What Turns the Engine of Mass Collaboration?
As mentioned in a previous post, peer production is an emerging model for highly-distributed knowledge work (making predictions, writing encyclopedias, developing software, etc.) that for the most part does not involve direct compensation (pay) and results in products/outputs that rival the very best that are created using traditional proprietary production models. Linux (software operating system), Wikipedia (encyclopedia), Flickr (photographs) and Second Life (objects for a virtual world that sell for real dollars) are popular examples.
What motivates knowledge workers to produce for no pay? This question is especially interesting when you look at open source development (talented software developers). Very good research on this topic can be found in the year old MIT press book Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software edited by Joseph Feller and others. The entire book is online and the first two chapters deal with a profiling and understanding the motivation of open source developers. They identify eight possible motives that could explain why open source developers participate in a project including:
Altruistic – this is a socially important, a way I can give back
Profit – way to make money
Fame – increase my stature in my peer group and perhaps the world
Marketability – signals my skill to the market
Utility – work with others to fix a problem I have
Enjoy – doing this is fun, like going to the movies or hiking
Development – this is like a free university or mentoring program
Ideological– all software should be free, help break monopolies
They claim all are at work and provide a “big tent” embracing many needs. A survey revealed that the primary motivation was creative expression (working on the most creative project in their career) and social interaction including learning and developing new skills, sharing knowledge and skills, participating in a new form of cooperation. If software is your passion working in new ways on important/creative projects and getting to build your chops while helping others would likely be too much to pass up.
The open software development model and other modes of peer production are excellent examples of how web-based mass collaborations can satisfy deep cognitive needs in talented knowledge workers. Satisfying cognitive needs (versus economic needs) is what turns the engine of peer production. This puts the cognitive designer in the cat bird seat when it comes to creating new peer production models.
