Full Circle Associates

For what it is worth, I hope what happens at Community 2.0 does not STAY in Vegas. In May I’ll be speaking about online community history and visuals (really catchy title, eh? I need a title consultant) at Community 2.0. I picked this topic because as Etienne Wenger, John Smith and I were working on our book (yes, it is AT THE EDITORS!!) we noticed this beautiful intertwining between technology development and community - how they have impacted each other. At the same time, you know I’ve become obsessed with the visual and I have been wondering how to express this intertwining in a multimedia way - maybe even almost performance-like. Talk about stepping off a cliff with no parachute. But that’s what makes it fun. Why else take a non-paying speaking gig than to learn with friends, right?

It also is rare that I speak at non-NPO/NGO/EDU events, so this will be fun to step into a different stream and see what happens. It will be a culture shockas well in that I will be coming from a week long gig in Ethiopia. So maybe a wee bit jet lagged as well. I’m coming in a day early (not worth flying home) so if anyone wants to do something low-key, let me know. I have marked Monday the 12th for play and prep.

But wait, there’s more…

I’d also like your help. But first the logistical details.

Conference Information
Now, about the conference (and of course, that discount code I can share with you as a speaker). The conference is May 12-15 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, NV. The website is www.iirusa.com/community Your discount option is a 20% discount off the standard price on my behalf. Your personal discount code to share is: SPKRM2005NW. Please pass this along to anyone you know who plans on registering. They can register by calling 888.670.8200, emailing register@iirusa.com or visiting the website www.iirusa.com/community

A Request to You
I’d like to capture a series of written, audio, drawn and/or videoed personal histories about online community. In other words, tell me a story about your participation in online communities. What was your first time? What was the experience that was transformative for you? If you’d like to play with this, email me or leave a comment. My goal is to weave together these stories along with some historical data and trends. I’ll also be capturing personal histories from people AT the conference. If you are going and would like to help with that, I’d LOVE to have you play in this sandbox with me. I’ll buy dinner for the team Monday night, May 12th as my thank you. You would need to know how to either record audio or video interviews, take a good text interview, or draw it. Seriously - even draw it.

I work a lot inside of communities of one sort or another and they often have their own insider language. You know, jargon. People complain that jargon is exclusionary and it sure can be. But it is also useful short hand within a community and can convey succinctly something with specific meaning. The challenge for us is using that language either outside our communities or with intent to exclude.

But dang, it can be useful. Here is a great example from travel guru/insider Joe Brancatelli who does a lovely decoding for us outsiders. This time it is about talking to gate agents at the airport.

One example: When you don’t see your plane at the gate, don’t ask the agent if the flight is on time. Ask, “Where’s the equipment?” That will force the agent to go to the computer and find out where your aircraft is and when it will actually arrive. If the plane is already at the gate, ask, “When are we scheduled to push back?” Looking for an upgrade? Don’t blindly inquire about your chances. Ask, “How are the loads today?” The agent will tell you how many seats are empty and your number on the upgrade wait list.

What kind of insider language do you use? How do you interpret it for others?

Amazing chocolate airplane and photo by Stevepreneur on Flickr

The soul never thinks without a picture.

Aristotle

Aristotle (384-322 BCE): General Introduction [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]

This is just three snippets of the 50 minutes we spent together. Scroll back and you will see the slides. Thanks, Jennifer!

Part 1

Part 2 (which at the moment doesn’t seem to be publicly viewable)
Part 3

Five Things, or Late to the Party But Hey There’s Still Beer « Ninmah Meets World

Beer? Did someone say beer? In the spirit of appeasing my twitter friends, here are five more, for Rachel. It was learning she loved to weld that made me give in. I am not sure I am going to tag anyone else. How about a variation. If you want to be tagged, leave a comment and consider yourself tagged.

1. My first job in Seattle was in a cookie factory, alternately stacking cookies for packaging or decorating holiday cookies. I lasted a week. My problems? 1. I was too tall for the assembly line and it was killing my body. 2. I worked too fast and the rest of the crew was getting pretty ticked with me.

2. I once had a role in a musical where I was on stage for most of the show but said nor sang anything. Any guesses? (hint: it was a male role. I also played a ghost for one scene. I’m a sucker for character roles.)

3. I don’t like black licorice.

4. I had my first bliss of nature in a stand of deciduous trees, loosing there autumnal beauty upon my head. I danced.

5. I have no tattoos. But I’ve thought about it!

Oh, I want to watch this!

David Sibbet: TED2008: The Big Questions

This from David:

We’ll be doing this using the latest Wacom Cintiq tablets and beta versions of Autodesk’s Alias Sketchbook Pro. Our drawings, some 5-15 for each speaker, will be saved and accessible on a huge portfolio wall with multi-touch capability. If you’ve seen the movie Minority Report,or used an i-phone, it allows that kind of manipulation of imagery. You can pinch-reduce pictures, rotate them, sort them, move them around — all by touch.

I don’t know what we will produce, but it will be integrated into a book about this year’s TED, focusing on the theme The Big Questions. We’re calling ourselves “visual cartographers,” and I’m focusing on making not only the big questions, but the patterns that connect these ideas visible.

March 28th I head to Bowling Green, Ohio for my second Nexus for Change. Last year at Nexus 1 I had the opportunity to work alongside some amazing professional graphic recorders who were supporting the overall event and my eyes were opened to the visual aspects of group process. This year, I’m heading back to Nexus for Change 2/Nexus U and am inviting you to consider going too. And I’m on the Arts Team again (as well as the Tech team, but spreading my wings beyond my customary domain).

I was on the fence because life is crazy and the year is looking to be full of travel. I was unsure because it took a while to see the agenda and to figure out if I had something to contribute/get. Then I decided to let go of expectations and just COMMIT!

This year there are two parts ($600 for 4 days!). Nexus U is a chance to focus on large group/whole system methods and consider how to apply them. Think of “method camp.” Gabriel Shirley has assembled a team of experienced practitioners to lead folks through a series of fast/deep dives on Saturday, then to work in groups to plan actual applications. Then on Sunday night Nexus 2 opens, followed by two days of thinking about whole systems change - how methods are related, how we can use these tools to change our selves, our companies and the world.

Are you a facilitator? A change maker? Interested in change? In methods? Sign up and come along. If you are into visual methods, I’ll be leading the deep dives on Saturday, then I’ll be backing up an old client, James Soohoo (James is NOT old, but this is a past client!!) as he shares how online tools made a difference for his group at the March of Dimes.

For all the details in a downloadable form, click here: Nexus for Change 2 Invitation (pdf)

Visualizing Information for Advocacy: An Introduction to Information Design from the Tactical Technology Collective. Oh wow, this is fantastic. Down-loadable. Free. Here is the overview:

Modern life is saturated with ever increasing amounts of information, advertising and media with little time to digest what is being said. Against this background, NGOs and advocates too often find the information they want to communicate, either buried in long reports full of professional jargon and statistics, or overlooked in an endless stream of media releases. Whether communicating to the public, staff, donors or government officials, information design can help NGOs communicate with more impact, increase accessibility, and present issues powerfully.

Visualizing Information for Advocacy: An Introduction to Information Design is a manual aimed at helping NGOs and advocates strengthen their campaigns and projects through communicating vital information with greater impact. This project aims to raise awareness, introduce concepts, and promote good practice in information design – a powerful tool for advocacy, outreach, research, organization and education.

Through examples, the booklet demonstrates how to use innovative visual graphics to tell a complex and powerful story in a snapshot.

The manual was designed and produced as a collaboration between Tactical Tech and John Emerson of Backspace - a design consultancy dedicated to research, development and promotion of design in the public interest. John’s work portfolio includes print, internet, and broadcast television work for NGOs, not-for-profit corporations, and activist groups.

Hattip to Beth Kanter who tweeted about this!

One more NVoice shout out - Luke Closs had an OLPC with him and taught me a LOT, including how to balance one on your chin. Here I’m getting into it slowly by using my teeth to help. Later I balanced, but sitting on the ground so the fall would be shorter for the little green and white sweetie. I’m still a digital grasshopper, oh Master Luke!

Nancy and Luke Duelling on Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Lee LeFever

I’ve volunteered to be an advocate for the NetSquared Mashup Challenge. It is time to SPREAD THE WORD to all my non profit friends! Here’s the scoop:

Mashup innovators and inventors! Now is your chance to create social change with your unique mashup idea, and have an opportunity to win cash prizes and attend the NetSquared Conference (N2Y3).

The NetSquared Mashup Challenge Project Submission Form for the NetSquared Mashup Challenge is up. Submissions will be accepted until March 14, 2008 at 5 PM PST.

Before you fill out the submission form, we highly recommend that you:

1. Register and log into NetSquared.org. You must be logged into NetSquared.org in order to submit a project to the NetSquared Mashup Challenge, and to edit your mashup project page once it is submitted.

2. Review the NetSquared Mashup Challenge FAQs and the NetSquared Mashup Challenge Community Guidelines.

Questions? Join the Mashup Challenge Live Chat today from 2-3 PM PST at http://www.netsquared.org/mashup/chat. Billy Bicket and Marnie Webb of the NetSquared Team will be onlihe to answer your questions. You can also email us at net2@techsoup.org

Enter the NetSquared Mashup Challenge Today! | NetSquared, a project of TechSoup.org