an open mind, be willing to learn

Sustainable Catering Association - now forming, interest from all over the US, interested in distance collaboration and communication - need to figure out how

How do you find people to collaborate with, esp. if you don't know them? LinkedIn groups/discussions; market research

How do you ensure a diversity of voices? Element of surprise, like the unconference - whoever comes is the right people; spread the word through own social networks and those of contributors

How do you get people to participate? What matters is not the # of people, but having the right ones, those who care

Fear in online collaboration: Protection of intellectual capital - legal system hasn't kept up with reality; why lock content if people can benefit from it? Creative Commons as one potential solution

Why 150 participants? Dunbar Number, and approx. # of days per year it does not rain in Portland