Growth of Learning-Org LO1693

Richard Karash (rkarash@world.std.com)
Mon, 19 Jun 1995 16:59:44 -0400 (EDT)

Replying to LO1649 --

This is to continue a bit about the future of Learning-org, stimulated by
Brooks msg with suggestions...

On Thu, 15 Jun 1995 BHBoston@aol.com wrote:

> 5. List Breakup to Sub-lists? It seems to me the continued success and
> growth of this list is inevitable. However, success could be the downfall
> if the contributions become so many and varied that the reader has to wade
> through too much to get to something of interest.

I'm quite worried about the limits to growth of the list, and I'd like to
look at this in the frame of the Limits to Growth archetype. [Ref. Senge et
al Fifth Discipline Fiedlbook for backgound on this system archetype.]

Growth Factors and mechanisms
-----
The list grows in size because people like it and tell others. The number
of subscribers has grown to 1203 direct subscribers, five subsidiary
sites, and a small number of people participating via the Web version.

Does the list grow in quality? That's not so clear by what mechanism it
would. I've been delighted by the consistent high quality of dialogue and
inquiry.

The list could easily grow in message volume if the same percentage post.
Our message volume has grown more slowly than the subscriber base.

Slowing Factors and mechanisms
-----
What results of growth could make this decline? There are some obvious
possibilities --

1) When new people start over on an old topic, this will get boring for
those who heard it the first time. (On the other hand, the 2nd time
around may bring refreshing new thoughts.) One thing I can say: It's a
negative that new subscribers by email can't easily see the earlier
message traffic.

2) If the volume gets higher, it'll be overwhelming for some people.
Digests have helped (many have told me) but I think message volume is
another vulnerability for our current email-based mechanism.

2a) If the volume gets higher, it'll overwhelm me in moderating the list.
I am doing alright, and I have some help on the way (about which more
soon), but 2x the message volume would be a problem for me.

3) If message quality falls (as defined and measured by *you*), that will
discourage us.

A couple of comments about my moderating policies:

1) First, I do moderate. My aim in moderating is to have more of what you
want on the list, and less of the things you don't want. Please let me
know if you feel this is not occuring.

2) I am quite aggressive in declining messages which are not connected by
our topic of Learning Organizations. I deline messages which aimed
generally at HR, training, etc. (there are other internet facilities for
these). I also return to the sender messages which I think should go
directly to a person instead of through the list. (I think most of these
are sent to the list by accident.)

NOTE --> It will help if you will all learn how to reply to the list and
to the person directly! And then choose which better suits your reply.

3) For messages which are on-topic, I decline only a few which I feel are
stated in a way which will work against learning.

4) I take people off the list when I receive "Undeliverable" notices for
their address for more than a few dayss running. Stale addresses are a
problem.

NOTE --> If you change your email address, please tell me the old "stale"
address so I can remove it. I'll ask you to subscribe yourself from the
new address.

The Future
-----
There are real limitations of email -- It's a "delivery-based" paradigm,
each message demands your attention from the in-box. Once "seen", msgs
tend to disappear, hard to look back. The outstanding advantage of email
is it's the least common denominator and reaches very broadly.

The future, as I see it, is a mechanism that supports people browsing
when they are interested. That presents current material in a context
with older items. That's searchable. I believe the Web and Lotus Notes
both provide most of the needed capability; the Web will have wider reach
and I've put my energy there.

I think the Web version of Learning Org is a better way to participate
(unless you're keeping your own archive of past messages), and I suggest
to anyone to try to get on the Web when convenient. Find a friend who can
show you the way.

Once again, I'm delighted to hear from participants any time with
comments, suggestions, ready to volunteer. Creating Learning-org,
watching the marvelous conversations, and receiving your comments has
been enormously rewarding, well beyond my expectations.

Thanks to all of you who have together made this facility what it is.

Richard Karash ("Rick") | <http://world.std.com/~rkarash>
Innovation Associates, Inc. | email: rkarash@world.std.com
3 Speen St, Framingham MA 01701 | Host for Learning-Org Mailing List
(508) 879-8301 and fax 626-2205 | <http://world.std.com/~lo>