Community knowledge platforms are a great way to foster conversations and encourage sharing of information. These platforms can include chat groups, forums, social media communities, Discord servers, etc., all without the need for any sort of search queries.
This type of platform is beneficial because it provides information without actively searching for it. It’s also beneficial because the information provided is often serendipitous or random; this increases entropy and makes the network collectively stronger.
Entropy
Entropy is a measure of disorder that can be applied to data storage systems. It’s a way of evaluating how much order there is or how random something is in a certain system or network.
Information network with high entropy is more random, which increases the chance of successful random encounters between members. It is also less fragile, so if any number of random events happen this platform would still be able to function properly. The more random information you have in a system the less likely it is that the entire system fails because these systems are antifragile.
Serendipitous Knowledge
Similar to community-based networks, serendipitous knowledge platforms are able to provide knowledgeable information without the need for a search query. A common example of this is web browsers displaying suggested sites while you’re scrolling through websites. This “suggested” information is related to your current location on the internet, which makes it serendipitous due to the fact that you didn’t ask for these specific sites, they were automatically suggested.
This type of platform is beneficial because it saves time, effort, and money when searching for information. Not only can you find accurate sources that link to the same topic from different perspectives, but you can also find information on related topics that you might not have originally known about.
These platforms also provide information that is relevant, and up-to-date. Twitter is the best example of serendipitous knowledge platforms because it provides users with information without having to search for it. Whether it is through algorithms, retweets, likes, direct messages, mentions, or hashtags, this platform finds its way to the individual. Twitter also has a wide range of topics, so you are almost always able to find information on something you are interested in but not necessarily have been looking for.
Conclusion
Most of the online curation platforms are focusing on algorithms, ranking, metrics, or quantifiable data. The most important aspect of the phenomenon is ingrained in the culture. Instead of focusing on algorithms, ranking, and metrics that can be misleading or subjective in nature, it would be more beneficial to look into the cultural aspects that influence people on these platforms.
Engagement is fueled by serendipitous knowledge platforms where people are driven to find information on topics they believe in without having to search for it. On these platforms, members are able to associate themselves with like-minded individuals, or friends and their culture. This allows them to develop a sense of community and in turn a sense of purpose which leads to adoption.