Blog from the Twog 12/26/2010

[Twog]

Hi there - Juliet speaking,

We moved the Blog from the Twog to the Blog page - this came from a member's suggestion, and helps to provide a bit more coherence when looking for this weekly blog posting.

 

We've got a proposal that we'd like to get members feedback on - so if you see this Blog posting, we'd really love to hear what you think about this proposed annual renovation to the ning site - and New Year's is the perfect time to talk about it - a time of renewal and reconsideration of how to improve our efforts for the coming year!

 

TITLE:  PROPOSED ANNUAL NING SITE RENOVATION and HOW THIS HELPS RENOVATE THE WORK GROUPS AND TRANSITION INITIATIVES

 

Background: We've received many comments about how to make the ning site easier to navigate, especially when it comes to the GROUPS. This also connects to our larger Transition Mission - How do we help people have a clear call to Transition related action? How do we help create meaning by inspiring groups to meet face-to-face and take on the physical effort of working together on projects, documenting their work, and inspiring others? We know that this social network site is merely a means to an end - and is supposed to help make it easy to spread the word - which is:  HEY - YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS TRANSITION THING BY YOURSELF! IT CAN BE AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF FUN! 

 

More nuts and bolts reasons to make changes to the groups:

• Groups become inactive - peoples' interests change.
• A group Creator moves to new neighborhood and no longer want to lead their Transition Initiative (ie. Transition Birchwood, Transition Samish, etc.), 
• Some groups are merely discussion groups and do not intend to meet or do much more than share their best thinking on subjects ( a valuable process in and of itself - but we may want to clarify that).

The Proposal (Thanks to Rick Flug for this proposal):  Every year (in January?) we will archive the ning site. The Ning site creator (David McLeod) has the capacity to archive the site. That way any important information will be available to the group leaders - though I'm sure there is more to find out about this process - we don't have all the details yet.

The Twogs will make their best effort to determine who is leading each group, whether or not it is the group creator. They will ask the person if they want to continue to lead the group into the new year. If the group creator needs to be changed because the group is either inactive, or the Creator is not participating in the group anymore, the group will be deleted. (I've deleted a group before, it's not so bad).

Then the group can be recreated with a fresh leader, and any other renovations the group leader proposes - to the photo, the group's mission, etc. The trick will be is that everyone will need to rejoin the groups that have been deleted and re-created. This will give each member an opportunity to re-consider what groups they want to participate in during the coming year. That's basically it... What do you think?

 

The personal contact to each group leader will help the Twog to provide guidelines regarding what we've noticed that helps make for an effective group, and will help us to focus and guide groups that want to participate in creating the EDAP - the Energy Descent Action Plan for Whatcom County.

 

So PLEASE give us any feedback you have on this proposal - it would be super helpful to hear from you....

 

THE ASSEMBLY ON DECEMBER 11TH was a wonderful event! Thanks to all who participated. A wonderful innovative idea came out of this event - Warren will be posting the minutes from the Assembly, but I encourage all the Twogs to continue to celebrate and write about the important and fascinating group interactions that occurred on that day at the Center for Creative Expression. My deepest thanks to all who attended.

Back to the idea that I am hoping will unify us, get us meeting each other face-to-face, and provide a huge dose of participatory fun to our local Transition effort: Adam Ward and Chris Wolf will organize a monthly Transition Drinks at a roving location (very similar to Green Drinks) with areas for focused conversations and idea sharing around major EDAP subjects:  i.e., Food Security, Transportation, Energy Production, Heart and Soul, Economy, Housing, Education, Waste - with some note taking and summaries created at each gathering. So stay tuned - we should be hearing from the organizers soon. Or contact Adam or Chris and ask how you can help make this happen. 

 

A Very HAPPY NEW YEAR  to all - I'm off to trim the goats hooves!!

Love, Juliet

 

[Angela MacLeod]

Hi Juliet and all,

 

David and I agreed to update the table of contents page for the groups (as was agreed to at a planning meeting a few weeks ago. Note: nothing to be deleted or archived in what we said we'd do, just some updating of what is there or should be there for consistency.)

 

Then Juliet posted this blog from the Twog proposing changes and asking for input from the membership.  David and I decided to hold off on the small fixes we were going to do since it looked like there might be larger changes ahead anyway.

We could still do the updates/fixes, However David is on vacation this week so that won't be happening until after the 9th.

[Erin Dixon]

What Laura said below made a lot of sense to me, personally - there is incredibly valuable info on the website - so much one could spend all their time online which limits the face to face - I really like the idea of *everything* being posted to the events page so people can see everything and it also feels more inclusive and/or less obligatory - as in you have to be a 'member' of the subgroup to attend the activity/work group, etc.  Better to have open invites to any event in one spot - I know this would be a lot better for the "doers" looking for face to face, active things to DO.  The problem with all the subgroups as there are so many, and as Heather pointed out the INDEX isnt current/accurate and some groups arent on there and no doubt some are on there but no longer active, so the index becomes if not useless, frustrating and time consuming, bouncing back and forth.

 

I think the site just needs to be cleaned up and streamlined. Those who are used to it and only go to their specific subgroups are used to navigating it, to someone who is new to it and trying to figure out what clicks or where they might feel 'belonged' its tremendously overwhelming.  No doubt there is some overlap of discussions and some of it is redundant.  I think I joined Heather's group as someone mentioned because it was the largest.  It feels a little fragmented rather than a big group working together to enhance community and contact with people in the community.

Laura references the key topics below and it seems almost as if many subgroups could be blended into those categories; additional groups that are more specific (eg., chicken lovers) could be a subgroup of one of the categories listed below.

 

I dont know if its possible but along the lines of Alan's idea about Holacracy fitting into the organizational aspect, the main page could be organized along the lines of an Index -

I.   Umbrella or Main Group - Transitions

     A.  Food   CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER*:  (name-s, email, phone)

           1.  Chicken Lovers

           2.  Vegans

           3.  Free Range Meat Lovers

           4.  Water quality - ways to improve & alerts

     B.  Energy   CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER:  (name-s, email, phone)

           1.  Solar, Wind, Water alternatives

           2.  Vegetable/alternative fuels

           3.  (etc)

     C.  Transport   CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER:  (name-s, email, phone)

           1.  Bikers

           2.  Water/Electric cars, etc

           3.  Walkers Club

           4.  Air quality Issues

     D.  Heart & Soul    CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER:  (name-s, email, phone)

            1.  Unity Church (etc)

            2.  Meditations for Self/Planet/Communities

            3.  First Nations Healing Traditions

            4.  (etc)

     E.    Economy/Financial  CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER:  (name-s, email, phone)

            1.  Personal Finances

            2.  Currency Issues/Inflation-Deflation

            3.  Investors - gold, silver, alternative currencies

            4.  Trade - services and/or products within Transitions Community

            5.  (Etc)

F.          Newcomers  CONTACT PERSON/EVENT ORGANIZER:   (name, phone and or direct email)*

             1.  Site navigation assistance

             2.  Post concerns/issues not listed above of interest

             3.  Dazed and Confused about Transitioning?

             4.  Gardeners Club - Experts FAQ for new gardners (to this area or in general), ETC.

             5.  Soil - Natural Fertilization, types and necessity depends on soil types in the area

             6.  Insect, Weed and Predator control methods

             7.  Heritage Seeds, Heritage life stock - Defined and why these are critical

 

*Could be more than one person, and/or could add people as contacts if group grew too large for one person to manage.  People wanting to put events on the event page would go to the contact person or the event organizer person if these were 2 separate people.  This could adapt as the group expands or contracts.  Any contact person could post the need for replacement or back up, or list a person as a back up who takes over if the main person/people have to take a break, go on vacation, etc., so it is not required that one person be available/responsive all of the time.

*direct email would alleviate a lot of the chatter on the site that pertains more to discussions between just two people for example on a specific topic, dates, times, logistics, not of interest of the general groups).

             

A-F could be somewhat of a longer list, but not by much or duplication/overlap will occur.  The longer lists should be the subgroups under these categories which would be somewhat limitless as long as the outdated/inactive ones are removed  - otherwise back to sifting thru what is current and what is stale. 

 

I dont know if this is possible, but the lack of cohesiveness (groups scattered and not all things going on one events location/calendar) probably causes newcomers to peter out or lose interest (I say this only because it has been mentioned that a lot of newcomers show up but dont seem active or disappear - ?  The auto emails are great - if people could sign up to receive notification any time any event is added to the events page would be AWESOME for the "doers" and posted by the group the event belongs to (A-F) in example above and/or subgroup below that.  A central events place for everything is a must if one agenda of the site/whole group is to get people active and *together*, involved, etc.  Auto generated emails for people who sign up for that is an added bonus to the 'calendar' or events page.  Reminders are excellent for busy people and the auto emails are great for that, but at least a central calendar/events page that people would get in the habit of checking for updates (instructions posted as heading to this link so people know how the calendar/page operates-functions).

 

Thanks for considering this.  It could be modified as the TWOGS see fit - just trying to show an example of how it might be organized and streamlined as part of the cleaning up and clearing out process.  It would be great if the contact person(s) for each group would notify the person responsible for updating the site when their group has stopped being active rather than having to try to figure it out and risk offending someone. 

 

The contact person could be responsible for contacting any members if no activity for 2-3 months (give or take) and ask if they still want to participate or if they moved away, etc., and if no one responds or states they moved away, on what have you, the contact person tells the site coordinator to delete the group.  I think the contact person needs to be responsible for keeping the group active or eliminating it if not enough interest.

ok - I'm done. Promise.

 

"So, what we tried a blended approach: 
3.  Create or move the featured, action, EDAP groups--whatever you want call them, and encourage activity--thinking at the theme level and action oriented.  I'm hoping the EDAP will help catalyze this....

4.  My favorite idea: if action groups posted their meetings as events, then the doers could easily figure out where to go to plug in, and they'd only need to look at the events page to do it!  Likewise if groups posted their meeting minutes or noted to their group discussions, we'd all be able to tell if it's active or not."
 
------------

[Heather K]

Hi Twog & Juliet: Re Website Changes for our 60+ online groups:.

As time/energy allows - Specific request here for increasing visibility & clarity for a few of the online groups I help coordinate - that is, if the decision is made to use our time/energy towards website changes:.

These 2 active groups have been difficult to find on our website.  They are both Not listed on the 'Group-Table of Contents' page: http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/page/groups-menu

.If you decide to make revisions to the 'Group-Table-of-Content' page, would you consider requesting  the web-designer to correct this? (And to Not archive these groups.) These two groups are:. 

1) "Earth Gardens" - http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/organic   (*Earth Gardens would fit within the Topic heading of 'Ecological Restoration')

2) "Transition Northshore-Squalicum" - http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/northshoresqualicum  (*This group would fit under "TW HUB for Local Transition Initiative", where the other neighborhood groups are listed)

If these changes were made, it might create more community involvement.  Especially for those looking for "hands-on & minds-together" work in building more resilient & healthy neighborhoods during these times of ongoing change.

It would also be helpful to the 'hands-on' network, to also not archive these 2 additional groups:

1) "Seed-Savers" 2) "Small-Scale Grain & Beans".

As there are other groups & errors missing from the 'Table of Contents' page & 'Featured Groups' page, I can offer to work with Juliet & whomever will be correcting & simplicying this. (Just email me or phone if my help is needed).

Thank you Juliet for all that you're doing with the Twog, and for approaching clarity & simplicity in our organic-weblike-network.  Great to hear from Alan & Laura, and looking forward to listening to more more folks perspective!

[Alan Seid]

Hi Juliet.

Hi TWOG.

 

Here's my input.

 

1) It wasn't clear to me from the proposal whether I would need to rejoin only groups that have been deleted/recreated, or if I would need to rejoin any and all groups, anew, each year. Could you clarify this part? Needing to rejoin each year would be tedious for many, and I predict you would see participation in online groups PLUMMET if people needed to sign up newly each year.

2) You may want to use the term "contact-person" rather than leader. It sounds like what you're looking for is a point-person to interface with the TWOG. This could be a different person than the person holding the energy for the group, tracking discussions and decisions, or facilitating the group's meetings. Many people can be "leaders" in many different ways. I would allow for the differentiation of these roles, by calling it what it is: a "point-person", "contact person", "TWOG interface", "Lead Link", or some other term.

BTW, in Holacracy (holacracy.org) -- which is the most fascinating set of organizational practices I've come across to date -- circles are all "double-linked". There is someone from a higher circle (e.g.: TWOG) "appointed" to represent the needs and perspective of that circle at any lower circle. And there is a representative link or "rep-link", elected by each circle to represent the needs and perspective of the "lower" (read: narrower scope) circle (i.e.: work group) at the meetings of the higher circle (read: larger scope).

Something like double linking would ensure that all the necessary communication is flowing two ways. Just a thought. Let me know if you want more info on Holacracy, or just check out holacracy.org

Thank you for your work!!!

~Alan

[Laura J Sellens]

 

Hi all,

My opinion changes pretty rapidly on this subject.   It seems "important" on a group organizational level and "unimportant" on a transition movement scale.  It's like people on the Titanic arguing about which side of the boat they're going to jump from.  What I wish to see is action, in the physical realm, in people's lives.  Projects.  If tidying up the site can help action come about then it sounds great to me.

 

My vision for what might have worked is if we'd had our Featured Group largely predetermined and generic:  food, energy, transport, money, water, art, psyche (heart & soul) etc.  And all these other groups could have been subgroups under the appropriate heading.  But it really seems like archiving groups is not a winning idea.

 

So, what we tried a blended approach: 

1.  Encourage a shift toward using the new mantra (Perhaps we could modify the new member profile questionnaire page to include this basic navigation info)

2.  Allow the original creator or whoever to start a discussion with the same name, make one last post to the group saying it's been moved, and then put "archived" in the group title.  It would still be there and visible yet we could move on from this moment in a more organized way. 

 

3.  Create or move the featured, action, EDAP groups--whatever you want call them, and encourage activity--thinking at the theme level and action oriented.  I'm hoping the EDAP will help catalyze this.

 

4.  My favorite idea: if action groups posted their meetings as events, then the doers could easily figure out where to go to plug in, and they'd only need to look at the events page to do it!  Likewise if groups posted their meeting minutes or noted to their group discussions, we'd all be able to tell if it's active or not.

 

[Heather K]

 

 

Hi Erin, I think eventually the clearest way to support newcomers will be to have a TW Newcomers Info/Chat Group format.

The clarity just due to how the Group format is on the Ning.com program (ie. the comments on a Group have the most recent replies on the first page, rather than the older comments being shown first, which is done on Discussion formats, which can cause confusion to newcomers to the Ning system..).

When our TW front page is reformatted to show Featured groups, than this will also make it easier for someone new on the sit e to locate a Newcomers Info/Chat Group.

Any member has the option to create a new group, however, I would encourage the Twog folks make the decision on this type of Newcomers Group, and I understand this decision might not be at the top of their agenda list.

 

Erin, I hear you say either format would be helpful to you. Would you like me to start a Newcomers Discussion or Newcomers Blog that you & I could communicate on, while we wait to see if Twog decides on a Group format? Or would you rather wait? Either way fine with me.

 A Discussion would appear on the front page each time there was a comment.

Erin, you mentioned you were finding lots of past events on the site. The three ways I know of to learn of the newest events are either to 1) check the events shown on our front page, or view all on the Events page at:

http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/events

2 ) sign up for the local Sustainable Bellingham email newsletter:

3) Join a WT topic group with shared interests & also a neighborhood 'Initiative' group.. Once you click “Join” and click the “Follow” option, you'll receive an email of any new events or comments posted. It will soon be obvious there are more great events & workshops happening locally here than anyone can attend.

 

I hope this helps Erin. Let me know if it would be useful to you to have a blog or discussion for Newcomers be started right soon, while we wait to see if a group for Newcomers Information/Chat is ever formed. I look forward to meeting in person either for a walk, tea, or sharing time in our gardens!

Juliet, thanks for getting your brain & wisdom around all this.. ...(and I apologize for any formatting errors my computer posts are causing...ie I couldn't get the type to show smaller...change it as you can or wish.

[Erin Dixon]

either is a good idea Heather - newbies might help each other navigate the site...less repetition maybe for the oldies addressing newbie issues with the site and ? 

[Juliet Thompson]

Hi there,

Thanks for putting the time into commenting, appreciate the time you took, Erin, Heather, Tris, Shirley, JC, Angela, all... I hear that in general it wouldn't make sense to have everyone re-join groups, but it appears we could do a bit of archiving for inactive groups and possibly consolidate some others. I'll keep you posted, and may call or make contact in some other way.

Juliet

[Heather K]

 

Would anyone like to start a 'Newcomers Chat' Discussion with myself & a few others?

 

Or, would the Twog be willing to create a featured “Newcombers Chat & Questions” Group?

[Erin Dixon]

The face to face meetings sound good and if 'minutes' were taken to summarize, maybe a list of who was there so they could be contacted if someone who was not there wanted more details, etc., to keep the minutes from being to daunting of a task, but posted on the site as such would be really good.  People could easily see (new people especially) what the 'hot topics' are as you listed many of them and they are all important but cannot all be talked about at the same time - never enough time!  So, maybe pressing topics is the key and newcomers to the sight would be able to see what members find of greatest concern, interest or high priority each month!  I like the idea and maybe input from the subgroup (anyone who chooses to participate from the larger group) as far as the agenda or topics for the get together would be a good idea.  I know there are times people get busy with family, work, etc., and may take their eye off the ball of these topics to do with transitioning, peak everything, and this is what makes a group like this invaluable - if a few are asleep at the wheel for a period of time, taking a much needed break from the issues related to all of this, dealing with a family crisis, homework with kids, what have you - there are others who are watching, listening, learning, and able to share.  I imagine that most people who are awake to these issues from time to time take a break from them if only because the amount of information, issues, concerns, etc., is overwhelming - as our my posts - I apologize and will keep quiet. 

 

Most posts sound as if they are from seasoned TW folks and this blog has mainly input from you all who have been involved for awhile - so wanted to provide a newcomer perspective and it is wonderful to have the TW site and everyone who contributes to it - its like an Encyclopedia for all of these important issues to do with sustainability that are complex (or become so) yet so simple/basic at the same time.  Who knew going back to basics could be so difficult to maneuver?  Like minded people wading through uncharted territory together is useful and beneficial in so many ways.  I thought I was adrift at sea on my own until I found this site - you all are doing a great job with it and I have received a ton of great information in the very short time I have been lurking in the shadows as they say.  I would come to the site more often and participate if it were not so bogged down with sooo much information - some outdated (dates have passed in other words for events, time of year for planting, etc)  I have to just kind of throw darts and dig in - often times I find pretty old posts and the content may be useful still and in the future, but when dates/opportunities have passed its just frustrating - mostly because its too time consuming to find the current blogs, events, etc.