The Journey Begins – The Team

In the same way the Fellowship of the Ring formed from a diverse set of people with very different backgrounds, so did our rag tag band of volunteers come together from all over the world – Seattle all the way to the Netherlands.

Project visionaries Susan Evans Dorsch and Jacob Sayles took on the task of tracking down volunteer team leaders to give the Coworking Wiki the longevity the project needed. Team leaders would dedicate one-year to their roles, with a maximum commitment of five hours a week. Putting together a team was the vital first step to the wiki project’s success.

Getting Down to Business – Milestones

To get to the next level in the Lord of the Rings game, one must make it past a number of checkpoints. Similarly, the wiki project has built upon each success, achieving one goal before moving onto the next.

Beyond building a team, our next milestone was to raise funds to support necessary technical improvements and communication staffing. More than 400 coworking spaces were contacted as part of the fundraising campaign. Though we fell short of our goal, the real benefit of the fundraising push was getting to talk to spaces all over the world, drumming up awareness and support for the project. As a result, many countries have started their own resource gathering projects to better represent what is happening with coworking all over the world.

Next we wanted to clean up the directory section of the wiki. With more than 6,000 visitors each month, it was important our information was as accurate as possible. Since the project started in March, we’ve managed up update all of the U.S. Western and Southern regions space information.

The Road Ahead – 2013

For those who may feel slightly removed from the overall coworking community, this is a fantastic way for you to dive-in, connect, and help out a team of people just like you. Want to make your mark outside the management of your own space? Where better than the premier resource on the web? This is your opportunity to learn, to be heard, to make a difference that will help people discover the coworking greatness you already know about. Coworking is amazing because of the communities that it brings together, both in person and online. Be a part of it.

In addition to general volunteering, we’ve got some specialist roles we’re looking to fulfill.

Focus Group:

The changes we put into the Wiki need feedback. We want to be sure our edits are effective and meeting the needs of the community. Focus group volunteers will periodically be sent emails outlining current updates and asking for feedback on information organization, content, etc.

Editors:

While anyone can sign up on the coworking wiki for editing privileges, we’re looking to recruit a special task force keen to make focused changes as part of our larger plan. Volunteer Editors will receive emails outlining scheduled changes for a particular time frame and be able to sign up for which edits they would like to tackle. This role is perfect for those looking to explore and learn more about the wiki’s resources or veteran users wanting to tackle the cleanup.

Translation Specialists:

Coworking is an international phenomenon, with an extremely diverse community. While many countries are building resources in their native languages, the Coworking Wiki provides a great coalition building tool to bring together knowledge, resources and people from spaces around the globe. Translation specialists will not only help bridge the communication barrier, but also keep the core Coworking Wiki Project team updated on needs and ideas from non-English speaking coworkers.

Directory Dynamos:

Our amazing Directory Coordinator, Ashley Aspiranti, is working hard to make sure the space director information on our site reflects the most current status. This is the perfect volunteer area for those looking to build knowledge of spaces all over the world and get connected to owners/managers of those locations.

If you are one of those folks inclined to help, fill out the contact with the role you’re interested in HERE! We want to open up the Wiki to the collective voices of everyone willing to put in the time.

Come join the fun!

I first heard about coworking while attending TedxSanDiego last year. I met an incredible woman who told me about this great place that a friend of hers had created for entrepreneurs and then introduced me to the founder of Hera Hub.

I became an intern at Hera Hub shortly after meeting the founder, Felena Hanson. I had an incredible experience helping to build the Operations Manual for our space, and was incredibly lucky to be able to join the Hera Hub team after finishing my internship.

The Coworking Wiki was a critical resource for me throughout my internship. I think it is an incredible platform with amazing potential, but there is room for improvement.

The organization of the page is the main thing I would like to change. There is so much great information, but it can take some digging to find all of it.

My role with the upgrade project is Volunteer Coordinator. To my understanding, I will be helping to organize everyone who is excited about getting involved with coworking in some shape or form.

When I saw that the coworking wiki was under construction, I immediately looked for ways to get involved. Coworking is such a fascinating concept and dynamic industry, and I think this will be a great way to keep up on the latest trends and also share those changes with others.

I’m really looking forward to contacting and communicating with the other “big players” in the industry. Since it is such a young concept, I love talking to people about their trials and successes with coworking. Every space is unique and has thought of a cool innovative way to overcome obstacles and create the best space for their coworkers.

My friends know me for my passion- I am incredibly passionate about travel and social entrepreneurship… Finding a way to bridge these passions is my life goal and something that I am always sharing with my friends!

If you are a coworker, it may have occurred to you that it would be great to have a place to offer services, seek a collaborator, and otherwise broaden your global horizons among other people who make choices just like you — other coworkers.

If coworking spaces or coworkers are your target market, you have undoubtedly thought, wouldn’t it be great to have a place where I could make my pitch in a targeted way, and get in a conversation with my customers without spamming half the world to find them?

The new Open Coworking Team hears you. These are all common issues within the world of coworking, and up until now, we have had no globally organized means of fulfilling them. Enter the Marketplace.

The Marketplace is a pilot project by the Open Coworking Team to create a crossroads for the whole coworking community to buy, sell, and trade goods and services among one another. We’re all heavily involved in the creation and curation of communities at our respective spaces, but we want to give you more than just the Global Coworking Directory and the Coworking Visa. Fabulous as those things are, we just gotta do more, gotta be more.

So we made the Marketplace. An online space for the buying and selling of goods and services similar to Craigslist, but specifically targeted to the coworking niche.

There are a couple things you’ll need to know:

First, there are some rules, but they can all be boiled down to: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” We want to make sure that our community is built on trust, and for the Marketplace to work, we need people to respect one another and make sure they’re helping each other out as much as possible.

Second, not everyone can post in the Marketplace. If you’re already a member of the Coworking Wiki you already have permission to post. If you’re not a member yet, you will be given limited permissions for a trial period before we grant you free reign to post in the Marketplace.

Third, we are starting out on the existing Wiki and so the Marketplace will not be the shiny/sexy/amazing experience we expect it to become when we finish the upgrade. Some thought was given to just waiting until the upgrade was a fact, but we decided that we might as well get the bugs out in beta on the existing Wiki. And PBWorks (our hosting company) has so far been very good to us.

Does the Marketplace sound like something you’ll use? Let us know here and we’ll get you set up.

Does this sound like something you might be interested in? If so, head over to the volunteer page and we can get the conversation started. We’ll figure out where your talents and interests lie so that we can find tasks that are relevant and suited to your particular skill set. The fact of the matter is that this project doesn’t run without the help and support of people just like you, so if you think you can help make the wiki the greatest coworking resource on the internet please don’t hesitate to let us know.

How did you first hear about coworking?
My introduction to coworking was actually pretty random. I had just moved back to San Francisco after living in the mountains for the winter and desperately needed some money. A friend of my mother mentioned that her daughter Jennifer needed help setting up a coworking space so I decided to help out.

Hilarious high-school memory?
During a school assembly that I felt didn’t warrant my attendance, I was attempting to leave campus from the upper parking lot when I was spotted by one of our campus security guards. There was a gate at the bottom of the hill that, if closed, would have blocked me from leaving. The security guard and I made eye contact and I immediately floored it in an attempt to beat security to the gate. What followed was a high-speed race between my truck and a campus security golf cart. My freedom was on the line and I wasn’t about to go down easy. After mowing over speed bumps, and recklessly bombing down the hill, I ended up reaching the gate just as security was dismounting their golf cart to close the gate. I blew past and chuckled to myself as I turned onto the street. Freedom was mine. When I got to school the next morning I was immediately called into the office and given Saturday School. Chalk one up for high school security.

How did you first hear about coworking?
I first heard about it from Susan as she was preparing to start Office Nomads. She told me about her inspiration for starting a space to work within her community and it sounded incredible. I made sure to be at Office Nomads’ launch party and every Open House after that. Turns out, it literally paid off for me to stay connected to their growth.

How did you get involved with it?
After I was riffed from working at a high school, I traveled for the summer then stayed with Susan for a couple weeks when I came back. One of those days she and Jacob were on her deck writing a job description for somebody who would work for Office Nomads who would be focused on the community. They asked me for my input. I looked at their chart with ideas, asked for the marker, wrote my name on the board, and walked away. Jacob and Susan looked at each other and said, “She’s totally right.” Thus, I became the Community Cultivator.

What do you like best about coworking?
I love meeting people who are doing such different and amazing things. These are folks I never would have had a chance to meet otherwise but now we are all under one roof together. That’s pretty freaking neat.

Have you ever used the coworking wiki before?
Oh my goodness, I used to have to walk people through it all the time! People would call me from all over and ask for help learning about coworking in every corner of the world. I would have them go to the wiki and I would walk them around it. The wiki and I have had some quality time with strangers together.

What do you think of it?
I think the layout is intimidating to people who don’t know anything about it. It’s incredibly wordy, right off the bat, and can be overwhelming. It was always hard to walk people through it because there is too much happening on the page. That was with me walking them through it. I can’t imagine them going in blind.

What’s your role with the upgrade project?
I’m the Volunteer Coordinator!

What inspired you to get involved with the Wiki Upgrade Project?
Jacob and Chelsea are so passionate about it. You just need to see them talk about it! Who doesn’t want to help them?!

Why do you think this is important?
Oh my goodness. You ask a lot there. I think that the wiki upgrade will make coworking more accessible to all. First, coworkers and space managers will be able to better learn from the current vibrant community and see how they fit in and can add to it. Also, it fills in the blanks for people who just have a vague idea about coworking. They can see that it’s an international movement with different variations from space to space. There is something for everyone.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered so far with the project?
I’m trying to play catch up. I feel a bit lost at the moment but am not worried because there are so many people on the team who are really excited to help me get settled.

How are you dealing with it?
Meetings! In-person and on the phone. So much has been done before I joined the team! I have a lot of catching up to do!

What pop-culture phenomenon would you like to see go away?
DUCK FACE! Can we all agree to stop puckering our faces like water fowl? Holy crap! One does not need to outstretch one’s lips to look attractive! If anything, you’re only reminding us all of what a child you are.

We have a brand-new Volunteer Coordinator!  Welcome Alexandra Kruse, who will fill the epic shoes of Cospace’s Sarah Cox.  I will be posting an interview with Alex later this week so stay tuned.
Now that the VC position is filled, we are assigning tasks based on the content structure document that was developed by Jacob and Susan.  The tasks are arranged in terms of time investment and difficulty so they can be appropriately meted out to our wonderful volunteers.
Speaking of which, we sure could use some more volunteers!  Ideally, we are seeking current employees of coworking spaces who are willing to donate their paid time to this project.  If you are interested or know someone who is, please contact Alexandra.
We continue to assassinate spam wherever we can find it, and the unsinkable Jeannine from Kamer 52 in the Neatherlands is hard at work filtering new users and finding us a translation guru.
Our website will be undergoing some changes now that we’re not actively fundraising anymore, but the blog will stay the same, so you can continue to visit and see how the project is progressing.

We are excited and energized to dig in to this work openly and collaboratively with all of you.  We never forget that this is your wiki.  And we would love to hear your thoughts about it anytime.

Onward!

Chelsea

We are very excited to announce that the project has hit critical mass. After we completed recruitment of the Coworking Wiki oversight team, the work of reorganizing the wiki became self-sustaining. Right now, the team is welcoming and training new editors, recruiting volunteers, cleaning up the directory, adding information to the site, and reviewing the proposed wiki content structure. We’re also preparing to update this website to better reflect our progress and support the work ahead. The only aspect of the project we’ve had to put on hold is the upgrade to a map-based, searchable coworking space directory. We hope to implement this change someday, but present fundraising simply will not allow us to proceed on this until a later date.

Several brave souls have stepped forward to volunteer. Some are translating the details of the upgrade project for non-English speakers in order to broaden awareness and support. Others are cataloging wiki resources so that when the content structure has been finalized, we can begin migrating the data. There’s a lot of work ahead, and thanks to your support, it will get done.

The Coworking Wiki educates about the values and models of coworking, connects freelancers and small business owners to spaces, and shares the tools that make opening and running a space easier. Our donors recognized the need to improve this incredible resource, and this project would not have been possible without their help in carrying the burden. Coworking communities everywhere will all benefit from their generosity, and they have our eternal gratitude. Individuals and organizations that contributed to the project are recognized as Coworking Wiki Founding Partners.

What Happens Now

The wiki belongs to all of us, and a top priority is making sure the community is informed and has a voice in its development. We will continue to post news about our progress and calls for volunteers on the blog and Twitter. We will also keep a list of ongoing and upcoming wiki-related projects on this site. Your feedback is always welcome.

Adieu, My Loves. Adieu

Starting today, the project coordinators responsible for launching the upgrade – Jacob, Chelsea, Susan, and me – will be retiring or moving to advisory roles. Jacob and Chelsea were with the project from the start, and Susan joined soon after. When it became clear that we would fall short of our first fundraising target, all three of them offered to forfeit compensation in order to see the project through. Even after the July 31 transition, they’ve offered to pitch in when they can. Inspired by Jacob and Susan’s passion, I came aboard in early May to assist in communications and outreach efforts. I’d originally signed on for a month and stayed for three, but the obligations of my day-job and other part-time commitments now require that I step back. I am honored to have been a part of the project and to have worked with everyone involved. They are wonderful, inspired people.

And don’t even get me started on the rest of the team! Knowledgeable, talented, and brilliant! Never have I experienced a staff with less drama and more humor. Our email exchanges were epic. Team Coordinator Katie Hurst has organized an excellent system of check-in emails, shared documents, and Skype calls to keep everyone on track.

So, with that, we begin our transition. We hope to soon have a global Coworking Wiki that we are all proud of. There will be the inevitable bumps in the road and false-starts. When we encounter these, we ask for your patience. We’re here for the long haul.

Donating to the Upgrade Project is a great way for spaces and individuals to demonstrate their commitment to the coworking movement and its values: openness, collaboration, accessibility, sustainability, and community. We will recognize all of our donors on the wiki as Founding Partners.

Just the Beginning

In many ways, the real work of the project starts now. We invite you to review and provide feedback on our proposed draft for the wiki’s Content Structure. You can respond to this blog post or contact us with your thoughts. There is already a wealth of information available on the wiki, and we expect the task of managing this valuable resource will only grow more formidable going forward. We need your help in order to ensure the site’s hierarchy will be as simple and intuitive as possible for newcomers.

Are you an expert or highly experienced in something coworking-related? Do you see a section on the wiki you could improve upon? Is there a relevant topic that’s completely absent? Maybe you want to get involved, but aren’t sure of the best way to help. Consider volunteering with us. We’ll talk to you about your experience and talents in order to identify the task best suited to your interests, and then we’ll provide any assistance you may need.

Though active fundraising will conclude on July 31, we will continue to provide you with project updates and news about the wiki, posting information on the blog and Twitter.

For Our Donors, We are Misty-Eyed

We’ve accomplished a lot, but the majority of our work is yet to come. It’s all possible only because of the tremendous amount of financial and logistical support we’ve received. The vast majority of this support comes from people in the coworking community who recognize the benefits of having a Coworking Wiki that’s more organized, up-to-date, and carefully maintained. We will all benefit from the generosity of these individuals and organizations. Everyone who contributes before July 31 will be recognized as a Founding Partner. Our thanks will never be enough.

Coworking Wiki Founding Partners:

• Andrew Cole (Seattle, WA, USA)
• Anne Kirby – The Candy Factory  (Lancaster, PA, USA)
• Aurelio Balestra – Toolbox Office (Torino, Italy)
• Boon-Teck Tan – MakeSpace (Singapore)
• Cat Koehn (Seattle, WA, USA)
• The COOP (Chicago, IL, USA)
• Cospace (Austin, TX, USA)
• Deskmag (Berlin, Germany)
• Steve King – Emergent Research (San Francisco, CA, USA)
• Gangplank (AZ, USA)
• Geoff Mamlet – Cambridge Coworking Center (Cambridge, MA, USA)
• Gerard Sychay – Cincinnati Coworks (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
• Ingy döt Net ( Seattle, WA, USA)
• Jamie Wright – Seed Coworking (Toledo, OH, USA)
• Jessie Rymph – Purple Rain Coats (Seattle, WA, USA)
• Jen Moon (Seattle, WA, USA)
• Jennifer Mincar – Office Squared (Burlington, VT, USA)
• Joel Bennett – Veel Hoeden (Pella, IA, USA)
• Jonathan Yankovich (San Francisco, CA, USA)
• Kaan Aksay (Turkey)
• Kamer52 (Oosterhout, Holland)
• LiquidSpace (Palo Alto, CA, USA)
• Loren Tripp (Pasadena, CA, USA)
• Mimi Graney – Union Square Main (Somerville, MA, USA)
• Patricio Victorica (Punta del Este, Uruguay)
• Neal Gorenflo – Shareable Magazine (Mountain View, CA, USA)
• Rebecca Brian – NextSpace (CA, USA)
• Shift Workspace (Austin, TX, USA)
• Susan Evans – Office Nomads (Seattle, WA, USA)
• Thilo Utke – co.up (Berlin, Germany)
• Tony Bacigalupo – New Work City (NYC, NY, USA)
• Will Bennis – Locus Workspace (Prague, Czech Republic)