Changing Military Invention and Documentation

The way I have been approaching digital media has been through leveraging groups and communities that previously did not exist. They used media to create channels of communication that were previously not there in order to address a matter of concern. The interesting thing about Jeff's Book is that it is focused on how existent communities adopt communal writing (inventing) technologies. And it made me wonder, what other examples can I find out there of communal writing. Shiky, who I have drawing from all semeseter, offers examples about how groups arise out of thin air. What happens when groups adopt new writing technologies.

The Military

The US military recently wikyfied their army field manuals. Soldiers have had problems in Afghanistan and Iraq with enemy combatants adjusting to field procedures. To address this problem the army implemented technology that allowed updates to be made on the fly. Now, field soldiers can update the procedures as they encounter new enemy tactics. This technology turned every member of the military into a writer. The advantage of a wiki is that it allows the community members who experience the problems in the field to post a solution. But it also maintains military hierarchy. Writers, in this case, are still on the low end of the pole. Higher ranking officials still control how this technology is used and who can use it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3aJ3zeAv6g&feature=player_embedded

In this example, there is an existent community that adopted an new technology that changed the way they produced and shared knowledge. This is the way that infrastructures adjust to support invention that ultimately improves the function of a community. As Grabill mentions in his book, Star and Ruhleder believe that infrastructures become invisible as they break down (91). The standard infrastructure that supported the production of field manuals was no longer adequate. If you will, that infrastructure became exposed and open to attack.

One other interesting note that the normal rigid connection between expert and status breaks down. Now the experts on the enemy, the soldiers in the field, can update the manual as needed while still keeping their status as field soldiers.