For those keeping track, I've almost finished the vision statement for the Skillful Means project.  I'd like to get feedback on it, before I publish it to everyone, so if you are interested (it's a 20 page document at this point), let me know.

I thought I would give a bullet point preview, however:

1.  Login to site
2.  Select one of several pre-existing profiles (with structured competencies).  These profiles will have associated functions, and then at a lower level, associated competencies.  These profiles will be embedded with functions for self, society, and spirit.
a. Or, take assessments, to determine closest fit for profile
b. Select functions , and create own profile.
3. Evaluation based on profiles selected or created.
4. Self-assessments measured against profiles. 
5. Levels of "lower" assessment, recommend various training
6. Links to this training on the site.
7. Various ways to communicate and participate, in projects.

All of the above - functions, competencies, skills and profiles, contributed by the community.

The above requires at least  four pieces of open-source software.


A Community Management System
A Learning Management System
A Performance Management/human development System.
An Information Managment System.

A buddy and I have installed Drupal, for the community piece.  It wasn't that difficult, actually, and this also takes care of the Wiki.

We also installed ATutor.  The relevance of ATutor is that you can, say, create an open-source online course or podcast - say with a content creation tool, and wrap a SCORM wrapper around it, and then you are publishing - IT courses, or financial courses, or meditation courses - on the LMS.  And then it will run on the system.  And this created content can be hosted (I hope) over at OurMedia

I haven't forged connections between these two softwares yet, however.  Still working on that.

The thing I haven't found is an open-source performance management piece - and really in this case, this is talking about managing the competency aspect.

If anyone could please forward this on to technical people you know - because the performance management aspect is what will distinguish a real "practice" community from a "talk" community. 

But I am so excited right now, you have no idea. 

All of the roles, functions, skills and competencies can be contributed by anyone. 
The knowledge will be contributed by anyone.  
The online practice modules will be submitted by anyone. 
The assessments will be created by anyone. 
It stays free. 
It improves - fast, with the collected pool of human wisdom - faster than can be imagined.

Here's a wonderful link to a variety of assessments.

The "BodyMind" collection at the bottom is a good one - if you click through, you will find a "values" assessment - I haven't taken it yet, but it lools pretty good.