We (the Skoll team) already feel incredibly nourished by your many thoughtful, rich and generous posts: you're confirming what the research we did to "test" the online community for the social sector idea told us--that most of us are hungry for knowledge, eager to understand promising new ideas, and willing to share what we've figured out the hard way.

Makes me think of a favorite line of mine in Alice Through the Looking Glass where she says to the Unicorn, "I'll believe in you, if you'll believe in me."

What keeps you going?

Jeff Skoll - Jun 25, 2003 1:52 pm (#1 Total: 18)
Founder of Skoll Foundation


I second Sally's thoughts. I shouldn't be too surprised at online community after all these years, but I have been most impressed with the quality of the posts. Thank you for being charter members of this community, this is where the culture starts that will likely remain the culture for SocialEdge from here on out.

Since Sally is quoting Alice Through the Looking Glass, I thought I would throw in one of my favorite sections from Alice in Wonderland.

** *** ***

Alice asks the Cheshire Cat `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'

`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

** *** ***

I don't exactly know how this quote is relevant to SocialEdge...but perhaps somebody out there can rationalize why it is useful?

I'll start: We are hoping to that a sustainable culture and community grows on SE. We don't exactly know what shape or what direction the community might take, so we'll adapt as we go.

Anyone else wanna try?

Kallie Blauhorn - Jun 25, 2003 3:24 pm (#2 Total: 18)


Sally and Jeff,

Whew, those are some good examples of powerfully simple analogies. I agree with both of your interpretations with only a few things to add. I think that SocialEdge has created more of a "way" to get to their end result than this analogy would imply. For example, just in the process itself (i. e. setting up a web site for an on-line community to share and learn from each other), the Skoll Foundation has paved an uncharted road in the on-line sector of social philanthropy. While Alice doesn't care where she goes, both the founders and users are seemingly coming together with heads full of similar visions and hearts full of the determination to get it done.

The people who frequent these pages and use this web site should be as far from Alice as you can get- people who know which way they want to go and know that it matters in which path they choose.

Congrats to the team at the Foundation and the pioneers of SocialEdge!

Steve Rudolph - Jun 25, 2003 10:14 pm (#3 Total: 18)
Director, Jiva


Hi Jeff,

I love your challenge! It's been while since I've read Alice, and I found a site that has the complete story online:
http://www.online-literature.com/carroll/lookingglass/

Let me take a crack at it:

1. Mission and Purpose
It is critical that the hosts of a site have a clear purpose behind their site--with goals, missions, etc. Otherwise, you wind up with an meaningless environment with people babbling nonsense (or nonsense-babbling people).

2. Use of SocialEdge
When visitors come they might not know why they have come, what they are looking for, or what they want to get out of the site. In that case, it doesn't matter where they start, they can just go in any direction, and it'll be just fine--they'll surely find something useful.

3. The need for orientation, mentorship and guidance. Poor Alice has fallen into the SE Wonderland, and is a confused lot! No wonder-- she's never used a discussion board, and there are all these links here and there, and she can't figure out where to start or what she should try to get out of it. The Queen might consider:
- making a newbie guide to those who've recently fallen down the rabbit hole. (The community guidelines are there, but I had to actually hunt them down--and they could be enhanced.)
- creating a mini flash or ppt presentation about the site with some screenshots
- holding physical events perhaps to train people how to use SE.

As I read through Alice, I started finding more and more lessons that could be applied here...

Here's one that could be used to encourage people not to feel shy, and to contribute/share ideas and experiences (I noticed there are over 500 registered users, though only a fraction of them are posting)...

`Speak when you're spoken to!' The Queen sharply interrupted her.

`But if everybody obeyed that rule,' said Alice, who was always ready for a little argument, `and if you only spoke when you were spoken to, and the other person always waited for YOU to begin, you see nobody would ever say anything, so that--'

sbhargav - Jun 26, 2003 10:11 am (#4 Total: 18)


Hi Steve,

I would like to add to your Mission and Purpose and encourage the edge to think about "Who are its customers". One possible answer is that its customers are topical discussion group moderators and it is building a platform to help them.

These moderators would act as beacons for kindred souls and get a meaningful and productive dialogue going.

I for one would stop using "Edge" if it it did not help me towards the passions I care about. Number of people who post and # of posts are psuedo metrics like the famous "eyeballs" of the dotcom era. A more meaningful metric would be based on real results achieved and whether edge becomes the go to place for social entrepreneurs to help them with their passions.

If there were moderated topics ( with moderators from the community not Skoll) and moderating was simple then I would be excited. I would also like the moderator to provide a map to a document repository for the topical area where anyone can download documents that would help in avoiding pitfalls and not reinventing the wheel.

For example I am attaching to this message a final report on the prototype I developed at Stanford University. This should be of interest to those interested in hepling communities through commerce.

Attachments:

SuVyapar Project Final report.doc (37 KB)

sbhargav - Jun 26, 2003 10:16 am (#5 Total: 18)


Oops ,

The document I attached in the earlier message was the wrong one. Right one now attached....

Attachments:

SuVyapar Project Final report.doc (47 KB)

Michelle Goguen - Jun 26, 2003 12:20 pm (#6 Total: 18)


First, a hearty congratulations for getting SocialEdge off the ground. You're already capturing useful discussions and valuable insights.

Next, to help Jeff draw relevance between the Cheshire Cat's quote and SocialEdge...

Isn't this all about organic growth and self-organization? While goals and planning are important, too much of it can snuff the creative spark that happens spontaneously between like-minded yet unique individuals. We all have something different to contribute as well as different ways of getting "there". Creativity (and therefore innovation) happens where contribution meets passion. SocialEdge is about doing something that hasn't been done (or going where no one has gone before). So, if we're going somewhere new, how would we know how to get there?

Jeff Skoll - Jun 26, 2003 1:19 pm (#7 Total: 18)
Founder of Skoll Foundation


Steve,

Wow, what a great post...you even "saw my Alice" and "raised another Alice" (sorry, bad poker terminology).

But good points and I'll make sure Keely sees this.

Jeff Skoll - Jun 26, 2003 1:25 pm (#8 Total: 18)
Founder of Skoll Foundation


Michelle,

Right on...I think the tendency of many "community" sites is too much planning and not enough organic development. Then again, not enough planning / direction can be harmful too. Walking that line seems such an art!

Keely Stevenson - Jun 26, 2003 2:24 pm (#9 Total: 18)
Royal Bafokeng Economic Board


Hey There Steve,
I love this discussion! You have quite a gift for creative expression! Very valuable suggestions for the Queen too. You will be happy to know that we have begun a newbie guide and have a power point with flash that explains how to use the tool. Phil will post it after it is polished. We are all set in planning mode for the Social Edge Live events later in the year that would gather community members to celebrate their relationships and learn more about how to use the tool! Any suggestions for a good location in India?

Here's my invitation to the Tea Party. Gather around for an important question:
How would you enhance the Community Guidelines?

What are some of the key cultural characteristics and values that have already been voiced on Social Edge that need stronger representation in the guidelines?



Link to Guidelines:
http://www2.socialedge.org/?98@42.7ocQaMOsa0A.33201@community_guidelines.html
  

Keely Stevenson - Jun 26, 2003 2:53 pm (#10 Total: 18)
Royal Bafokeng Economic Board


Michelle, What a fantastic quote: "Creativity happens where contribution meets passion!" It really describes the genesis of this site and how we hope it will support and empower contributions of changemakers around the world.... finding the balance between organic growth and responsible nurturing of that growth via planning is key!

sally osberg - Jun 26, 2003 3:32 pm (#11 Total: 18)
CEO of Skoll Foundation


Hi SuVyapar,

Your post is thought-provoking--moderators as "beacons for kindred souls" who otherwise might run into the rocks! I like it very much.

Sally

Dragonfly - Jun 26, 2003 4:52 pm (#12 Total: 18)


I think it's important to remember that not everyone is bold, risk-taking and confident out of the gates. Part of the challenge in any community is to make it safe for people to share out-of-the-box ideas, communicate honest reactions and disagree with one another.

I believe that an environment where we are encouraged to think about and believe in the impossible, is one where great ideas will germinate into meaningful, actionable programs that can have considerable impact on our society ...

Alice laughed, "There's no use trying," she said, "one can't believe impossible things."

"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

sbhargav - Jun 27, 2003 8:36 am (#13 Total: 18)


I have been playing around with a really cool piece of software ( Personal Brain V2.0) called the Brain.(www.thebrain.com.)

It helps organize thoughts without impeding creativity.

There is I think an enterprise version that maybe the company will licence to your foundation for free or at a reduced fee .You all at Skoll may want to take a look

Jerry Michalski www.sociate.com had presented this product at the Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship program.

sally osberg - Jun 27, 2003 9:00 am (#14 Total: 18)
CEO of Skoll Foundation


so true, Dragonfly--but believing at least six impossible things before breakfast seems a great way to begin any day (even if it is that off-with-her-head queen giving such counsel!).

Sally

Steve Rudolph - Jun 27, 2003 10:17 am (#15 Total: 18)
Director, Jiva


Hi Jeff,

Well, Sally gets the kudos for starting it off. And your invitation really opened things up! Frankly, I could have never imagined creating alalogies between Alice and a social sector website--what a great creative challenge for those who just can't get enough. So any time you're up for some SE Alice Poker, let me know. I'm game!

I would also like to comment on Dragonfly's post, which I think is very relevant. People need to feel safe if they are going to post. And I feel that the SE team has done a great job of creating support, by being attentive and encouraging people. It goes a long way.

Best, Steve

Steve Rudolph - Jun 27, 2003 10:26 am (#16 Total: 18)
Director, Jiva


Hi Keely,

When I logged back on today, there were 11 new posts in this forum. I couldn't imagine what was going on!

The response time for the action you guys take on suggestions is surreal. So couching it in terms of an invitation to a Wonderland Tea Party is VERY apropos. I will certainly give inputs on this shortly.

About a live event in India...we at Jiva have some very lovely tea to serve as well...

Irene Wong - Jun 27, 2003 8:12 pm (#17 Total: 18)
eBay Foundation


What does SocialEdge have in common with Alice, a unicorn, a cheshire cat, and more I suppose the parallel of heading down a rabbit hole on a journey to explore In Wonderland, there is a queen, a ruler who’s called her majesty Unlike on SocialEdge where all is organic, defined and ruled by community However, members do participate in mad hatter-like conversations and debate Where they might not understand one another, but new viewpoints they can appreciate Is SocialEdge a Wonderland for the Social Sector community What remains at the end of this rabbit hole we’ll just have to wait and see Although early comments show it just may be…

-------------------------

Congratulations friends at Skoll for making SocialEdge come to life, which it certainly did this week.

David Bornstein - Jun 30, 2003 10:48 am (#18 Total: 18)


I just logged in today after being away for four days and I was delighted to discover the 'Alice and the Unicorn' thread. It's cool to see an idea that resonates with many people put out there -- and then to see people riff on it, each in their own way. It reminded me of how much shared experience we all have.