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[[File:Pikia-templogo2-big.gif||thumb|Temporary Logo #2]]
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'''<big>There is an open invitation to join the Pikia Charter, which is the first step to forming the team and defining for-profit services.</big>'''
[[File:Xtelecafe wordmark.png|thumb|Telecafe logo]]


Pikia is a proposal to establish an entrepreneurial arm of the [[PortlandWiki]] contributor team.
'''Telecafe''' was an experimental entreprenurial venture founded by three [[PortlandWiki]] contributors.


The essential idea is to launch a business enterprise that would seek commercial work and devote a portion of earnings and/or development resources to [[PortlandWiki]].org. Pikia's origination comes from the notion that the existing contributors of [[PortlandWiki]] are equipped with commercially valuable skills. These talents could be leveraged to provide a bridge to [[PortlandWiki]] to professional level resources, while fostering a more robust network of contributors.
== Mission ==
The essential idea was to launch a business enterprise that would seek commercial work and devote a portion of earnings and/or development resources to [[PortlandWiki]].org. Telecafe's origination came from the notion that the existing contributors of [[PortlandWiki]] are equipped with commercially valuable skills. These talents could be leveraged to provide a bridge to [[PortlandWiki]] to professional level resources, while fostering a more robust network of contributors.


Pikia is a play on words: [[piki|pwiki]] (pet name of [[PortlandWiki|Portland Wiki]]) and [[wikia:wikia|Wikia]] (the for-profit arm of [[Wikipedia]]).
==Goals==
*'''Sustainability''' - By creating a revenue source, Telecafe's goal was to compensate contributors. This would create stability and consistency that can only be obtained from salary. Volunteering has a high burn-out rate, and Telecafe would counter that trend.


==Supporting Ideas==
*'''Resource Symbioses''' - Telecafe would serve PortlandWiki in areas that are difficult for PortlandWiki. Such as funding events, providing financial rewards to editorial, pay for hosting and technology infrastructure. As Telecafe increased in value, so would PortlandWiki. As PortlandWiki increased in value, so would Telecafe.
''Pikia is a way to work on PortlandWiki without having to work for 'the Man'.''


In other words, Pikia is a possible avenue of revenue that would allow primary contributors to focus full-time effort on creation of wiki-based content, project development and administration.
==Service Proposals==
 
* '''Seed Writing''' - A wiki is only as good as its contribution level, but freelance writers by themselves are incongruous. A client might lack skilled editorial staff to hire and manage them. Telecafe would serve as a ''wiki editorial agency'' to plan a unified editorial strategy complete with editing and writing services for a corporate wiki, that would be needed to flesh out their initiative.
'''Resource Symbiosys''' - The hardest part of being a new company is to prove itself. PortlandWiki can serve to legitimize Pikia in front of prospective clients. In turn for the help, Pikia can serve PortlandWiki in areas that is difficult for PortlandWiki. Such as funding events, providing financial rewards to editorial, pay for hosting and technology infrastructure.  
 
 
'''Financial & Business assistance''' - Pikia can serve as a patron to PortlandWiki, providing any financial, resource support so that PortlandWiki's structure remains simple and transparent.
 
 
'''Mutual Benefit''' - For lack of a better term, the idea is that as Pikia increases in value, so does PortlandWiki. As PortlandWiki increases in value, so does Pikia.
 
 
'''Advocacy''' - Believe it or not, commercial entities have more rights than non-profits. Small Claims courts will favor a professional vs a volunteer. In some ways, having a commercial ally can fast track needs that would other wise be sluggish.
 
 
'''Vouching''' -  Often organizations struggle to get nonprofit status, because it is an effort to become exempt from government control. On the other hand if a commercial entity such as Pikia can vouch for PortlandWiki it can go a long way.
 
==Concerns==
As the idea of Pikia develops, there are concerns about the potential for confusion between [[PortlandWiki]] and Pikia that might inadvertently taint [[PortlandWiki]]'s grassroots, public domain charter.
 
Specific concerns and proposed solutions:
* Need to avoid the perception that PortlandWiki is owned or controlled by Pikia or Pikia members, and not the greater community. New people won't help build PortlandWiki if they think it's built or controlled by a specific cadre of people. (added by [[User:Kotra|kotra]] ([[User talk:Kotra|talk]]))
** Proposed solution by [[User:Kotra|kotra]] ([[User talk:Kotra|talk]]): Effectively communicate that anyone who chooses to help build PortlandWiki is an equal partner and has the same level of authority as any Pikia member, and that Pikia members are just a group of particularly active PortlandWiki contributors with a closely related side project. And that this side project, though it supports the PortlandWiki infrastructure and finances, has no implicit or explicit authority over PortlandWiki. Pikia supports PortlandWiki because that's part of Pikia's purpose. Perhaps formalize this in Pikia's mission statement. Also, Pikia members wouldn't "pull rank" in PortlandWiki disputes/debates, or cultivate the idea of "Pikia authority" in PortlandWiki (I don't foresee this to be a problem, but it deserves a mention I think). -[[User:Kotra|kotra]] ([[User talk:Kotra|talk]]) 05:37, 21 April 2011 (UTC)
 
==Join the Pikia Charter==
Per discussion at April 18, 2011 Monday Meetup. Interested parties are calling for a charter. A list of who would be interested in pursuing the planning and creation of Pikia. Since the effort strives to be open and transparent, the hope is the list can be visible and available to add.
 
'''Please add your name if you're interested.'''
* [[User:Matthew|Matthew]] ([[User talk:Matthew|talk]]) 11:09, 20 April 2011 (UTC)
* [[User:WikiMaster|Dave Myers]] 19:25, 20 April 2011 (UTC)
* [[User:Kotra|kotra]] ([[User talk:Kotra|talk]]) 02:28, 21 April 2011 (UTC)
 
==Proposed internal structure==
* For a smaller organization:
*# Casual, fairly conventional working process where a delegator-type person assigns tasks and projects to specialists, who confer and ask opinions of others but ultimately make any decisions regarding that project.
*# A 'client contact' for lack of a better word. Someone who has sold a statement of work to the client for a promise of money.


* For a larger organization:
* '''Wiki Integration''' - Design a wiki platform integration, that would allow wikis to be embedded easily into commercial portals. Much in the same way that forums are added to customer support areas. Wikis in some ways can serve as forums, since the bulk of great content, tend to be research and analysis. By not being married to a particular technology, we can match the solution, whether it be mediawiki,[http://www.wetpaint.com/ Wet Paint] or a hand-rolled version.  
*# For general issues, use a consensus-based model with a deadlock-breaking process (for example, a chairperson or overseer that has the ability to make a decision if debate goes on too long).
*# For project-specific issues, there could be taskforces and groups that are able to do work independently of the other members, without having to consult everyone for input.


* PortlandWiki as resource pool
* '''Wiki Design Shop''' - Wikis have been around a long time, and while wikis like Wikipedia continue to grow in visibility and interest, there has yet to be strong design work in the wiki market. Most wikis either look like Wikipedia (like we do), or they look like blogs (like Wikia sites do)
*# One big difficulty with new companies is obtaining the necessary talent to complete hired tasks. Pikia would have a rich pool of writers and developers to request from. Pikia could hire individual contributors and pay freelance writing rates. A PortlandWiki contribute would thus develop revenue value as proof of writing/dev qualities.


==Skills available==
* '''Knowledge Management and Extension Development''' - Similar to the wiki strategy services, there is also the possibility of helping clients with Knowledge Management which is a market that is largely untapped. Clients who own large amounts of knowledge for public and proprietary purposes struggle to make it available to customers, with our experience in working with wiki and other web-based media we can provide valuable direction and development solutions.
* [[User:Matthew|Matthew]]
** Business planning
** Information architecture
** Wireframes, flows, maps, various schematics
** Market analysis
** Manufacturer Product Design
** Technical writing
** Enterprise Software Design
** Product Innovation
** UI Design
** Inventing
** HTML,CSS, Jquery, CMS
* [[User:WikiMaster|Dave Myers]]
* [[User:kotra|Kotra DeNies]]
** Mediawiki configuration & maintenance
** graphic design (print)
** graphic design (web)
** identity branding (particular training and experience in logo design)
** HTML/CSS/Javascript/AJAX/XML/LotusScript
** CMS configuration/customization: Lotus Notes/Domino/Administrator, MediaWiki (some WordPress, Joomla)
** copy editing
** press release writing
** SEO
** online & offline research
** event organization
** tech support


==Service Proposals==
* '''Vertical farming''' - This might make the Telecafe misleading. But perhaps urban gardening, wikis, and technology could come together in an interesting way. [http://www.plantchicago.com/ This] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantchicago/ this] and [http://iknowchicago.tumblr.com/post/3784011780/chicagos-first-vertical-farm this] might be used as model of this arm of Telecafe.  
* '''Seed Writing''' - A wiki is only as good as it's contribution level, but freelance writers by themselves are incongruous. A client might lack skilled editorial staff to hire and manage them. Pikia could serve as a ''wiki editorial agency'' to plan a unified editorial strategy complete with editing and writing services for a corporate wiki, that would be needed to flesh out their initiative. An example would be if a the Mayor's Office opened a wiki for next elections, they could hire Pikia to front-load initial writing, so that it would gain enough credibility to attract volunteer writing. Payment would stem from an editorial statement of work. (Based on word count, pages, we would plan enough pages to warrant the effort, and/or include pages we already had base content)
* '''Wiki Integration''' - Design a wiki platform integration, that would allow wiki's to be embedded easily into commercial portals. Much in the same way that forums are added to customer support areas. Wiki's in some ways can serve as forums, since the bulk of great content, tend to be research and analysis. By not being married to a particular technology, we could match the solution, whether it be wikia, wetpaint or a hand-rolled version.  


== Resources ==
* [http://www.telecafe.org Official site]


{{Debate}}
[[Category:Business]]

Latest revision as of 11:10, 1 May 2012

Telecafe logo

Telecafe was an experimental entreprenurial venture founded by three PortlandWiki contributors.

Mission

The essential idea was to launch a business enterprise that would seek commercial work and devote a portion of earnings and/or development resources to PortlandWiki.org. Telecafe's origination came from the notion that the existing contributors of PortlandWiki are equipped with commercially valuable skills. These talents could be leveraged to provide a bridge to PortlandWiki to professional level resources, while fostering a more robust network of contributors.

Goals

  • Sustainability - By creating a revenue source, Telecafe's goal was to compensate contributors. This would create stability and consistency that can only be obtained from salary. Volunteering has a high burn-out rate, and Telecafe would counter that trend.
  • Resource Symbioses - Telecafe would serve PortlandWiki in areas that are difficult for PortlandWiki. Such as funding events, providing financial rewards to editorial, pay for hosting and technology infrastructure. As Telecafe increased in value, so would PortlandWiki. As PortlandWiki increased in value, so would Telecafe.

Service Proposals

  • Seed Writing - A wiki is only as good as its contribution level, but freelance writers by themselves are incongruous. A client might lack skilled editorial staff to hire and manage them. Telecafe would serve as a wiki editorial agency to plan a unified editorial strategy complete with editing and writing services for a corporate wiki, that would be needed to flesh out their initiative.
  • Wiki Integration - Design a wiki platform integration, that would allow wikis to be embedded easily into commercial portals. Much in the same way that forums are added to customer support areas. Wikis in some ways can serve as forums, since the bulk of great content, tend to be research and analysis. By not being married to a particular technology, we can match the solution, whether it be mediawiki,Wet Paint or a hand-rolled version.
  • Wiki Design Shop - Wikis have been around a long time, and while wikis like Wikipedia continue to grow in visibility and interest, there has yet to be strong design work in the wiki market. Most wikis either look like Wikipedia (like we do), or they look like blogs (like Wikia sites do)
  • Knowledge Management and Extension Development - Similar to the wiki strategy services, there is also the possibility of helping clients with Knowledge Management which is a market that is largely untapped. Clients who own large amounts of knowledge for public and proprietary purposes struggle to make it available to customers, with our experience in working with wiki and other web-based media we can provide valuable direction and development solutions.
  • Vertical farming - This might make the Telecafe misleading. But perhaps urban gardening, wikis, and technology could come together in an interesting way. This and this and this might be used as model of this arm of Telecafe.

Resources