Agreed on Alex's points. I'll add some thoughts in responses to JG: * So there's an apparent need for a widely-known, and comprehensive > directory service for co-working spaces globally (which has been the > main topic of this thread), *
Yes, with one important caveat-- when creating a central directory, we run the risk of un-starfishing ourselves. I believe strongly that coworking is not black and white, but a whole spectrum of color. Any sort of central repository for coworking spaces should have to be prepared to answer the difficult question of who's in and who's out. One way I've thought of solving this would be to have user ratings of spaces, based on... wait for it... their adherence to the coworking pillars. I'm picturing something exactly like CircuitCity's ratings ( http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=208372#CustomerRatings), but instead of "Picture Quality", "Sound", etc, it would be "Community" "Openness" "Accessibility" etc. In other words, maintain the starfish-ness. Let the people decide what spaces fulfill which needs. > *in addition – I believe – to more > evangelism and basic education on the topic of co-working itself (I'm > quite sure none of my prior fellow cube-dwellers have even *heard* of > the concept).* Yes, we should be thinking of how to make coworking more accessible. I attempted to do this a while back with http://coworkingny.com, which explains in realistic terms what coworking is and how to get started. I also put the descriptions first, as communicating the names of the spaces is less important than communicating the services they offer. This also would let people quickly determine which direction they needed to go. I never quite finished it, though, and obviously there are other spaces to add. > *What I'm curious to know is if there is any software or technology > currently lacking which is needed to help facilitate or administrate > co-working locations? I think this is what needs to be defined.* > There are a few areas I can identify as potentially very useful to coworking spaces: - Desk availability administration - Membership usage tracking - An internet cafe-like sign-in system for people to get memberships and/or day passes while in the space (I'm talking with the great guys at NYCWireless about building something like this) - A space- or city-specific social network where people can see who is working on what, and where. Tony New Work City On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 11:02 AM, Alex Hillman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > I couldn't agree more about the basic education/evangelism. Tony and I have > spoken at this at length (on this list and elsewhere). The wiki landing page > has really weak definition language that, at one point, worked. But as the > concept has evolved, the definition has not. > > I'd love to see some simple coworking "brochureware". Functionality little > less than a "find the nearest coworking community to you", but high focus on > messaging and the "who, what, and why". A focused description on the diverse > styles of coworking makes sense for this, as well. > > -Alex > > -- > ----- > -- > ----- > Alex Hillman > im always developing something > digital: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > visual: www.dangerouslyawesome.com > local: www.indyhall.org > > > > On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 7:50 AM, JGarrido <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> >> So there's an apparent need for a widely-known, and comprehensive >> directory service for co-working spaces globally (which has been the >> main topic of this thread), in addition – I believe – to more >> evangelism and basic education on the topic of co-working itself (I'm >> quite sure none of my prior fellow cube-dwellers have even *heard* of >> the concept). >> >> What I'm curious to know is if there is any software or technology >> currently lacking which is needed to help facilitate or administrate >> co-working locations? I think this is what needs to be defined. >> >> - JG >> >> >> On Oct 1, 10:31 am, Todd Sundsted <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> > Great thread, everyone! >> > >> > I've talked to many of you independently, so I'm going to briefly >> > brain dump here. >> > >> > After a very intimate year in this space, and after many conversations >> > with both coworkers, independents, entrepreneurs, as well as people in >> > corporate HR and real estate, there's definitely a new ecology of work/ >> > workspace developing here. This probably isn't news to most of you. >> > >> > This ecology is currently composed largely of independents, >> > independent entrepreneurs, and a small handful of corporate >> > outworkers; it is also composed of a growing cadre of coworking spaces >> > and local Jelly groups. People and places. To be fair, the ecology >> > also includes coffee shops and executive suites, and the people that >> > work there, even though these differ ideologically. But there are >> > several missing pieces. >> > >> > In areas like New York City, but elsewhere as well, there's a real >> > estate component that can't be avoided. Many current spaces started >> > because "we got a good deal" on space somewhere, or because a forward >> > thinking small business owner was willing to let others utilize unused >> > office space. I realize I'm generalizing here, but please bear with >> > me. This model isn't scalable. I'm not even sure it's desirable >> > because living in borrowed space isn't sustainable over the long term, >> > and I'm not sure coworking owner/operators are really prepared to be >> > in the landlord business, which is what they are in the minute they >> > start charging money for space and services. >> > >> > To the point of this thread, the necessary technology infrastructure >> > is missing, as well. This hasn't been a problem, because we are all >> > early adopters, and can get buy on our wits and our network of friends >> > in coworking. However, at some point this movement is going to take >> > off. Office space is the #2 cost in most businesses (after people, >> > which are #1). I can guarantee that every Fortune 1000 company in the >> > United States is looking for ways to reduce cost #2 (and #1) given our >> > immediate economic situation. So, take off may be sooner than we >> > think. >> > >> > My feeling is that it's time to compare notes, to look at the >> > infrastructure, and to make sure that it evolves in a way that >> > benefits and serves the community. Forget about the tags "coworking", >> > "Jelly", etc. for a moment, and consider the near future in which work >> > and workplace is increasingly defined as a network of intentional >> > local spaces, and as communities of working peers with something in >> > common beyond the accidental fact they work for the same company. >> > Good technology will make it easier to open/operate spaces like those >> > we've come to love. >> > >> > Thanks, >> > Todd >> > >> > On Sep 30, 6:58 pm, "Derek Neighbors" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> > >> > > Sent from wrong address. :) >> > >> > > Todd, >> > >> > > > On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 7:25 AM, Todd Sundsted <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> > >> > > >> There has been talk in the past about open source membership >> > > >> management software, etc. With coworking visas now in play, the >> > > >> challenge of contacting an owner/manager when you're in town, >> finding >> > > >> a space in the first place, finding/reserving a desk, managing >> > > >> payment, etc. there's an opportunity for the right tool to simplify >> > > >> the process of setting up and managing a space. With New Work City >> in >> > > >> the wings here in NYC, I'm being reminded of all of these issues >> > > >> again. >> > >> > > >> So I'm gauging interest in this project. There are enough hot >> shots >> > > >> at work in coworking spaces, and enough great technologies out >> there >> > > >> (OpenID, etc.) that we could build and sustain an open source >> project >> > > >> like this. >> > >> > > > We have some interesting concepts in this area. We offer all our >> space for >> > > > free so we haven't much focused on the business of collecting >> payment. >> > > > However, we very much are interested in allowing co-workers to >> identify >> > > > themselves and the space(s) they regularly frequent. We have >> another >> > > > project for our hacknights (http://hacknight.gangplankhq.com/) that >> we >> > > > might refactor and tie into the wurkspaces directory. Anyhoo... We >> are >> > > > certainly open for ideas and willing to help. >> > >> > > > -- >> > > > Derek Neighbors >> > > > Integrum Technologies >> >> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
