2009-06-16 Collaboration

Slightly edited from a conversation on IRC:

One of the problems is working with a particular subset of users collaboratively. Their model of collaboration is: (a) everyone’s in a room (b) everyone takes turns quietly stating their opinion with no ’crosstalk’ (c) that step is repeated until there is an extended period of silence, and then (d) one authoritative figure writes up their impression of the collaboration.
It really REALLY does not fit my model of collaboration, that is, “What you wrote is shit, I have erased it and replaced it with something better,” to which the originator responds either: (a) “You’re right that is better, thanks” or (b) “You idiot, you have no concept of what I was trying to say, I have restored my version.”
In my experience and without declaring any absolutes, this is a common difference between a female model of collaboration, and a male model. – Daniel MacKay

Daniel MacKay

​#Wikis

Comments

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“Whoa, right on!”, was my first reaction to this quote. But now I’m not sure I understand. Which is considered the “female” mode and which the “male”? Is it 1(a-d) versus 2(a-b), or is it just 2(a) versus 2(b)? Maybe, like much of Art, this quote is open to wide, subjective interpretation.

– AaronHawley 2009-06-17 04:58 UTC

AaronHawley

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I think it’s 1(a-d) versus 2(a-b). The women I know personally aren’t really consensus orientated (at least not when I’m there), so the male/female categories are actually not that interesting to me. What I find interesting is how strangely TheWikiWay seems to match 2(a-b)... Scary!

– Alex Schroeder 2009-06-17 06:47 UTC

Alex Schroeder