Managing the Chaos - Transformative Power of Flat Decentralized Communities — Derek Queisser de Stockalper
Derek Queisser de Stockalper is a trusted advisor, innovative thinker, published author, and thought leader in ‘Sustainability as a Source of Innovation’. His track-record in sustainable, alternative, and impact investment fields has provided him with valuable insights into what is happening in the world today with COVID-19.
Derek supported and advised on a pro-bono basis a community developing AI and big data solutions to address the COVID-19 situation. The initiative was presented at a GITMA (Global Information Technology Management Association) conference. The conference was called Managing the Chaos — Transformative Power of Flat Decentralized Communities.
You can view the presentation, and read excerpts of what Derek said below.
“Given the complexity of the situation, a nice way to conceptualize the entire dynamic is to look at it as a game. A game has a goal, it has rules, and it has players. Given those dynamics, there is some kind of an outcome. In the case of ‘Corona Why’, the goal is very clear, it’s to address a societal health risk, which is COVID-19. The rules are open sharing; meaning, you give to the community without really expecting anything in return. You have this concept of benevolent leaders, meaning that you lead because you believe in something which is higher than you and higher than the community. The players come based on their competencies. Initially, it was coding, analysis, but then we got marketing, strategy, storytelling, and so on. It’s enriching itself in a way which is really fascinating, also because then we achieved a concrete outcome. After all this chaotic dynamic and multifaceted approach, we have digital tools, and content to address COVID-19.”
-Derek Queisser de Stockalper
“This slide gives structure to this ‘game dynamic’ we have been referring to. We are saying at the beginning - Phase 1 which was in March - you have the first people who join. At this time, it was sort of a viral dynamic which was going in all directions. We were trying to understand what was happening, why and how it was happening, and everyone was trying to learn from each other. The next phase was when this viral gained some fluidity, although ad-hoc. Over time, some clustering began to occur especially around those benevolent leaders who had ideas, perspectives, visions, competencies, or networks. These clusters began to align themselves with specific outcomes. In phase three, a structured dynamic emerges -it’s still fluid and dynamic. But group specialization and ex-post structures emerge which link specifically to key outcomes. This eventually enables the community to engage dynamically with external actors as well.”
-Derek Queisser de Stockalper
