Integral Institute: Transparency & Feedback

One of the great things about blogging is the radical transparency it has brought to media, business and now politics.  Wired recently did a piece on this very concept.  I'm a believer, to a point - I think customers still want the delight of a pleasant surprise once in a while, and for organizations that have not established a track record of credibility, it is my deep belief that announcing little is mostly better than announcing a lot: to re-establish credibility, just put your head down and execute, and allow customers to decide what it is you've accomplished.  The customers' points of view are the only ones that count anyway, and their perception is our reality.  I think this philosophy tends to produce humility and a deep commitment to service, while fostering the important requirement to constantly seek customer feedback.

But I will go this step: as we've begun to radically transform the way Integral Institute thinks about itself and its role in the world (and started to build the team to match), it is obvious that there is just a lot about what we've done well, and what we've done poorly, that I don't, and can't, perceive.  I can only guess, and polls may be misleading (we have polled our members, a lot).  So a blog is a fine place to start.

For those of you who are current or past customers of II products, media, events or services, I'd love to know the following things.  And for the sake of transparency please post answers in the comments section of this post for all to see.

1. What are the three things we absolutely have to get right with the launch of a new Integral internet portal (think something like Integral Yahoo!)?
2. If you are a prior customer and have left, why did you leave, and what can we do better next time?
3. How can we become more imaginative, more loving, more inspired in our commitment to delight you?

Answer one, all three, or none if you're not feeling it ... but thank you in advance for your consideration, comments and thoughtful replies ...

Comments

[John]

I would like to see (tentative) release dates for books that are discussed on IN; such as Terrorism Trilogy by Wilber and Stuart Davis new book. To answer question #1, timing, if you say it will be launch in September 07 have it launch in September 07. Lastly – Integral Friend banner, I would like to publish the Integral Friend banner on my public website (if approved) for the reason that AQAL has been a very positive/powerful tool for me in professional and personal development. Thanks for asking.

Peace – John

[Heinz Robert]

Hi Robb,
did you ever think about to invite more international teachers to the I-I to get more perspectives from the whole world? There are so many integral informed people in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. From my few the material, interviews and seminars are a bit US-centered. I spoke about this topic last time with a friend here from europe and he had the same opinion.
Maybe there are some more integral thinkers, writers, etc. which are not US residents but ready at least for a phone call discussion with Ken or one of the other members of I-I.
Mounts of joy and seas of love
Heinz

[anita]

question 1 -
a) please make the website easier to navigate and more intuitive than the current one....i'm sure the logic and structure made sense to those setting it up originally, but for new people to dive into integral, it can be frustrating and confusing as it is currently set up ( although the integralnaked section is great as it is)
b) it is a psychological let-down to see integral training programs described, but then find there are no such programs actually being offered.....it just gives the wrong impression about I-I to those who might most want to really engage in it
c) emphasize connections to local people and events who are also interested in all things integral.....people crave connection, and real life still offers what the internet can only catalyze

question 2 -
not applicable

question 3 -
work on I-I commons....make it more coherent, organized and intuitive....perhaps have I-I teachers occasionally comment or respond in the forums, create a REAL ONLINE COMMUNITY....a place where people want to log in every day, see what's new and participate (just as i currently check in often to kenwilber.com/blog) but right now the I-I forums are not structured in a way for me to feel drawn to do that....and well chosen moderators can add much to the value of the forums as well.....if you are interested, i could suggest another organization's model of operating forums that i think works well...

thank you for asking for input...
all the best,
anita

[Ian McDonald]

Hi Robb,

I welcome your transparency and openness to ideas. From my perspective there is a requirement for some basic housekeeping on the II site. Many of the forums and areas set up for community participation are full of dead material, old posts and irrelevant leads. These need to be removed and the site simplified. Much of the energy has moved from the Multiplex to other forums such as Zaadz and IN and that is a marker that the II site is currently failing. It is a distraction to newcomers who are trying to pick their way through the wreckage.
With product please keep the quality but do not over promise and do the research on price. In the UK ILP kits are not moving and are totally overpriced. I have had a conversation with Huy on this and have some ideas how this can move forward.
I would love to see some of the original promises fulfilled around the contact promised to II members from staff through conference calls etc. This has simply not happened.
I currently believe that Ken's work has to be more accessable and not be the subject of Cognitive snobbery in the way it is presented. If the work is carefully unpacked to a wider audience, the market for books, ILP Packs, product and seminars will grow. This is not about watering down or "dumbing down" but it is about taking the time to explain to a new audience. Watching much of the richness of material is like trying to drink off a fire hydrant for people new to this work. I believe that there is room for some new DVD material which is brought up to date and presented for an audience outside the world of the II. This would be helpful to all.
I wish you all the luck and support, and offer deep bows of respect to what you are doing,

Ian
Integral Life Centre, UK

[Diane]

Thanks for this opportunity to share my thoughts. I’m about to cancel my I-I membership and appreciate the chance to voice my concerns.

1. What are the three things we absolutely have to get right with the launch of a new Integral internet portal (think something like Integral Yahoo!)?

1. Lots of diverse offerings. Lots. Links to integrally informed sites that would cover a huge range of interests. Huge. At the moment I find I-I offerings so limited and repetitive. I’d like to see the work and writings of people who are out there in the world doing, not just thinking about an integral approach. I’d like to see not just how it’s being used in a personal “I” way, but how the approach is working on a “we” and “its” way. I want to know specifics. What is being done, and what are the results? What works and what doesn’t, and how do we know? That’s the kind of information I can use, and I want to use the integral approach more and more in many aspects of my life. And this information should be accessible to people of all different levels of understanding, not just those who are already familiar with the approach, but those who speak different languages, who have different levels of education, and are looking at the integral approach for different reasons.

2. A much more global outlook. Speaking about the universe and being one with it has its value, but we have to remember that most people in the world can’t relate. Make the approach more approachable to people all over the world and at different developmental levels. Even being global will be too difficult a concept for many, but still, perhaps grouping by countries, by regions, by cultural similarities will help. Understand the real economical aspects of working with people with vastly different resources. Reach out to the world, and beyond the privileged group of already identified Integral thinkers. Get rid of the emphasis on Colorado. Ouch. I know that those there are truly not trying to be elitist or special in any way, but it’s coming across that way – definitely to non- United Statezens, but also to some who are US citizens. And lots of websites have versions in different languages. A new Integral portal should, too. Imagine how far it would reach just by adding a few languages!

2. If you are a prior customer and have left, why did you leave, and what can we do better next time?

I’m leaving because I don’t feel like enough new and different material is coming out. I keep paying my monthly dues with the hope that I’ll get new and exciting information about the Integral approach, but it’s just not happening. I’m sure it will eventually, but in the meantime, honestly, my money should be going to more pressing concerns in my life. Maybe I can rejoin farther down the road when things are a bit more advanced. The information I find most helpful is available to everyone on the website, with no need to be a member. So why be a member? Also, and I hate to sound petty, but as much as I admire and like Ken Wilber, Stuart Davis, and all the other people who are discussed over and over again, the “in-group” seems rather static and elitist, and I feel like it’s limiting – odd, when I see the integral approach as being quite accepting of diversity. I’m ready for more. This extends to the forums, too. I love forums, but the I-I forums seem like the same people saying the same things over and over, without anything really new and exciting happening. Oh dear - I’m feeling difficult, petty and cranky, but since you asked…. ;)

3. How can we become more imaginative, more loving, more inspired in our commitment to delight you?

You are already very loving and inspired in your commitment! That has been very clear and very admirable. Imaginative – maybe that’s where some work can happen. Can the website be more interactive? Have more fun animation? More movement? More music of many types? More change? Interviews that aren’t so serious and academic? (Beyond Stuart Davis – he’s good, but let’s have more!) Laughter? More diverse art? Humor that doesn’t rely on inside jokes for those in the integral know? Happy without being sappy? More diversity of backgrounds, education, cultures? A more joyful color scheme, with light, not darkness? And yes – don’t promise wondrous things that either don’t materialize or are constantly delayed (but you know that)!

Many thanks,
Diane

[Pelle]

Hi Robb,

This is copied from a Zaadz PM I sent to Lindsey regarding the forums:

The main feedback I have for I-I regarding forums, because I do believe you intend to continue hosting forums, is to make it as simple as possible. When you replace the technological platform as I know you intend to do, simply create the I-I forum instead of having a forum for each division of I-I. This will focus the discussions and make it much easier to moderate. All the discussions regarding current talks on IN and ISC can then be had on the same board/subforum. All theoretical exporations can be done on another board/subforum. Conversations about spiritual practice can also be in one and the same board/subforum. At the moment the energy is just way to scattered to get any sort of momentum going.

If the forums grow, and groups of people explicitly start asking for a new and separate forum (for example students at IU want their own thing…), then you can launch a new forum to cater to the actual needs that have arisen.

Best wishes,
Pelle (co-moderator, I-I pod on Zaadz)

[Colin]

Hi Robb,

Good for you for putting out the new CEO feelers; excellent feedback is already arising.

First, I'll say that I love the idea of I-I. My life has been profoundly impacted through the work of KW and the community I've found through the forum (which has mostly found a new home, as others have said, at Zaadz).

I rarely log into I-I anymore, and getting forum people back will be a challenge since Zaadz is so fabulous. The stream of new people will continue, though, so perhaps it's best to focus there. For me, now, it's all about community, so focusing on multiple levels of community development would likely lure me back. Because I've shifted my focus to communing (to balance an over-reliance on agency in the past), I rarely have time to get into more of the content, but I agree with others that expanding the contributors to include a more global presence will likely draw a more globally integral crowd and make those already here feel more included.

On that note, using a more varied set of people to host dialogs, because of different personal resonances, will likely bring more people back, too. I love Stuart and his provocative rude boy approach, but many do not. Over-reliance on that voice may turn some off; including a more feminine voice in the mix will bring those that resonate on that level back for more.

Finally, a word on marketing and presentation: the seemingly non-stop usage of terms such as "ground breaking", "phenomenal", etc tends to hook ego reactions. Sure, from one perspective, that's grist for the mill. But using such flagrant aggrandizement brings with it the risk of losing people. If the content is so great, let it speak for itself. Let ME decide that it's great. (Which, for the most part, it is). This is a delicate balancing act, but one worth looking into.

Thanks for listening.
Best wishes as the process unfolds,
Colin

[Grey]

I'd just like to echo comments that finding good content is a lot more difficult than it should be, particularly good text content.

I also agree that the whole forum structure needs to be redesigned in some way. Personally, I've tried to get involved in the forums a few times, but have never really managed to find the right place to dive in. The I-I pod on Zaadz, on the other hand, was much easier to get involved in.

Also, reading white text on a black background makes my eyes water! Don't suppose there's a chance of changing the whole color scheme IN uses? The teal on black of the I-I site is a little easier on the eyes, but it still takes me a second to focus on it.

Other than that, keep up the great work!

~Grey

[Gitanjali]

Hi Robb

First I am in awe of what you all (Ken and the team) have done, and what you all have given to me and I'm sure so many others. Blessings to you all and may it continue!

Second, here's what I think needs reviewing at I-I:

1. I-I has the feel of “white boy-middleclass-american” to me. Can you find an effective strategy that fits in with your other goals but brings in more women, more feminine people, and more feminine modes of spiritual celebration, and make I-I emanate a more cosmopolitan feel? You will attract a host of wonderful people I feel.This is my number one pain with I-I.

2. I agree with Colin on presentation. The medium is the message. So the hype is offputting to me. What you people are offering is so excellent that it doesnt need the hype. Remember too you are often addressing people who are moving to Tier 2 or in Tier 2 - they tend to be more subtle (sometimes!). So what are skilful means here?

Also, I am hoping that Ken will lessen going into the basics of AQAL in every interview. As others here have suggested, you can serve the purpose by referring people to a link on the basics. As it is now, its boring, and drains the subtle energy of the conversation at that point. It takes too much time and there is less time for moving into greater depths and subtleties and deliciousnesses. That aside, I think Ken is lovely and sweet and welcoming in his interviews and he moves me with his intention…

I also agree with Colin, more interviewers fomore colour! We all know the power of novelty…its a weak reflection of the true art of making every moment new but hey lets help that practice along :)

3. I agree with Pelle and Colin regarding the forum. The I-I forum which was my first home, now feels impersonal and vast…for me it doesnt have the sense of community and warmth that IIzaadz has….why is that? is that worth reviewing? There are some wonderful people at the I-I forum I must say, but as a whole I feel it lacks that community sense.

I hope you find these to be constructive criticisms…and thank you for the wisdom of asking for feedback.

God bless
Gitanjali

[Keith Gillette]

Thanks for providing a forum for feedback. As an I-I member, I value the opportunity to contribute. I'm excited by the prospect of new services and enhancements to the I-I online offerings.

"1. What are the three things we absolutely have to get right with the launch of a new Integral internet portal (think something like Integral Yahoo!)?"

* Tone down the hype: I agree with the previous commentators on this point, so let me add weight to that message. I appreciate that I-I materials are slick, well-conceived, and created with professional production values. These properties add to their perceived value marketability. However, I get turned off by the hyberbolic language: It feels too much like I'm being sold a get-rich-quick scam. I want to be part of a cutting-edge community, not a Ponzi scheme. I believe it's a disservice to Ken & the other thoughtful theoreticians and practitioners for their remarkable intellectual contributions to be marketed with aggrandizing language that makes them seem like egomaniacal gurus. Superlatives are certainly in order for their work and contributions, but thoughtfulness and humility should be conveyed as core to I-I marketing and messaging.

* Leverage "Web 2.0": I'm thinking of several technologies here, both for making I-I more accessible and more valuable. First, integrate RSS as ubiquitously as possible into your architecture so that Integral Naked content and forum conversations, among other things, can be tracked through RSS aggregators. With the volume of Web content of interest to each individual increasing exponentially, the use of aggregators to keep on top of new material will only increase. RSS capability will continue to draw people back to the site and allow site content to be used creatively in other contexts through RSS automation. Second, the read/write Web allows organizations to harness the energy of their viewers. Take advantage of that with re-conceived discussion forums to invite vibrant community dialog, and enhance user participation through more structured means, as well. If you're planning an Integral Portal, model at least part of it on DMOZ.org or Wikipedia, where integral users can add links and create content. I understand that the I-I Leadership will want to maintain control over the core content to retain the integrity of the movement, so extend the Integral Certification levels to brand content on the portal. I recommend allowing content to be mixed on a page so that user-provided content is not "second class", but still coding it clearly as user contributed with a Certification badge & visual highlighting. This model allows you to leverage the synergy of membership collaboration to create high-value, high-investment, dynamic sites while still retaining needed control over the central content. Also, expand the use of user-rating systems for content as currently possible on Integral Naked, and add user-tagging to add value to existing content. Empowering the integral audience will also fill some of the void that others have noted for broader content. Finally, consider adding social networking features, or, better yet, partnering with existing social networking sites (even as a fairly anti-social introvert, I already have several social network accounts, so I really don't want another user page to maintain), to add integral content such as tag-filtered RSS import/export to/from discussion fora and user blogs, links to user profiles, etc.

* Quality Content: Keep the thought-provoking and deep content coming in multiple formats. In the end, that's what I am willing to pay for. (So put Integral Naked on RSS so I can get at it more easily!) I love to read, but have limited time, so podcasts are very valuable to me. Just recording existing written integral writing as podcasts to make them available to a wider audience is valuable. Obviously, continue to produce your own original content, but also expand what you can offer by partnering with other sources of quality, relevant, multimedia content. You could put an "integral wrapper" around outside content by providing the integral context for it via prefatory and postscript commentary. Regardless of the source, keep the content coming, and, per my previous point, let your integral membership help with that.

Best of luck,
Keith

[Chris Rushlau]

I have no idea of what this is or how you got my email address, but will offer a logo design: a big "U", like a horseshoe on a wall, and inside it a little "no". I don't know what that means, either, and I mostly don't like it, but it's what you mean to me. Is it a personal attack to say to someone, "There is no 'you'"? Or is it the greatest thing you can say to someone? Because it means you don't have to uphold yourself?
The slogan under the logo would be, "I don't know what I'm doing here, either."

[Carol White]

Could you please have more things for people who are not skilled at computer technology?

Thanks,
Carol

[Anthony]

At the risk of raising some controversy here, I think the II website's developmental challenges should be viewed through the lens of Spiral Dynamics.

Although II's leadership and website aim to be exemplars of Tier 2 thinking and action, they appear to be mired in Orange with deep anxiety about becoming Green. That's why the community has failed to thrive on the II forums -- II exudes hype, masculinity, competition, and individual achievement (Orange traits) and downplays sensitivity, femininity, cooperation and diverse community (Green traits).

Given that Ken Wilber's brilliant intellectualism is the basis for everything II, some of his thinking -- or the least the way he markets his thinking -- will have to be transformed in order for breakthroughs to occur: that is, the Wilberian dialogue around "the mean green meme" will need to be substantially modified. This is not to say that he isn't correct about "Boomeritis Buddhism" -- Good Lord, he is totally correct about that! -- but the unsurmountable fact is that II is unlikely to convert that which you attack, so more skillful means will need to be found to transform and include Greenies into Tier 2. This is the reason II members are fleeing for Zaadz -- Zaadz gets Green in ways that II doesn't, and is therefore doing a better job with Tier 2 conversions.

Bottom line: II's market is Green, so you better learn how to grow it and transform it -- and that means the thorough digestion of Green values so that that you have adequate nutrition for Tier 2 growth. To be blunt: drop the anti-Green diatribes and start sweet talking Green!

Further proof of this Orange/Green dilemma is the lack of people of color (including American people of color) and global perspectives on II. One cannot go from Orange (achievement) to Turquoise (global consciousness)without passing through Green (diverse community) and Teal (information flow). Therefore, II needs to correct its deficiencies at the Green and Teal levels.

The ultimate solution to II's developmental challenges is simply to walk its own talk. When that happens, you will truly be on to something "phenomenal."

[Sharon]

Amazing how many of these people have expressed what I feel! Too much emphasis on computer technology, too hard to navigate, too much emphasis on competition and money, not enough emphasis on sharing of knowlege. Although I truly believe in what Ken Wilber teaches, I had begun to feel as if I were being drawn into a get-rich-quick scheme because of all of the emphasis on marketing high-priced products, or left out of an elistist group. What I am really interested in is connecting with other people who are on a green or teal level. I would like to discuss things and share my own ideas as well, and if possible make local connections. I've been into this for two years and haven't connected with a single other person who shares my interest.

[Mike Iampieri]

BRAVO !!! A wonderful start for a creative venture.
The BEST to all in all ways.
mike i

[Jeff Bomberger]

I-I seems to be really high on content, content, content. I think the keys to success have to be with engagement, product tailoring, manifest expression opportunities, and interactivity. Otherwise, I'll just buy the books.

I think the keys are

(1)keep coming with "Pop Opp"....spontaneous and limited shelf-life opportunites. For example, when in Sept. '06 I got an email that within 3 days, Ken Wilber and Eddie Kowalczyk would be in New York for a forum at an intimate venue. Exciting quick drop. Kept me thinking that this was a reason for membership...that extraordinary opportunity announcements could come at any time, and exclusively.

(2)Assume your average member may only spend 30 minutes/week on the internet portal. What is the must see material? How long does it take the average person to log-on and find the first thing that interests them. Both from perspective of new member, and seasoned member?

(3)Technology for all (as possible). Assume many are technology challenged at times. For one, neither my 5 year old Mac, nor brand new Mac laptop have been able to stream the videos. I've never watched a full video from I-I without getting cut off, and that is with Cable connection, Roadrunner. Also, possibly not a great choice to call the leading venue "Integral Naked." Some people may like to scan video content at work, at lunch, on breaks, and today's Big Brother corporation doesn't like to see the word "naked" in the content so much

(4)Tailoring to the customer. Give members all the options in the world. Somewhere I had once seen that you could subscribe to weekly/monthly DVD's of content, instead of the downloads. That sounded good. Better yet, could a member scroll a catalog, pick out five 10-minute clips of interest (with samples provided) and you tailor the DVD they create, and send it that way. Is there a way to streamline efficiencies to make that happen, and to make the catalog of high interest? Composing a DVD seems like a great opportunity. Sure, perhaps downloads and saves can accomplish some??? But I sure would go for a create your own DVD cafeteria plan. I could choose in 10 minutes, and your value added to me is in making it and shipping it. I don't have to wait for the downloads, and I have something more immortalized.

(5)Allow space for manifestation. Get the Integralist going, the Logo contest is a great idea, the live conference calls are invaluable. It doesn't need to be a dumping ground for everyone to post their two cents all the time, but it has to allow a sliver of opportunity that if you put your best foot forward, you may get a chance to be in relation. To manifest the theory into a "we" sharing.

(6)What's the Mission Statement? Movement of Green, movement of whom? It's certainly not for everyone. Is it more individual, is it more corporate? Obviously Integral is a bit of all....but what is the Mission Statement for this non-profit?

[John]

Thanks for the opportunity to give feedback and thanks for all the wonderful things coming out of II.

My consumption of II material has almost exclusively been listening to the weekly talks which I greatly enjoy. Along with reading Ken's books I've begun the slow transition from green to teal (and I should mention that my center of gravity still, in many ways, resides in green). I would greatly welcome a more feminine approach to the interviews/dialogues done by Ken and Stu. I've listened to far too many talks where I've really wanted to know what the other party would say but aren't given the space by Ken and Stu's interview style. This is not always the case...there are several interviews where K and S take a more feminine/receptive approach and, personally, I tend to enjoy that much more. So I guess I'm saying that I've witnessed both masculine and feminine approaches but it seems to be tilted to the masculine from my perspective.

I am a bit more comfortable with Bert Parlee's style which seems more like a standard interview and less of dialogue. This was the format I expected when first listening to the talks 2 years ago and it was a bit strange when Ken would talk the same amount of time or more than the featured guest (it gave me the impression that he was always the featured guest).

I love hearing what Ken has to say (and I can find that in the KW section of the site). I love hearing what Stu has to say (and can find that in the SD section of the site). I would love hearing more of what the featured guests have to say, especially the ones who are less comfortable engaging in a more masculine style of communicating (that's to say, Tony Robbins is absolutely comfortable with a more masculine style and everything flows rather nicely and it's a joy to listen to...but with others who are waiting for Ken to pause and don't interrupt, it's a different story). Sorry if I'm going on about this...I've waited two years to get this off my chest! (-:

A few other comments...I can't spend a lot of time on the forums and it just doesn't seem to be a good medium for me so I welcome efforts to establish local II meet-up groups. I've looked into finding other people in my area (Albuquerque) but haven't had much success. Any help in that area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for listening and mucha suerte to you and the rest of II team!

[Leslie]

Thank you, Robb for soliciting feedback and I wish you well as CEO of I-I.

I use Integral Naked regularly and download countless interviews that entertain me as I walk and drive. I also appreciate your generosity in posting highlights from Integral Seminars. I watch, take notes, and reference the material in the classes and groups I facilitate.

I echo many of the previous comments, especially those that relate to the need for more emphasis on the feminine. I facilitate a number of women's groups in my area and I never send the woman to the I-I site because of its skew toward the masculine. The graphics are appealing to my young, male coaching clients, but the women in my practice are often left cold by the site. Many of them are Orange and Green and I simply copy, paste and send text so they don't have to navigate the site. I often find myself craving one natural image of a cool mountain stream or a soothing, setting sun.

When I present Integral to groups, I incorporate music, poetry, images, dialogue, humor and storytelling to bring KWs elegant theoretical material to life. If the I-I site could do some of the same, I would refer so many more clients and students.

I agree that the forums also skew to the masculine. While I enjoy intellectual bantering and exploration, I am often reminded of my irritation in grad school as men ate up class time one-upping each other with theory after theory without any hint of relationality. Each time I am tempted to join a forum discussion, I stop myself as it just feels as if it would take too much energy to compose my post. My tone would be too conversational, too affective for this type of discussion, I tell myself.

With all of that said. I am aware that the men who flock to Integral are not simply Talking Heads. When I participated in Integral Contemplative Christianity, I was pleasantly surprised to meet many integral men. They were sweet, open and kind. It would be lovely if you could harness this energy and extend it to the site.

Finally, I agree with the suggestions that Integral become a truly global site. I have a Spanish speaking friend who would love AQAL, but his English is limited. Brother David's Gratefulness.org site is a model for a site that connects the hearts and mind of the world.

I know how hard you all work and I appreciate of the dedication of the I-I team. The work you do has altered my life personally and professionally. Thank you again for soliciting our input, Robb and I wish you well.

Peace,
Leslie

[Michael]

Hi Robb,

you said, you want to make the site more accessible even to people who didn´t read a Ken Wilber book.

I see the danger, that you scare off advanced members. (One post said already that he/she didn´t want to hear Wilber define what AQAL is over and over...) I like to hear always something new from the cutting edge, that I didn´t know, or haven´t thought of before. That´s what I come here for. If that gets less, due to make it more accessible for beginners, it would turn me off.

So my solution to that:
a) introduce two levels - beginner and advanced - regarding the integral approach.
(Make two sections or color-code the material...)
So I can choose what I want to see according to my knowledge. (So "new" is not just the latest post, but labels possibly new stuff to me.)

b)create for the beginners systematic podcasts for the main terms and concepts. (Excerpts from workshops where they are mentioned is not tight enough for things that (necessarily) repeat itself!) And give it for free (for members), because it is essential for participating and will motivate people once they have the knowledge to seek for more. It can then be used as a glossary for advanced members also!

Anyway make the techniques of wikipedia, delicious, youtube and google, blog, etc. accessible for the integral members platform and adapt it for the integral community.
These techniques lack integral content and integral lacks those essential knowledge-organizing techniques!

As the content grows and the amount of members grow, a solid database and easy to navigate searchengine becomes essential. You´ve done already good, but it can be refined.

Also I´m still waiting for the "find people in a community near you" fuction. I was so disappointed when I got my (very expensive!) ILP starter kid and went on the website to register and find my fellow ILP (like the website said), and the fuction didn´t work. That was almost the main reason for me to get the kit: to get access to fellow practitioners, to practice Integral together! They are hard to find for me(Integral People). They may live around me, but we don´t know from eachother. Through the site we could identify eachother, because we have a common meeting point there, that connect us not in space but in "mind"!

I wish you good luck! Keep experimenting! ;-)
Love,
Michael

[Craig]

I've been an off-again, on-again member of Integral Naked since being drawn in from the Matrix site for the Larry Wachowski interview. I found it better to quit the site and do my homework, read the Wilber books I could get my hands on, get up to speed and come back. Especially since all the videos on IN are presented in installments, it was nice to come back months later and actually be able to get to the end of a conversation recorded on there.

As for the specific questions:
1. A portal will want to be very smart about altitude, so if I'm green, I find what I want and I'm happy, and if sappy green presentation makes me sick, I still find what I want and I'm still happy.

2. I want two things that I can't seem to get. One is a set of tests or tools to gague my own level across different lines. Where are the sentence-completion tests? The other is some guidance on meditation, which is always talked about, but there's nothing to help you on that road.

[Mele Welte]

Aloha Robb et al at I-I,
Best to you as the new CEO of II. Thanks for asking for our feedback.
I echo what another in this forum noted as a desire to know of others nearby them who are engaged in Integral Living Practices in order to form a small community nearby, to meet together for discussion and some joyful encounters together.
After returning home to the islands from the first Integral Transformative Practice Seminar with Ken in Colorado in November 2004, our group made an attempt to stay connected via email. This faded after a year and so. I attempted to try to find others here in the islands who were interested in Integral Thought ala Ken Wilber, but could only find a two folks who were just beginning to read Ken's books. I have been a member of Integral Naked for four years now and have read almost all of Ken's works. But I would hope that I-I might create a networking source mechanism for making contacts locally that can be accessed for local community development. There surely must be more folks here in Honolulu that are looking for a similar community contact point! Could you do something to meet this need? Please include my email address in this for anyone who may be reading this from Hawai'i who might like to contact me! Thanks! mewelte@hawaii.rr.com

Wishing you and all of the I-I staff a warm aloha and best wishes in all the wonderful work you do!

Mele Welte
Honolulu, Hawai'i

[Don Wingate]

Hi Robb,

I might as well chime in here.

I wonder if it would be possible to apply “free functioning fully integrated human being” to the portal. Incorporate the non-dual with the dual. The non-dual perspective looks at the site as a whole, the container. I’m thinking of words like: Unify, Simplify, Beautify. Unify: Maintain a consistent look and feel throughout the site. Also, develop a theme (ever deepening, ever widening AQAL itself?) and let it permeate everything. Simplicity: Easy to navigate, can always go from any one location to any other location with a single click (ideally.) Self-describing. Beautify: Balance feminine and masculine, esthetically, contextually.

The dual then is the content itself (which has always been great.) What would absolutely delight me is more commentary on the content by the content providers themselves. More tying things together, offering perspectives, relating to personal ILPs, that sort of thing. More addressing the membership directly, in the second person, if you know what I mean.

To take this further, it would be delightful, as a member, to feel a direct, intimate, open connection to the Integral Institute We-space. Who are the people behind I-I? You talked about transparency in terms of disclosing what II is doing, but I think to a lot of people a more important aspect of transparency is the ability to see the humanness of the people who make up the organization. Integral Naked is actually a wonderful attempt at this very thing. Ken has made himself vulnerable it seems to me and is a good example of what it means for a teacher to allow his human side to show through. I wonder if Integral Institute the organization might do some of the same (and by association, the people who are inside I-I).

An obvious vehicle for this is the forums. You have mentioned assigning one person to spend a certain amount of time per day focusing on the forums. But what if everyone inside I-I actively participated in the forums? And their families and friends too! From my perspective, that would be SO cool. There would be an energy flow between I-I and it’s members. It’d be a dissolving of the barrier between the we-space inside I-I and the we-space outside.

Thank you for asking for input.

Don Wingate
Bend Oregon, USA.

[music]

very interesting.
i'm adding in RSS Reader

[Michael]

Hi Robb,

1) How do you define the IL brand with so much user generated content being added? This is going to be the main challenge with the new "Integral portal", imo.

I know this will sound radical but I'd drop the wall almost completely. Become the user. "Integral" is, in the end, not a brand. It's a culture. If Ken's interviews, his blog, and all stuff related to him are a channel that I subscribe to on IL, I'd be super happy. Of course I can also add content to my channel (blog, podcast, video, art) just as you do.

The second aspect is discussion. Each channel needs a built in forum, so anyone can start a discussion. This can start from the main channel page or from each new post. Either way, people have the ability to connect. This is gonna be a super important part of the continued discussion and evolution of Integral.

Why is this a good idea? Drop the old top down media creation model and harness our power to help create Integral. I totally respect your desire to engage the audience. It shows a huge amount of understanding. Why not go all the way?

[Robb Smith]

Michael, I believe that we will do much of what you suggest. The notion of "brand" is evolving for the most evolved companies anyway, recognizing that our brand is not something we do but something we just are, or are not. Hence an integral brand can't be created, crafted or faked: it is the authentic reflection of our organizational culture, and that in turn is the reflection of who we are as an organizational collective (and as individuals). Only existing companies are having trouble with the notion of UGC defining their brand because they have a less evolved version of what that means. Real brand management is not just the message, it is about crafting a community of purpose.

On the discussion idea, we have talked about this a lot. Briefly: 1. Our discussion model will evolve over the coming few years but will start with a guided blogging and comment/review model like Amazon to encourage valuable commentary, 2. discussion forums serve some people and not others but clearly they are tough to moderate well and we've not been that good at it in the past, and 3. if we add a discussion forum we will do so where it it doesn't distract from the primary self-reflection model we've tried to build into the basic architecture of the site. We are trying to balance agency and communion and will be watching to see how this experiment evolves over the first year. It should be exciting and no doubt surprising what actually happens.

[Patricia Gilligan]

I hope that I did not just lose a long Post becuse I forgot to put name and email address on it. I did not see that as needed since I signed my full name. My carelessness but I don't know if I can write it again. Pattye Gilligan PS computer not working -will be up again soon.