[libreoffice-website] How to avoid a pressure cooker situation in the meeting

Hi Mike, David, all-

The agenda has 10 topics. Too many for a 1 hour session.
(http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Website/ConfCall/Agenda).

We will have only 5 minutes to settle each topic.

The discussions will not be conclusive in this pressure cooker situation.
Then we will come to the "storm" (or "fission") stage even before we realize! :)

Having a series of calls is not feasible, as that approach needs a lot of time.
Besides, we are finding it difficult to set up this FIRST call itself.
So setting up so many calls till we trash out all issues is virtually impossible.

Therefore, it is best to settle at least the fundamental differences offline.
That leaves the main meeting to settle finer details, and to ratify what was agreed offline.

Assuming that we agree to use an offline tool to argue our case, the next question is "which tool"? 

Well, the simplest tool (which is also readily available) is a wiki discussion page.

However, it cannot handle counterarguments that have to be attached to a specific part of someone 
else's statement. Also, when in a multi-person argument, it would quickly become confusing who is 
opposing whose views fully/party/conditionally.

In other words, it cannot create an argument map properly. (Which is the need of the hour).

A concept map does that extremely well.

Another advantage of a Concept map is that it also allows us to split a larger issue, and discuss 
the parts separately and then combine the conclusions again. 

Concept map also allows us to interrelate different streams of arguments as the plot gets larger 
with more and more arguments added. Note that no other tool is good at this.

Therefore I suggest using a concept map tool like CMAP, Freemind, graphmind. or even brainstorm. 

Someone will need to set up this tool temporarily.

What do you think?

If you have any doubt, we could try out one (contentious) topic on a wiki discussion page.


Regards,
Narayan


> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:11:33 +0930
> Subject: Re: [libreoffice-design] Re: [libreoffice-website] Re: new features  page ...
> From: michael@wheatland.com.au
> To: website@libreoffice.org
>
> On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 3:41 AM, Charles Marcus
> <CMarcus@media-brokers.com> wrote:
> > On 2011-01-17 8:39 AM, David Nelson wrote:
> > > But I see a chance to bring him back into the mainstream of the
> > > project by encouraging him (and his "Drupal boys") to take a leading
> > > role in the development of the SilverStripe website as a superb
> > > communications and marketing tool for Libreoffice and TDF.
> >
> > I also think that, if Michael were so inclined, Drupal could initially
> > serve as the 'support' backend, with its potential for integrating all
> > of the different support modes (email lists, forums and newsgroups)...
> > this would give it the opportunity to 'prove' itself (personally, I have
> > no idea if Drupal can even truly achieve this, much less is preferable
> > over Silverstripe)...
> >
> > > I can still be there to play an assistive role in the wings, with
> > > some great ideas, too. But Michael could take on the main written
> > > content development role, working in close symbiosis with Christoph
> > > and Ivan. I feel they will have a close empathy and an excellent
> > > working relationship.
> > >
> > > I feel that this is a novel and creative solution to what could
> > > otherwise become a conflictual and unproductive situation. We will
> > > all win. Most important of all, LIBREOFFICE and TDF will win.
> > >
> > > What do you think? I am including Michael in this mail, and I want
> > > to hear his feelings on this.
> >
> > I think its a great idea if Michael is willing to take it on...
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Charles
>
> Charles,
> I like the idea, but I think it is worth waiting for the conference
> call to discuss.
> This is achievable, however it will take some time setting up and
> configuring, and in the same time we could have all the same
> functionality as the existing site on one unified system, allowing us
> to automatically manage all of the cross links between the systems. We
> might end up creating a monster that we need to manually manage. I
> will look into the possibilities prior to the meeting.
>
> Again, it is a great idea. I will add it to the agenda for the Conference Call.
>
> Thanks,
> Mike Wheatland
>
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