Full Circle Associates

From my friend Philip…

Thus when we used to make our constructions, we produced “pure truth” without pretensions, without tricks, without malice. What we did then had never been done before; we did it disinterestedly, and if is worth anything it is because we did it without expecting to profit from it. We sought to express reality with materials we did not know how to handle and which we prized precisely because we know that their help was not indispensable to use, that they were neither the best nor the most adequate. We put enthusiasm into the work, and, this alone, even if that were all that there were in it, would be enough: and much more than is usually put into an effort — for we surrendered ourselves to it completely, body and soul. We departed so far from the modes of expression then known and appreciated that we felt save from any suspicion of mercenary aims.

Pablo Picasso, reported by Jaime Sabartes in, Picasso: An Intimate Portrait, New York 1948

Good food for thought, especially when working hard and fast…

I have a copy, but haven’t had time to read it, but those of you interested in collaboration might want to take a look at Ken Thompson’s new book, BIOTEAMS which brings together Ken’s tips and wisdom into a single volume. His blog is rich in ideas, but it is always nice to have a book to pass on to an organization or team that can use a bit of advice. (As if we all can’t stand to learn how to collaborate better!)

I’ve been helping launch a global online workshop this week, support a massive proposal development and get ready for a F2F conference. (My session on integrating visual practices in whole systems change process has notes here.) Oh, and nurse my husband through knee surgery. So I’ve been silent on the blogging and Twitter front. I had not watched my blog stats much until I installed WordPress and, as is totally obvious, when you don’t blog, your traffic drops like a stone. Makes sense.

Same goes for Twitter. If you don’t tweet, you don’t get tweets back!  Beth Kanter pointed me to TweetStats :: for NancyWhite and help me get a great visual of my Twitter patterns since I first signed up in November, 2006. I don’t tweet when I’m really busy.

Late last month I picked up a trackback from a del.icio.us user, pickinjava. Pickinjava is exploring social networks on del.icou.us. This morning I went to find a bookmark and could not resist clicking on the “my network” link. Visiting this page for me is like a time/world travel hole into which I love to slip — and usually lose several hours.

At the top was a bunch of bookmarks about Africa from Pickinjava. I started clicking on links, going back to the list and seeing what tags were there, and who else had bookmarked the link. Now I think I have a tiny taste of why Pickinjava is doing this exploration of bookmarking networks. It is addictive.

It is fascinating is to look at someone’s bookmarks and for a moment, try and imagine what they are looking for, what they are interested in, why the bookmarked any particular link. A novel full of ideas spring to mind. It is like a nano-second of slipping into someone else’s skin. Not long enough to really KNOW anything, but a ghost of a sense.

I can’t explain it, but it is touching me deeply this morning. So Pickinjava, thanks for noticing my tagstream which led me to you.

Bill Anderson adds to the repetoire of conference capture techniques with Haiku Notes from SXSW

PRAXIS101: SXSW 2008 Reflection: Free association as a note-taking practice.

Your social footprint.
Or your ghost on the network.
You have to choose one.

Of course, to complement the text, I’ll grab one of Bill’s colleague’s visual efforts, an image from Honoria Starbuck!

In the continuing visual thinking vein, take a look at Mike Rohde’s SXSW Sketchnotes AND, the gift he offers with his post, Lessons Learned from my SXSW Sketchnotes. Mike’s lessons from doing Moleskin notebook sketches to capture conference sessions and experiences, then sharing them freely on flickr… pulling out a few key quotes. Go read the whole article.

A Fast Spreading Meme
I’m fascinated at how quickly the sketchnotes spread across the net. On the Tweet scan and RSS searches for my name, “SXSW Sketchnotes” were popping up all over and being re-tweeted like crazy. [Nancy’s comments - we hunger for the visual]

Readers Like Personal Accounts
…Sharing a unique, personal perspective is a powerful way to communicate. Sketchnotes are one way that attendees to the panels can re-live an experience…
[Nancy’s comments - we hunger for the personal]

The Human Touch Attracts Readers
…They’re a little imperfect, yet very readable and understandable…
[Nancy’s comments - we hunger for something we can relate to - with comfort]

Sketchnotes Awaken Memories
…Notes and sketches of my activities help me recall clear memories — even years after the trip…
[Nancy’s comments - well, as I age, I appreciate this even MORE]

New Opportunities
I’ve been approached several times this week about doing “sketchnote” style illustrations for a couple of projects. ..
[Nancy’s comments - being open and generous pays off]

Creative Commons Frees Up Images
All of the sketchnote scans and photos have been uploaded to Flickr with a Creative Commons non-commercial, attribution license, which frees people to place my images on their sites with attribution, and no need to ask permission. I love this!
[Nancy’s comments - so do I. THANKS!]

Image by Mike Rohde

I am intrigued by this bit of advice from Michael Idinopulos writing about Creating a Participatory Knowledgebase: 3 Best Practices

Lead with what you want, not what you have. Many groups, especially research groups, tend to use the wiki as a dumping ground for research they’ve already done. This research typically takes the form of reports which were written for a specific audience to answer a specific question at a specific moment in time. So the value of the reports themselves isn’t so great. What is valuable, however, is the insights embedded in those reports. That’s what contributors should be encouraged to post to the wiki. Put differently, a page called “Trends in Retail Channel Marketing” is a better wiki page than “2006 Analysis of our Company’s Channel Marketing Spend”. (Of course, the report might be useful as backup–so include it as a link from the main page on trends).

Since I’ve recently been up to my eyeballs with a wiki on knowledge sharing, this caught my eye. How do we use language to engage others? What makes something “yet another info dump” and another thing an attractor towards ongoing knowledge sharing?

The KS wiki is mostly about sharing information about knowledge sharing tools and methods. This information is available all over the web, but scattered. What it also lacks is insights of what to use when and a place for stories of use. Right now, we are really working hard to try and find ways to express the invitation for sharing use stories, but I had totally forgotten about ways to ask for what you want? Now I’m thinking maybe a page that is a springboard to expressing need.

photo credit: NataPics
What do you think? How would you phrase the invitation? How would you make any of the existing pages on the wiki more of an invitation to what we want, vs. what we have?

From my talented friends in Australia comes, Blended Chocolate, a three part online learning module about chocolate making.

Now I’ve heard people talk about how online learning is lifeless and is boring. As I started looking at these flash based learning modules on chocolate, I realized two things. What Gary Sewell put together here both shows his/his team’s passion and taps into mine. That’s the magic sauce (well, beyond the chocolate itself.) Passion.

Look at Kim of Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand’s offering on Permaculture, all woven into a blog with lots of visuals, videos and a sense of warmth. Scan the amazing offerings people are making on WikiEducator. No one is making them do that!

Passion!

Passion from the creators of the offering. Passion in the topic. Warmth in the invitation. Poof! Learning!

If you are interested in social network mapping, subscribe to Eva Schiffer’s blog, the Net-Map Toolbox. I was just reading her recent posts and what I like about Eva’s blog is that she offers thought provoking questions and is always reflecting on her practice. This is very useful to me. Again, another example of a blog not just as an information dissemination tool, but as a vehicle for reflection and learning. Thanks for the great blog, Eva!

photo credit: Dizzy Girl
I blogged about an experience last month. I had to send my “note to Meg” via blog post due to no comments or email on her blog. Today, the message in a blog-ttle came back with an answer… the blogosphere can be magical. Official Meg Tilly Web Site | Meg’s Blog | A Northern Conference afternote. Hmm…is afternote one word or two? Maybe it’s hypenated?

Nancy, if you are reading this, you did not abuse me in anyway. Your drawing exercise unexpectedly touched on a memory, a wound that I didn’t even know I was carrying anymore. I cannot have you carrying this in any way. If anything, it shows that your drawing stuff idea, really works and it is a great way to get in touch with what is hidden from ones conscious mind. As well as all the great things that it seems to do for people. Everyone seemed to really be having a great time, laughing and joking and sharing pictures.

Please don’t carry my hurt in your heart. It doesn’t belong there. And in acknowledging it, hopefully, I release it as well. It is not for either one of us to carry. It’s a memory is all. And if it should settle anywhere it should rest in the laps of people who do not protect and abuse small children.

Much love, Meg

Meg, I hear ya and I’m carrying only love, not hurt in my heart, from our chance intersection. And deeply I value the learning that happened in the intersection. I’m VERY glad you got the message. It is interesting to trust in this thing we call the internet.

Love back at you,
Nancy

P.S. I totally commiserate with the hot flashes.