Community of the Moment

We consider how a group of like-minded folks might assemble for a few days and produce pages valuable in the moment and possibly posterity.

# Models

We've used the term "pod" to describe authors writing together in sites created for the purpose and collected in a Roster to which they all pay attention.

Mike Caulfield suggests pods be founded with a charter and run by a leader who will administer rules under threat of expulsion. This protects the attention of the remainder. We've yet to see a pod garner so much attention that this has been necessary. See Louisa Parsons Hopkins

Bruce Tuckman proposed that all groups go through the stages forming–storming–norming–performing and that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for the team to grow, face up to challenges, tackle problems, find solutions, plan work, and deliver results. wikipedia

Doug Engelbart outlines how humans have and might further improve their abilities to solve complex problems based on artifacts, language, methodology and training. See Augmentation Means

# Tools

We direct attention through twin alerts atop pages and activity reports retrieved on demand. These are driven by sitemaps retrieved from neighbors in a neighborhood that grows through use or immediately via rosters.

We presume community members are equipped with wiki sites they own and are willing to restrict activity within those sites to that meeting the community's needs.

# Training

To participate on wiki one must know how to operate wiki. We are unique in interaction style both with the computer interface and with what it expects of each other.

We believe that curiosity, attention and self-organization will lead to group success. However, we should document how one can expect an event to progress and even suggest activities that will advance that progression.

We recognize that push mechanisms like alerts and notifications can solicit more attention than wiki is likely to ever demand. As such, a community will benefit from establishing an outside channel, a chat room or news group, to facilitate forming and norming.