Self-organising communities inspired by nature is how I describe Ken Thompson's Swarm Teams or Tribes as he now refers to them. Ken created a manifesto published on Change This which was the beginning of his new enterprise. He studied bees, geese, dolphins and derived that the collective leadership typically found in the animal world was something that we humans could beneficially apply in our own undertakings.
The resulting software platform underpinned by the collective leadership philosophy enables group messaging by email, IM or SMS via an easy to use web or mobile interface. He envisaged swarms to be primarily used in the workplace, but the software has many possible applications. Currently sponsored by Nesta, it is being used by unsigned bands to help them manage their fan base. This could be a great opportunity for the music industry to identify and promote up-and-coming talent and of course many possible brand and cause uses also exist.
Posts
