Posted on January 26, 2009 - by Vic Desotelle

Online Collaboration Boosts Power of the People

This is such exciting times that we live in. The world is cracking and inside is something completely different for us to feast on. Yes, the turmoil part is painful; very very painful. Yet we’ve got to feed off the energy of what is working, of what feels exciting, to get us out of the unsustainable mess we’re in on this planet. Right? Don’t you agree?

Take this article I came across today in Business Week Magazine. You must read it. Note that it dates back to 2005, which is a phenomena in itself – the fact that we all want to keep with what’s going on but the train is moving to fast to get on board (but that’s another story for later) … So, anyway, the article lists a bunch of ‘people power pioneers’ like Wikipedia’s CEO and so on. It also lists many examples of how fast this so-called ‘collaboration’ train is really moving. Getting to market is taking a fraction of the time. All due to world-wide collaboration that is occuring due to the boom of emerging user-friendly (or getting that way) online tools. Now these tools are getting better and better. Each day I find another one that is easier to use, cheaper (very often free!). There are now over 3,000 collaboration tools online today – It’s truly overwhelming!

The interesting point that I want to make here is that, rather than a company making a tool hoping to fit a market need, most of these tools are being made by the users themselves that need them. I am a good example of this as I am presently seeking out tool designers that can create a user friendly application that follows principles of Discovery Fuel’s ‘Colabs’ collaboration concepts. Hec, I’m going to make my own tool. (By the way, know of anyone I should talk to?) Whereas, a couple of years ago I could have never considered this. This kind of practice is turning the marketplace on its head. I love it! Why? Because I am seeing ‘opportunity’ (which shows up in every crisis) for the little guy, of which there are millions, to make a living in unique, freeing, wonderous, and purposeful ways. So, keep an eye on Discovery Fuel’s Online Collaboration Tools page. There’s much to come as we saddle up to ride into the virtual Colab on the horizon.

Hec, maybe we can “collaborate” on some things together

Vic, D.F.