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Collaborative Online Projects
Exploring ‘constellation’ style partnerships.
Mark Surman – Commons Group
Fiona MacCool – Meta Strategies
Collaborative Online Projects
Welcome
Explore the idea of collaborative online projects …
… by looking at the constellation model of collaboration and information sharing.
PartnershipsWhy do them? What works? What doesn’t?
Partnership
Your experience?
• Who has participated in an information based partnerships?
• Who has benefited from their partnerships?
• Who has had challenges or bad experiences?
Partnership
Why?Bad reasons• Funder driven• For appearances • Legacy partnership• Adversity
Good reasons• Common issue• Share resources• Pool information• Broader reach• Access for clients• Political impact
Partnership
Challenges• Branding• Sustainability • Control• (Info) ownership• Compatibility • Size / resources• Info overload• Time
Partnership
Constellation Model
Fluid, flat partnership where orgs take different roles depending on situation.
Info network where orgs share content without loosing brand or ownership.
ImportantLead
Organization
PartnerA
PartnerB
PartnerC
PartnerF
PartnerE
PartnerD
PartnerA
PartnerB
PartnerC
PartnerF
PartnerE
PartnerD
PartnerG
PartnerA
PartnerB
PartnerC
PartnerF
PartnerE
PartnerD
PartnerG
PartnerA
PartnerB
PartnerC
PartnerF
PartnerE
PartnerD
PartnerG
Constellation Model
Addressing Challenges• Branding• Sustainability • Control• (Info) ownership• Compatibility • Size / resources• Info overload• Time
• Multi-branded• Resource sharing• Flat structure • Retain ownership• Opt in / opt out• Works big + small• Filtering• Share the load
ACTEW Case StudyCommunity learning network content constellation
Our Community Partners
The "Content-Sharing Constellation for the Employment and Training
Sector" is an informal content partnership related to the employment and training
sector. The six agencies include:
Advocates for Community-Based Training and Education for Women
(ACTEW) The Possibilities Project – Community Information Toronto Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI) CapacityNet Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC-T), Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres iCoach
Constellation Objectives
• Constellation members use database-driven "shared-application" tools to post news, events, and job listings to our web sites, and also allow sharing of the database so that any "posting" to one of our sites is automatically shared with the web sites of other Constellation members as well.
• This content-sharing relationship has allowed each of our organizations to distribute high-quality information to our memberships and target audiences, reduce duplication, benefit from combined staff effort and expand the range of information that we can provide. In addition, the Content-Sharing Constellation facilitates the online promotional efforts of dozens of non-profit agencies to a much wider audience than could be reached through our individual sites.
Background
• Starting Small and Letting it Grow• Beta Test and then test some more• Outreach and growth based on measurable
successful track record• Finding funding and securing partnerships for
sustainability and growth
Project Goals
The ACTEW Community Learning Network will be an online information-sharing conduit for the employment
and training sector. The goal of the project is to formalize, expand, and further enhance the informal
content-sharing model begun by participating agencies of the "Content-Sharing Constellation."
Project Objectives
1. To establish a coordinated network of community-based agencies that will engage in sharing of web-based information and resources for the community-based employment and training sector.
2. To facilitate a community-driven approach to content development from a variety of stakeholders in the employment and training sector.
3. To provide high-quality information and resources that are timely, accessible, and relevant for a full spectrum of community-based employment and training programs and services.
4. To develop an interactive self-publishing database-driven tool that will enable a number of web sites to automatically share their online content.
C on ten t-S h arin g C on s te lla tionP u b lish in g P rocess
P u b lish o r d e le te la te r
H o ld
E xp ires
O p tion toed it/p u b lish con ten t
to m eet ag en cyed ito ria l g u id e lin es
O p tion to d e le te
G oes to h o ld in g b in s o fa ll 7 C on s te lla tion
s ites
E xp ires
P u b lish to au th or's s ite
P u b lish (ac tive ) D e le te
A c tion A p p sU n p u b lish ed C on ten t
A n y C on s te lla t ionM em b er
Constellation Holding Bins
Publish Content
Publish Content
Publish Content
Publish Content
Publish Content
Publish Content
Content-Sharing Constellation Model
DeleteEdit & Cross-Publish
ACTEW OAYECOCASI SEDIPossiCoach MNSJ
Publish Content
Action Apps Content Manager
Action Apps Content Form
Site content in action
Site content in action
CPCHE Case StudyChildren’s environmental health constellation.
CPCHE Case Study
The Vision
The Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE) is an affiliation of ten national, provincial and
local organizations who share a commitment to improving children’s environmental health in Canada.
CPCHE Case Study
The Partners
• Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
• Canadian Child Care Federation
• Canadian Environmental Law Association
• Canadian Institute for Child Health
• Toronto Public Health
• Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
• Ontario College of Family Physicians
• Ontario Public Health Association
• Pollution Probe
• South Riverdale Community Health Centre
CPCHE Case Study
The Partnership
• Collaborative research
• Social marketing
• Community engagement
• Policy reform
• Information sharing
• All done using constellation model
CPCHE Case Study
Info Sharing Network
• Content shared between all partners
• Aggregated on central portal
• Partners can also use on their own sites
• Using common software for info exchange
CPCHE Case Study
Why Share?
• More audience
• More content
• Less work
• Broaden scope
• Mutual self interest
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[screen cap: CPCHE library page with item that is also on PKRN]
[screen cap: CELA press release on CELA site]
[screen cap: CPCHE library page with item that is also on PKRN]
[screen cap: full text of CPCHE library item is also on PKRN]
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CPCHE Case Study
So what?
• 10 groups actively sharing information
• Massive new Canadian CEH resource Clear case being made on CEH issues
• Creation of a credible voice
• Established political clout
• … couldn’t have done it alone
CPCHE Case Study
Key ingredients
• Vision. Integrity. Trust. • Picking partners well.• Patience – partnership takes time.• Constant attention and commitment.• Sharing the wealth.• Partnership development process.• Staff not housed in partner org.
Lessons?What do ACTEW and CPCHE tell us?
Lessons
Principles
All partnerships …• Shared vision• Transparency• Trust• Communication• Clear roles
Constellations …• Information pools• Multi-branded• Opt in / opt out• Flat structure• Fluid leadership
Lessons
Does this work for I+R?
Break out …
• How might the constellation model be helpful in an I+R context?
• What are the most useful elements and principles?
• What would need to be added? What is missing?
Lessons
Critical to Success
• Common problem • Motivation to act• All the right players • Virtual work skills• Communication • Clarity of roles• Clear information ownership
Lessons
Online Work Culture
• Timely
• Constructive
• Good culture of using e-mail
• Collaborative writing skill
• ‘Ping’ level feedback
