Fwd: [Actkm] What should be posted on a Listserv?

[Neil Olonoff]

All,

Below, Stephen Bounds writes an insightful comment about listservs.

Regards,

Neil

Neil Olonoff olo...@gmail.com
Lead, Federal Knowledge Management Initiative,
Federal KM Working Group hosted at http://KM.gov
Office: 703.614.5058 (US Army HQDA, G-4/Contracted by Innolog)
Mobile: 703.283.4157 (Disabled during working hours)
Personal profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/olonoff
Blogging at http://FedKM.org

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen Bounds <k...@bounds.net.au>
Date: Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Subject: [Actkm] What should be posted on a Listserv?
To: ActKM Discussion List <ac...@actkm.org>

Hi Dave,

I don't know if it's that simple.

I agree that listservs are a poor way to collaboratively construct
lists, but Wikis aren't particularly good at this either.  In the
absence of a robust channel to debate and advance the consensus, a
Wiki will either:
 (a) reflect the view of the most active/stubborn participant
 (b) include all contributions (regardless of contradictions or
conflicting PoVs) or
 (c) only display lowest common denominator points of agreement to
avoid conflict

As for debates, the big advantage of a listserv such as actKM is that
it is neutral ground.  As soon as a debate is held on a personal blog,
there is an inherent power shift towards a preacher/audience mode.
For example, if I were to debate with you on Cognitive Edge, you would
have a clear 'home ground' advantage.

There are ways to mitigate this (for example, shared author blogs) but
if it's anything other than an "open mic" arrangement this problem
persists.

I can't speak for others, but whenever I post on actKM it is in the
hopes of sparking debate without claiming a position of authority or
even necessarily correctness.

The "detailed exchange" issue is also harder than it seems.  actKM
definitely functions best when a topic attracts a responses from a
broad range of participants, but it's very hard to know in advance
which topics are going to hit that nerve that sparks community
participation.

Regards,

-- Stephen.

David Snowden wrote:
>
> ... these days the technology has moved on.  Wikis, Tweets etc. are displacing a lot of functionality.   My rules of thumb would be:
>
> - Development of things like this summary of lens/schools of thoughts that have general utility in KM should take place in the Wikipedia.  Using sandboxes on personal pages allows material to be protected during early development.
>
> - Detailed exchanges between limited author sets should take place on their blogs with a reference placed on the listserv so those interested can follow there
>
> - Listserv used of posting idea, swapping ideas and issues, debate involving larger numbers etc.  Ie anything not covered by the above two.
>
> Now three years ago a listserv often provided some of the first two, but no longer I think.
>
>
> Dave Snowden
> Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
> Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd

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[Downtown]

Hi Neil,

To tackle the listserve vs. wiki issue, I propose we develop a
dedicated website and incorporate the latest collaboration tools from
Google and/or WordPress. Here are three new tools worth considering:

1) Google Friendsconnect (GCF) - provides a "discussion widget" which
is created and added to any website (i.e. provides site independence).
you must login to a popular social network or use your OpenId
credentials to create a thread or add a comment. Here is a sample
website showing the "conversational element":

http://googlesocialweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/introducing-conversations-element.html

More on Google Friends Connect:
http://www.google.com/friendconnect/home/overview?hl=en_US

2) Google Wave - An interesting email/chat tool from Google that is
generating a huge buzz in the development community. The tool will
not go live until September but a test sandbox is available today.

Google Wave:
http://wave.google.com/

3) WordPress P2 - A new blog theme that turns any Wordpress blog into
a Twitter/discussion board. Highly worth considering and available
immediately.

P2 Details:
http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/p2-the-new-prologue/

I could put together a test site if one of these options looks
promising.

Ray Chance

On Jun 22, 6:31 am, Neil Olonoff <olon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> All,
>
> Below, Stephen Bounds writes an insightful comment about listservs.
>
> Regards,
>
> Neil
>

> Neil Olonoff   olon...@gmail.com

> Lead, Federal Knowledge Management Initiative,
> Federal KM Working Group hosted at  http://KM.gov
> Office:  703.614.5058 (US Army HQDA, G-4/Contracted by Innolog)
> Mobile: 703.283.4157 (Disabled during working hours)
> Personal profile:http://www.linkedin.com/in/olonoff

> Blogging athttp://FedKM.org

[Snowden Dave]

For the sake of completeness, the response

"I fundamentally disagree with you on your analysis of WIkipedia (although it can be true of WIkis)

For a start you have rules on citation and weight, and you have admins, rules about edit waring etc.  So the strongest voice can't dominate (if there is interest).  

The other big thing is that the text is the thing, any conversation is on the talk page.  In a listserv its too easy for the volume posters to dominate.  My point on the blog was clearly linked to this.  If you only have a couple of people posting (especially when they spend all their time agreeing with each other) then their own blogs are better places to have that - others can go and watch if they want.   If there is a debate, and it involves more than a few participants yes a listserv an be a good place."

Dave Snowden

Founder & Chief Scientific Officer

Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd

Now blogging at www.cognitive-edge.com