Smarterware

I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this, but …

I heard you say in a podcast about Wave that Waves need “gardeners”. And I see that it’s apparent to get into the technical details of what a Wave is and how to manage those.

However, as for the gardening bit: our rational, linear mind will discard information that may be relevant from one part of the mind eco but will be lost in the process of weeding, hence disempowering the collective.
Like Margaret Wheatley explains: systems that are open to all information, including that which is disruptive for the organisation, remain vital. As a result, “Gardeners” may unbeknowingly drain the life out of a Wave.
I can somehow see a connection to your post about Leo Laporte and marketing to smart people. It’s not about making the process dumber, it’s about making the managers of that process smarter.

Does this make sense? What is a good mindset to approach a Wave, of your own collection of waves?

I have only been in someone else’s sandbox Wave, by the way – on my own, so I can’t say anything about the process of waveing with others but maybe that’s a benefit rightnow.

It’s great to see people dig the design!

I’ve joined, not that I have any immediate need for a project management tool (already on Basecamp for now), but to get a feel for the brand and the flow.

What struck me immediately is that the brand is quite ‘masculine’. It looks technological and it has a lot going on in the interface with a bit confusing hierarchy.
But what I feel it lacks at first sight (or doesn’t convey even though it’s in the founders’ visions) is a strong ‘core idea’ it conveys- yup, sure, it’s a group collaboration tool and I can sign up for free and I’m sure that there’s a lot of good stuff under the hood, but this ride looks a bit bland. If you’re willing to commit to it, though, there has to be tons of rockingness inthere!

It claims to cut throught project clutter, but the corporate identity conveys an inability to get to the gist, at least branding wise. Is this brand the trusted doctor, white coat and all, or the agile assistant behind the screens, or the Mr. Knowitall you love and hate at the same time? A Miss Moneypenny who has your coat even before you told her to get it, a Q who has seniority and takes care of your every project need with the latest (secret) invention? And if it is an eclectic pow-wow it may as well not try to hide it.

I feel the merely functional could do with an extra layer of meaning, could do with some more intanglibles in its DNA.
It does look and feel very solid and thourough and the screenshots seem clean and make sense.
And I like the logo, too
What also becomes evident is a great network, evangalists in the making.
Discrepancies: it says somewhere on the site that it’s not project management software, the video on the first page states otherwise.

The largest pitfall in projects and collaboration is not the software, I think, but people. Maybe it’s interesting to fire up a more philosophical discussion about productivity, success and why people execute or why they don’t, what motivates people, how to deal with the ‘humanness’ of people.
(Just a thought…)
Anything to engage people on a deeper level than just an immediate ache, need or want.

Hope this is helpful!