Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky's lecture from 2005 covers the power of collaboration, and the broken barriers to institutionalized structures. I have been thinking quite a bit about this subject matter lately, having been trained in an old system of "walled garden" expertise.
Typically, as a Designer, you were taught methods of problem-solving for Clients, that somehow made you an all knowing expert tasked to creating clever solutions and "educating the Client."
This is making the assumption that you knew more about the Client than they think they knew about themselves.
As part of this process, we tapped into a mixture of cultural, historical, and personal references that relate or could relate to solutions for the client.
We were trained to work in silos, and come together in formal critique meetings to share and compare concepts.
The collaboration was these critiques. Designers still held their solutions dear to heart, and death only by sword.
The best ideas and decisions were only from the most Senior people, motivated primarily by their own personal agendas.

Collaboration in the new age via the web, has slammed these methods of working on its ear. What we are experiencing is value increasing by sharing knowledge.
Reference is easier to find. Getting answers is immediate and faster for anyone and everyone to get. An expert can be anyone now.

What are the benefits?
- "Two Heads are Better than One" - (as long as it doesnt become a 2-headed self cannibalizing dragon.)

- Lowering your barriers and letting exchange of information makes everyone more knowledgeable.

- A larger volume of discoveries and solutions created.

What are the drawbacks?

- Discussing and negotiating problems in the process doubles effort and time. This is not a bad thing, but must be considered when entering into a collaboration.

- Egos. It drives people, but it can also sever relations. Ground rules of engagement must be set beforehand, and egos have to be left at the door. If everyone keeps to sticking to collectively coming to the best solution, and being open should help minimalize conflict.

- Getting stuck in a fish round about of "what ifs?" There has to be an end game defined, even if it is just findings.

In summary, whether we agree or not, the world is finding itself benefitting from shared knowledge and collaboration. For many of us that didn't want others to look "behind the curtain" didn't realize that there was a whole world outside of the OZ kingdom, unexplored.
If we can find a way to synergize learnings, and stay open to communiction and input, I believe all of us will benefit.