The Parameters of Wisdom

For several years now, I have been experimenting with the use of Web 2.0 collaborative tools in the classroom.  Among the most significant thing I have learned in this process is that the technology itself is actually a rather simple part of the process.  The technology is implemented, it is capable of certain features (or not), and students use these tools to work together.  Pretty simple.

The far more complicated part is how to design the course requirements (e.g. deliverables, exams) to account for the presence of these tools.  One has to put the correct incentive structures into place to generate the type of engagement one hopes to create.  For instance, requiring contributions leads to a high volume of mediocre activity, but providing bonus points usually yields to fewer but higher quality contributions.  This is a simple question of incentive alignment – the goal of students is to get a good grade and the goal of the professor it to create a strong learning environment.  The solution is to design the class in such a way that is that the student’s goal and the professor’s goal is aligned.  (All this applies to the workplace as well)

This is a bit more complicated in technologically-mediated environments, in that the collaborative processes may change over time.  As they learn to work together, students can find ways to achieve their indivdual goals without addressing the goals of the professor.  For instance, In our class we offer bonus points for the best blog post.  Twice now, students have made an appeal to classmates to award bonus points becuase they “need” them, and both times classmates have heeded their requests.  What has happened is that, working together, students have figured out a way to meet their individual goals without necessarily contributing to the overall good to the class.  (This is not to say that Chris didn’t deserve the bonus points, but it may have been enough to sway the vote enough in his direction).

My point, however, is not to berate Chris.  It is the realization that the only way to restore the purpose of the incentive structure is to create a rule (or regulation) against this practice.  Herein lies the problem that the financial markets are facing.  The markets operate under certain parameters that tries to make the 1) pursuit of individual good/profit 2) lead to overall societal good.  The problem is that, working together, the crowd can figure out ways to achieve 1 without accomplishing 2.

I’m not necessarily a fan of increased regulation, but when the rules of engagement are in place for too long, people find ways to work around them an accomplish their own individual goals at the expense of the collective.

So, my question for this week is…what are the most powerful incentives for you at work?  How might technology be used in a way to motivate people so that individual incentives are aligned with organizational goals?  Can technology be used to monitor and detect when people are “gaming the system?”  Just some thoughts.