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'TEDfriend/colleague finder' - Your opinion required.
As a long standing member/follower of the TED world, I've seen dozens of great ideas put forth each month, both by its speakers and the users of this forum.
However, this raises an issue..
Many of the ideas never see the light of day or eventually fail to take off, not because of any impassible reason, rather due to several slight issues that I will explain further on..
Another issue is that many of us appear to be isolated from fellow TED-like equals; Alot of us unable to find friends, colleagues, partnerships and groups of people who share our ideals and ambitions within our local regions, Leaving most of us restricted to this site (for example) where our connections are usually limited to brief conversations with like-minded individuals..but located impractical distances away; Not an ideal situation for those who require others to put their 'ideas worth spreading' into action.
For this I came up with a potential solution.
A dating-style website, but focused on finding like minded individuals within your local region, whether it be for :
Making friends who share your ideals
Forming think-groups
Entrepreneur groups to help form and progress a business venture
Support groups
Political groups
etc etc.
As stated earlier, a key issue as to why many great ideas never get off the ground is due to the lack of help and/or
Available support
Information
Connections
People with similar goals, enthusiasm
or Partnerships
that are required to get things moving, therefore having like minded people who can provide such help and interest will significantly improve the chance of success in the areas that matter AND will also allow the help to extend in both directions.
This would certainly require some TED promotions to provide enough 'friend seekers' to make it viable, but I would be more than willing to setup an appropriate site or allow others to do so that would fulfill this requirement.
Afterall, how valuble is an idea that can't be put into practice?..
Thankyou.
Closing Statement from Xavier Belvemont
Now that we've received enough of a response (almost all constructive and positive), we will soon present our idea to TED officially and see if we can make this idea worth spreading, become a reality.
Thankyou to everyone for your comments and interest.
jag . 50+
Austin Berrier
Jimmy Strobl 50+
Just check http://www.ted.com/conversations/2456/do_you_have_a_suggestion_for_t.html or http://www.ted.com/conversations/1818/leave_one_idea_for_improving_t.html to see similar suggestions (and more).
Jimmy Strobl 50+
The idea is good but don't reinvent the wheel, use existing tools.
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Actually no there aren't. Hence the lack of achievements in this particular field.
The social networks that are available are not (in my opinion, as shared by many others here too) don't have the required database, functions and flexibility needed to create a true mechanism for finding like minded people pursuing the same interests within local areas.
' you'd be putting in A LOT of work, not only building it but also getting users there, without members it's useless.'
Well you may aswell have said that to the creators of facebook, twitter, youtube and TED itself etc etc
I.E/ Its alot of work, some are already out there already that do this, so don't bother starting such sites.
Everyone begins somewhere and to think that you would be 'reinventing the wheel' and that its not worth the work just because some other source happens to have a vaguely similar function (that isn't actually ideal for this particular intention), then you're just providing a defeatist attitude that more or less concludes 'You have to be rich to get rich, so just stay poor and don't waste your time trying'..
Jimmy Strobl 50+
Your conclusions of what I mean is not the way I meant for it to be interpreted, and is not what I'm saying.
Let me try to rephrase.
As a not too long standing member of TED (1.5 years coming up soon) I also get somewhat irritated when great ideas don't lead to the things that they had the capabilities of doing.
Finding like minded people in my vicinity is hard as well, right now I'm doing the tiresome but needed work of "creating" them, Inspiring the people around me to action and ideas works really well actually. But that's not the problem, is it?
Hmm... a thought just came to me... Aren't you just looking for TED but with location and group feature?
russell lester
Kriste Brushaber
Nart Abaza
i thought i could form a network of like minded people by a direct referral chain.
i'm discussing a thinking workshop with a couple of friends of mine, asking each of them to think of two interesting like minded friends to invite.
the way you are thinking is obviously way more capacious. i can imagine the profile i'd design for myself, the thinking groups i might join and the and the criteria i'd search for in people. i'm thinking of how would the "advanced search" form look like.
a great idea is in labor i see, i cant wait.
Austin Berrier
russell lester
Austin Berrier
I am also interested in electoral reform. What is your facebook group called? I might check it out.
russell lester
Max Lent
Mukesh Adenwala 10+
Max Lent
Max Lent
Corporations have used expertise databases to connect people with needed expertise for decades. The dating service seems like an even better idea to me.
Theodore A. Hoppe 200+
Also, TED profiles have a feature that allows users to email each other. This is an under used feature of the community. Instead people seem to prefer to continue conversation within the comments areas.
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Well as stated in other comments below, thats a system that still doesn't allow for any real organization (beyond what already exists) because it once again relies on happenstance that you will come across someone who wishes to act out on the same goals as yourself (but usually having to coax them into forming a team), rather than a site devoted to people publicizing it.
There are always available lesser used alternatives, but just like a dating site, you're far more likely to come across someone who wants a date on a dating site than at a museum.
Theodore A. Hoppe 200+
Perhaps you might give a few examples of goals people would wish to act on as a team.
Take education, there are many talks here that demonstrate ways education might be improved. Certainly, we all know of people in our own community that want to improve education. Yet there is a lack of coordination in developing any plans that what accomplish anything significant.
Your "dating site" would improve this how?
Xavier Belvemont 30+
A person would would create an advert (fitting into one of several categories) and make it clear about what they are looking for and what they would hope to achieve.
The latest successful examples include:
1) I am interested in developing a new energy saving technology and would like minded and/or skilled individuals to help me construct a prototype in return for a share of the recognition/profits.
2) I am not entirely sure what I am hopeing to do, but I would like to form a brainstorming group of similar individuals who wish to improve the world to sort something out
3) I would like to find someone in a business venture (details of business as follows)
I'm paraphrasing our existing examples ofcourse, but having a directory where people can advertise their goals and actively seek help/friends/groups works.
As you said yourself - we all know people in our community..
but just like we also know that people in our community are single (dating site analogy again), it simply takes a third party (such as a dating site) to get such people together.
Further down we even have someone organizing a TEDX event and wants to connect people for this same purpose, and agrees with this idea.
russell lester
Bruno Carre
This is a great question.
and..to all: my apologies because I just started a conversation with the same idea in mind, only it (could) start with an extra search feature in TED conversations, that is a country-related search (here: http://www.ted.com/conversations/9139/could_ted_conversations_be_imp.html)
Why, because should a TED member want to act, starting with TED members who live nearby would be a pragmatic and efficient start to get things moving.
In a nutshell, mix TED's global visions and ideas with local members.
A "glocal" feature. With that, should Xavier live in Brussels or I in Northern England, we would certainly be having a pint at the pub right now and discuss concrete actions... :))
joy faber 10+
Kevin Parcell 30+
The question is "How do we design this community so that good ideas are supported?" One answer is a marketplace for ideas. Here is one way that this might work:
To begin, every member must pay at least $5 to join the Idea Marketplace, and each receives one Cred per dollar, which they can spend within the marketplace. These Creds are subject to severe demurrage: they lose 10% value per month if not spent; but any Cred spent starts with value refreshed. This encourages a minimum of monthly participation because of loss aversion, and it eliminates hoarding. The money forfeited through demurrage goes to a Community Chest.
The community also establishes a Cred/money exchange, where members can cash-in, but only for pursuing approved idea-development plans - they cannot cash-out.
To have an idea approved, other members of the community must vote for it. In practice, a member shares their idea with friends in the community (limit one idea per month) and their friends can give Cred support and/or pass it on to their friends, etc. This practice would provide seed funding and weed-out unpopular or undeveloped ideas.
Every week, the ideas garnering the top number of Creds are shared community-wide, where all members can award additional Creds. Members also vote for their favorite idea. The top vote recipient gets that week's entire Community Chest and is eligible to cash-in to proceed with their plan. I think it's worth noting that this popular-vote arrangement does not permit anyone to buy a win. The remaining ideas retain their Creds on account (subject to demurrrage), and their creators are able to improve plans (utilizing input received in the process) then resubmit to their friends the following month.
Ning communities have all the tools necessary to host this
Max Lent
Gisela McKay 30+
I don't necessarily require research or development partners. Is there a TED group on LinkedIn? (I can't believe it never occurred to me to look until now.)
Kevin Parcell 30+
My experience is that great ideas need to find the right venue. Usually that venue is the people associated with those whom would immediately benefit. When you find yourself restricted by the expectations of others, then you might only be haunting the wrong crowd.
Gisela McKay 30+
Even when the participants are fine with the discussion.
Kevin Parcell 30+
Corvida Raven 100+
But to Gisela's point, I do see why an off-topic balance should be supported.
And yes there is a TED LinkedIn group http://www.linkedin.com/groups/TED-Ideas-Worth-Spreading-138801
jejomar bargoza
The good thing about ted is that it becomes the starting point of it all,great ideas.lets say meeting place,the oven where it all starts.
I think ted should create a system that will automatically connect the people,discussions and topics related to each other.
jejomar bargoza
I got friends that could help
ggg.great@yahoo.com
Xavier Belvemont 30+
I will be contacting TED in a few days (just forming a number of PHP scripts to provide example ideas)
If they say yes I will take things from there (depending on what they say).
Take care.
Leland "Lee" Larson 200+
Awesome idea here. Sign me up. How can I help? I function best working with others on a "vision" or even a most small local project. Makes it fun and I get energized from the interaction. And will imseemyou in Edinburgh oe later on when I visit London ? ( I like how you compare this with a "dating site" which I've done for some years but here we will hopefully find lots of other 'soulmates' with whom to collaborate ( or have fun with!).
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Well we're not entirely sure how things will go as yet, as TED would have to play a large role in the advertising (and possibly being a sister site of TED) in order to work. So if TED agrees then decisions will be made from there on who will help and how etc etc.
'And will imseemyou in Edinburgh oe later on when I visit London ?'
Unfortunately I couldn't possibly be further from both of those locations and with the selling of my car --there isn't really a practical way to make this a localized project for both of us outside of moderating the theoretical website online....Kind of validates my point on the necessity of my idea, unfortunately.
Elizabeth Gu 30+
I've also thought similar idea as you did.
Now that you've persuaded some people here, the next thing we should carry on is making some websites or meetings for ordinary people who are willing to do so--if it's possible to gather the meetings.
I've been depressed since there's no one I can talk about the amazing ideas that I've learned in TED site in person.
And some of my friends even don't know what TED site is!
Even though few of them said they'd heard about this community before, but they don't seem like to join this site and add some comments here--maybe it's because they cannot use English unfortunately.....
Anyway, it's good to hear that there are some people who have same thoughts and hopes like Xavier.
Btw, Xavier, may I ask you a question?
I think I saw your two identical IDs in this TED site, do you really have two IDs?
Just out of curiosity :)
russell lester
Gustavo Agustin Perez 500+
Sebastian Betti 500+
A brief explanation of the concept, here: http://bit.ly/bLzs3R
Gustavo Agustin Perez 500+
Christophe Cop 500+
Well, there are the local TEDx events going on worldwide, where you can find like-minded people in real life.
Starting a TEDx yourself is also a way to attract those people yourself.
Connecting with people is a good thing, and spreading and sharing ideas as well...
Aside from that, there are many TED-like organisations, and I bet there are some in your environment (if not in Doncaster, I'm sure there are in Leeds). Maybe they do something like what you are looking for already?
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Very much the case that if you were to promote yourself/selves in the correct manor for this goal at such events, you'd simply find yourself saying 'if only there was a database to make this easier and more publicly known..'.
It seems more like postponing the inevitable/ most efficient option.
Not that you can't do both, simply that you'd be expending copious amounts of energy in the pursuit of happenstance when theres another option on the table that could be more widespread, help more people and let others realize that finding such people is infact a practical option (that may not have been considered beforehand).
Christophe Cop 500+
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Hopefully I will contact them in the following week when I can build a few examples to demonstrate how it would work.
Also, thankyou for the comments and response.
russell lester
joy faber 10+
Kevin Parcell 30+
David Hamilton 50+
In general though... Great idea, which I firmly second.
Xavier Belvemont 30+
(Captcha words to block bots, moderator approval for first adverts and as you said --cookies and basic automated trackers and exclusive invites).
Ofcourse that being said, I think its possible to continue a high quality service whilst also extending the metaphorical olive branch to other groups that may not of otherwise heard of TED.
For example, there are a number of free-thinker, progressive and business groups that could theoretically become valuble assets to the site(s) that may not be overly familiar with TED, and such a site may act as a giant advertisement for it.
Anyway, we won't put the cart before the horse, we first need to see if the TED moderators of the site will consider the idea to be a worth-while venture.
Thankyou for the great input.
russell lester
Xavier Belvemont 30+
As with a dating site (the same prinicipal this website would be using) you need 100's-10,000's of users to be successful in finding the people you require. So we have to be alot more flexible to make that happen.
Thankyou for the comment though.
russell lester
Julian Blanco 30+
Don't you think the "massification" of TED is already happening? Just need to compare the comments on the talks from 1 or 2 years ago with the current ones…
I don’t know if that’s a bad thing, from a cultural promotion perspective I think it’s good, for my personal taste it’s undesirable..
On Xavier’s comment, love the idea.
Regards!
JB
russell lester
Julian Blanco 30+
I’m not clear on how the difference you quote works in these environment (mass/mob).
Sadly I don't know of any means to filter, you just start to know the community and read some people more than others, maybe the ted creed is useful, but it's not a fixed solution.
Sometimes I just stop reading some discussions, but that just me.
Regards!
JB
Max Lent
For TED to be what people believe that it already is the concept has to be democratized. A kind of dating service is exactly what it needs. What is scary for TED is that the democratized version may overshadow the elitist version that now exists. The disruption could be marvelous.
Corvida Raven 100+
Sabin Muntean 30+
Then again, why create a new site? TED.com and TEDC already provide a good basis to start from and build upon, their social components now need to be expanded.
Xavier Belvemont 30+
The immediate issue that could arise with having the venture directly on the site is that (as with this particular conversation area) may not be made visible enough for the number of people required.
Also that the intriciate scripts that would/may have to be included for the database (plus the potential bandwidth) could theoretically reek havoc with the TED site.
Ofcourse this is just first-glance theoretical issues, so if the idea takes off I will be happy to bring this up with who ever would be involved.
Thankyou for the comment and the idea.
russell lester
Xavier Belvemont 30+
Looking at the PHPscripts required, I don't believe this site could house it without causing a number of complications in this part of the site.
Xavier Belvemont 30+
*NOTE for readers*
For the idea to progress (If TED users find this idea to be valid), we would need additional feedback that could be presented to TED.
Silent agreement/recognition unfortunately isn't enough; So even if you have nothing particular to say (but approve the idea), please comment anyway.
As stated in the article, its awfully hard to get ideas off the ground without the required support. Thankyou.
Joost Kuckartz
Kieran Preissler
russell lester
Xavier Belvemont 30+
I was already considering a section where businesses can offer their services/products to other website members for a discounted price (essentially forming business links and increasing sales/savings for all), this would make a fine addition to that.