Please plan to join CIO members and guests at the meeting of the Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum on January 17. Collaboration is a hot topic in business today. Technology has evolved to the point that enterprises are facing the challenges to create collaboration in the workplace in innovative ways. The January meeting of the Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum presents the first of a two meeting series to further understand successful strategies for collaboration in the workplace. In the January meeting, industry leaders in collaboration and resource sharing will provide insights into current and future trends in collaboration strategies and implementations. What needs to be considered for collaboration; technology, business culture, innovation, virtual teaming, competitive advantage, process improvement, other aspects? What has been learned from early adopters? What are the innovations and what are the risks and pitfalls to be considered? What changes in the way CIOs plan and execute such projects? We will look at these challenges and solutions from both the inter-enterprise and the intra-enterprise view.

First, Jeff Howe, contributing editor at Wired Magazine, will provide a brief discussion of the increasing importance of collaboration in our culture and our economy, specifically laying out some general distinctions between internal collaborative practices and external collaborative practices (crowdsourcing).

In June, 2006, Mr. Howe published his observations about an emerging phenomenon in a Wired Magazine article entitled "The Rise of Crowdsourcing". He reported on his discovery of how crowdsourcing was having profound effects in the fields of cable TV production (VH1), stock photography (Getty Images), corporate science (Procter & Gamble) and information technology (Amazon). The article coined the term crowdsourcing. Mr. Howe's presentation will employ real-world examples to explore this phenomena as it is evolving today based on his last 18 months of research which forms the basis of his soon to be published book: "Crowdsourcing: How the Power of Crowds is Driving the Future of Business" (pub date: July 2008). His talk will include a "walk along the waterfront" tour of the ways crowdsourcing is manifesting itself in Information Technology, including the rise of user communities, Rent-A-Coder style labor auctions, start-up companies like Cambrian House and TopCoder.

Next, Jim Robshaw, IT Director, Cisco Systems, Inc. will present a functional perspective of how Cisco has envisioned collaborative technologies, leveraged such technologies and implemented these technologies during the past few years within Cisco. Mr. Robshaw will review what Cisco Systems, Inc. has implemented in the collaboration space and discuss what collaboration means for Cisco today, what benefits have been realized and what is envisioned in the future.

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Finally, Mr. Jack Hughes, Chairman and Founder of TopCoder, Inc. will focus on how online professional communities can be used to accomplish work. Using as an example the TopCoder global community of software developers, Mr. Hughes will discuss the necessary components of building community - including values, incentives and process necessary to accomplish work from simple front end prototypes to large scale enterprise systems. Part of the presentation will include a look at the management systems necessary to manage a large, virtual workforce. Mr. Hughes will also discuss the requisite approach necessary for companies to engage and get the best out of professional networks. This discussion will involve both the cultural aspects of the changing work environment as well as the structure of work itself.

Please join our members at the meeting! The meeting starts at 8:00 AM and ends by 1PM. Brunch and lunch are provided. Pre-registration is required. Meeting logistics including agenda, directions to the meeting place and parking information will be emailed to you after you register. For registration for this meeting, please contact: Bonnie Lawson at blawson@towson.edu or 410-704-4252.

To make inquiries about this meeting or about membership in the Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum, please contact: