WikiCED manual

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Change from within: Creating innovation in an organization as an individual.

Introduction

This manual is designed to help individuals, working in an organization, find ways to effectively introduce beneficial change, without full “top-down” support (management, funders, other power sources). In other words, you may be working in an organization and learn about a better way to do things. Everything from suggesting a composting programme, telecommuting, to using a new Web-based communication system. Everyone else is too busy doing things the same way they always have, management has their own long term plans, but you think it's worthwhile to push for your change. This manual can help you.

This manual is particularly designed for those involved in Community Economic Development (CED). We're going to use change based on low cost technology as our lens, because thanks to the spread of the Internet and low cost computers, many opportunities exist. But aspects of this manual should be applicable to many circumstances.

Our references include Appreciative Inquiry, an organizational development process designed to engage individuals within an organizational system in its renewal, change and focused performance. We're also going to reference CED approaches, current software development methodologies, and our own experience and opinions.

One of the technologies we'll be focusing on is wiki. Wiki is a Hawaiian word for fast, and the first wiki was developed to support computer programmers share information on the Web. Wikis allow easy publishing on the Web, including editing pages (after learning a few conventions), and can help solve a lot of different problems as a group, and when including the public. Currently the most famous wiki is Wikipedia, but many other wikis exist. Wikis promote one of the original ideas of the Web, easy participation, and newer developments promote easier exchange of information – for example, using another organization's data in your Web site using systems such as Freebase and Semantic Mediawiki.

The promises and risks of introducing change

Most people would dream about being a change hero, making one suggestion – example and suddenly we have a successful transformation that everyone recognizes. The reality is usually far more complicated.

Computer systems can yield tremendous efficiencies, but they can force people to work in ways they have difficulty adapting to. There's always a question of individuals adapting to tech versus the tech adapting to the person. Good technology will make the user experience and impact as important as the potential gain. This can recognized by learning about successful uses of the technology, and the kind of background and processes went into its development. Many companies and projects are very technically driven. Whatever clever “invention” a technical person managed to come with becomes the focus. Good projects will have multidisciplinary teams that include, where practical, designers, content experts, and end user representation.

Sometimes, change can mean completely changing the way things are, for example replacing factory workers with machines, but it's often better to think of augmentation of people's roles, particularly when it comes to today's imperfect computer systems. In a hospital, a new system can yield a patient death if a system loses a record, but having a receptionist who recognizes people and expects events can lead to a richer system that is still safe, and personal.

advantageous, being a slave to tech

Using innovation successfully

go past using tech as typewriter

curb cut

don't expect more than what is offered

keep it simple

How to introduce change

Katherine, I would like to move this from presentation to here Often, creating value requires significant change. John Kotter concluded in his book "A force for Change: How Leadership Differs from Management" (1990) that there are eight reasons why many change processes fail and to prevent making these mistakes, Kotter created the following eight change phases model:

• Establish a sense of urgency
• Create a coalition
• Develop a clear vision
• Share the vision
• Empower people to clear obstacles
• Secure short-term wins
• Consolidate and keep moving
• Anchor the change

Individuals who want to introduce or lead change in organizations are key agents who should have the ability to connect people to their specific requirements, and must be committed to working with people during each developmental phase.

Change in CED organizations

government money, focuses

Implementing change

Change processes

CED waterfall agile

1. describe key goal (including baselines and measurements), critical budget and timing issues
2. define and refine goal(s)
3. research solutions and select working set
4. refine goals based on working set
5. implement solutions (with as much iteration as permitted)
6. measure effectiveness
7. summarize effects

avoid custom software vs accessibility what do the non profit tech workers want? - problems

Participating in WikiCED

real time additions