Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Wikis and Cohousing Website Members Area, etc. (was, ironically: Very Quick Question)

[John Faust (wjfaust]

As Craig points out, few participate in the building of collaborative
documents (e.g., wiki documents). There seem to be two reasons beyond the
usual constraints of time and inertia. First, there aren't many members
familiar with wiki editing. Second, it takes a certain mindset to convert
inchoate information into organized knowledge. The first can be easily
overcome but maybe the second suggests there are specific roles in this
knowledge-building process.

The way I imagine it might work for Coho US is this. A dialogue emerges on
the listserv that has piqued broad interest. There are two choices. It can
continue in dialogue form until it wears itself out or it can evolve into a
more useful form--a collaborative document. Unless the latter happens, the
dialogue is destined to be repeated as others new to to the list encounter
similar problems. Perhaps more importantly, if the dialogue's loose
collection of opinion and fact isn't consolidated, our understanding of the
problem won't advance because there is nothing solid to build on.

Do I imagine everyone engaging in this consolidation effort? No. Actually, I
would envision there would be a relatively small number on this listserv who
(if they understand wikis and are were not too burned out) would be able and
inclined to move a discussion from dialogue form to document form. An
initial draft is all that's needed--something others can react to. Once it
is available, others will find it easier to add/correct/perfect/reorganize
or at least comment on the content. Furthermore, most collaborative
documents support page subscription. That means anyone can continue to
follow the changes closely. When a change is made, they receive an email
informing them.

I'm not entirely sure what the goals of the Cohousing Association of the US
are. There is a somewhat ambiguous mission statement
here<http://www.cohousing.org/association>and a list of projects on
the same page. One of those projects is "document
effective practices". To me, that suggests something more than providing:

   - a website,
   - a listserv,
   - blogs and bulletin boards,
   - a monthly publication,
   - a directory of cohousing communities,
   - links to other resources,
   - annual conferences, and
   - ad space for cohousing professionals.

All valuable services but I don't think they singly or jointly "document
effective practices". A true knowledge base is one that is fully connected
and capable of revision as understanding clarifies (e.g., Wikipedia). The
Intentional Communities site seemed to have had a knowledge base in mind
with their IC Wiki that Craig and Rob played a major role in populating.

Perhaps the problem is one of unrealistic expectations. If you expect many
to participate in the building, you will be disappointed because some won't
see the need, some won't know how to start the process and some won't have
the essential skills. Wikipedia has been built by a relatively small number
compared to of those who actually use the site. Nevertheless, it is heavily
used and a tremendously valuable asset to most of us. The same would likely
be true of a cohousing knowledge base.

I think the cohousing membership would benefit from coherent presentations
on important issues like:

   - community-developer
relationships<http://wiki.cohousing.org/Community-Developer_Relationships>
   - legal entity choices by phase and state
   - consensus styles
   - accessibility
   - modular construction
   - demographics
   - affordable cohousing
   - what is cohousing
   - work vs pay systems

and a host of others. All of these appeared on the listserv this year. Our
understanding of these issues won't advance until we make the effort to
capture that information in a useful form. From what I have observed on this
listserv, there are enough *writers* here to make it happen.

John Faust