Title: The Evolution Of Knowledge Creation Online: Wikipedia and Knowledge Processes

Authors: Ruqin Ren (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California)

Abstract: Using the evolutionary theory framework of the variation, retention, selection process, this paper explains the self-organized knowledge production behaviors online, with Wikipedia as an example. Evolution is presented as a trial-and-error process that produces a progressive accumulation of knowledge. The underlying theoretical assumption is that even though online communities feature very different characteristics than traditional organizations, the basic processes of trial-and-error learning in evolutionary theory still apply to the new forms of organizations. Based on the theory of self-organization system and evolution theory, the processes of variation and selection are explained in depth with examples observed on Wikipedia. The study presents a nested hierarchy of vicarious selectors that plays an important role in online knowledge creation.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.

Title: Use of GitHub as a Platform for Open Collaboration on Text Documents

Authors: Justin Longo (University of Regina Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, Canada), Tanya M. Kelley (Arizona State University, U.S.A.)

Abstract: Recently, researchers are paying attention to the use of the software development and code-hosting web service GitHub for other collaborative purposes, including a class of activity referred to as document, text, or prose collaboration. These alternative uses of GitHub as a platform for sharing non-code artifacts represent an important modification in the practice of open collaboration. We survey cases where GitHub has been used to facilitate collaboration on non-code outputs, identify its strengths and weaknesses when used in this mode, and propose conditions for successful collaborations on co-created text documents.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.

Title: Toward efficient source code sharing on the Web

Authors: Hiroaki Fukuda (Shibura Institute of Technology, Japan)

Abstract: The Web is one of the useful references for developers to find pieces of code that represent what they need nowadays. In addition, we can find websites that contain not only source code but also detailed explanations of the code. In these websites, explanations are usually located above/below code, thereby users, who refer to these explanations, sometimes need to scroll a (browser) window to understand pieces of code reading the corresponding explanations. As a consequence, users have to temporarily memorize code and/or the corresponding expositions, wasting extra time. On the other hand, it is common to use wiki to edit a set of code and corresponding explanations. In most wiki systems, they prepare only one window to edit code and its explanations, therefore editors usually need to scroll the window to complete editing, also consuming extra time. This paper proposes a special wiki system for reading and editing source code referring its explanations, called CodeWiki that provides multiple windows for editors to edit code and explanations. Besides, CodeWiki enables readers to click a link which will lead them to a window that contains corresponding explanations. As a consequence, readers and editors do not need to scroll a window, meaning that CodeWiki can prevent readers/editors from wasting extra time. We propose a prototype implementation of CodeWiki and show its usage.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.

Title: Social Collaboration Metrics

Author: Manfred Langen (Siemens AG)

Abstract: Social Media in the enterprise is widely introduced, and its benefit in general is not in doubt. But the arguments of better communication and improved networking of employees will not be sufficient in the long term. Today’s metrics on registered users, number of visits or user generated content have to prove a relation to real business impact. Therefore, we at Siemens Corporate Technology developed the ICUP model (Impact, Connectedness, User engagement, Platform adoption) to close the gap between counting registered users and measuring business value.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.

Title: Govwiki.US: An Open Directory of US Local Governments

Author: Marc D. Joffe (Public Sector Credit Solutions, USA), Vadim Ivlev (Electronic Archive, Russian Federation)

Abstract: This demonstration describes a new open source and open data website we are planning to interface with Wikipedia.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.

Title: Participants’ Motivation Factors and Profile In Crowdsourced Law Reform

Authors: Tanja Aitamurto (Stanford University), Hélène Landemore (Yale University)

Abstract: This paper examines participants’ motivation factors and identity in crowdsourced policy-making, in which citizens collaboratively participate in online ideation and knowledge creation for policy reforms. Drawing on data from a crowdsourced law reform in Finland, this paper examines the drivers of the participants and their demographic profile. The findings show that the participants typically are male, educated, full-time working professionals with a strong interest in the off-road traffic issue. The motivations to contribute to crowdsourced policy-making are a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic drivers include the desire to do what is one’s “civic duty,” that is, to participate constructively in a political process, and the desire to deliberate with peers and learn from them. Extrinsic motivations include the desire to have an impact on an issue of importance to participants. The drivers are, in part, similar to those that drive participation in traditional democratic processes like voting, and to those that motivate other volunteer-based large-scale online collaborations, like Wikipedia creation.

This contribution to OpenSym 2015 will be made available as part of the OpenSym 2015 proceedings (or companion) on or after August 19, 2015.