How To Herd Cats
Item
- Title
- How To Herd Cats
- Description
- Despite the hacker ethic of free information real life frameworks for constructive dialogue are sadly lacking. Interestingly a number of systems, from socratic dialogue to parliamentary procedure already exist for structuring conversation toward a goal. In this talk we will look at hacker workgroups from open source developers to CTF teams and look at what solutions have been tried, and what tools have been developed. Also, this topic lends itself to analysis of common hacker roles and social structures that define and impede growth and development within the community.about this event: http://www.ccc.de/congress/2004/fahrplan/event/133.en.html
- content
-
Any goal-oriented group has to deal with workflow issues, but with capable, creative people this can often be a larger challenge then completing the goal. This talk will attempt to draw the line between management, tools, and communication in dealing with volunteer or professional workgroups.
In terms of technique I will cover dialogue, debate, team management, hierarchies, and defining goals to determine necessary milestones/techniques. In terms of tools we will look at CVS, ticket systems, e-mail/instant mesaaging/IRC, and wikis for centralized data retrieval.
In terms of scenarios there will be two major sections, goal oriented development/teams, and general research groups. In the first category would be open source development teams, CTF teams, and IT departments. In the second category would be meeting groups (CCC, 2600).
Every section of this talk allows for a lot of expansion so the Q&A should be excellent. This talk will especially appeal to project managers, IT directors, educators, and involved hackers. Often the lack of social skills on the part of members of a team can destroy a project, this talk is meant to objectively analyze these weaknesses and suggest practical systems that allow people to work, learn, and even play together nicely.
Outline
Organizations with individuals(organizations goals do not represent the collective goals of participants)
The traditional management model and how it affects individuals
Description
Hierarchy
Reporting
Decision making
Problems
bristle at uneducated criticism
offer solutions without the opportunity to impliment
without the opportunity to apply ideas, slow stagnation
The traditional teaming model and how it affects individuals
Description
Teams of peers
Same field
Roles
Problems
if the other team members dont understand an idea, it wont be clear how pursuing it would be beneficial
Only people experienced in a subject can make rational decisions concerning courses of action in that subject
Concensus on goals
teams reports as one entity to management
The resultant experience
Description
1- Teams and individuals grouped within the hierarchy from one strata 2. Decisions come from above 3. Reports rise
Problems
No new ideas due to matched skills, but matched skills cause needless disagreement to prove ability
Only the least significant decisions are made by those best suited to make them
Perceived lack of performance within social structures-despite individual performance-will result in social friction and potential managerial reprimand
Parallel problem solving (challenge)
Description
Break strata and share solutions from small groups
Make task achievable - achievable tasks affect participants and empower individuals in a controllable way
Diverse task - Integrate organizational goals to create a complex goal requiring multiple skills
Problems
Heavy resource cost
Perceived as distracting from core business
Constructive learning (educate)
Description
History
OM, Model UN
Comparison to transmission learning
Multiple levels - cross training
Problems
Heavy resource cost
Distracting (challenges ideally do not relate to business objectives directly so as to diversify knowledge-engineers already know engineering) Organizations of individuals (Similarly interested individuals who form an organization with goals similar to its members)
Emergent Management
Need for acceptance
the resultant experience
Leadership
Social friction
Deadlines kill the reforms
Lack of funding limits project to management, not involving the more populous, expert strata - Date Issued
- Beteiligte Person
- Druid
- Is Referenced By
-
21C3 Website
- Creator
-
Chaos Computer Club e. V.
- Rights Holder
-
Chaos Computer Club e. V.
- Extent
- 1:01:19
- Type
- video/mp4
- Tag
- 21c3
- Community
- Identifier
- ark:/45490/bNimVM
