Question 57 of 365: Who is doing the asking?

As I have been asking a lot of questions of late, I thought it was time for me to see who else is doing the same. I should have something in common with those other who are also looking for answers, right? A kind of community could be formed around this practice, and in time, we would be able to figure out what makes each of our questions important.

However, after quite a little bit of research, the community may have to wait. It seems as though each site that helps people ask and answer questions isnât really trying to create a community of practice so much as they are trying to create a database of answers or a platform for connecting questions with answers rather than people together.

This somewhat disheartening notion came from these facts:

As of October 2009, Yahoo Answers was receiving 30 million questions and answers per month but has no way of removing redundant questions
As of November 2009, Answers.com had 15,799,157 questions in its database but only 18% of which were answered promptly
From December 2009 to January 2010, Formspring.me gains 1.5 million unique views, but questions are asked anonymously.
Hunch.com has more ânumber-basedâ data than anyone else in the Q&A space, but the questions arenât owned by anyone. Each question/topic is simply a way of gathering data, not a way for people to connect with one another.
As of February 2010, The top 10 users on Mahalo Answers earned $10845.93 (in the 10 weeks of existance) but the âbrown beltâ statuses create a hierarchy of people not a network.

So, I guess I am just a little disappointed with the platforms currently available. More than that, though, I am disappointed that more people donât seem to be noticing that they are connecting with a system rather than with people when they ask questions. I am surprised that they arenât clamoring for a better community of practice, but perhaps they donât know how.

Perhaps, the people doing the asking donât know that they can ask for more. Perhaps, they donât know that they can get an answer and a network. Perhaps they arenât aware that the process of asking the question and iterating on that question to find a better one and debating honestly as people instead of avatars can be one of the most rewarding experiences online or offline.

So, who is doing the asking?

Well, right now it is those who have a need, but donât see what that real need is. It is people who will may find an answer, but wonât find an experience. It is just individuals, and it will remain that way until something allows them to come together and find real solutions, rather than just words.

Revenue sharing comes to Mahalo Answers (calacanis.com)
Yahoo Answers Gets A Much-Needed Facelift (techcrunch.com)
Google Buys Aardvark (ghacks.net)
Hunch.com checks out healthy at six months (digital.venturebeat.com)

Author: Ben Wilkoff

He owns a typewriter and collects Laserdiscs. He loves his three children quite a bit (aged 11, 17 and 19). He is passionate about authentic learning, technology with purpose, and creating at least one new thing every day. In short, he teaches, and learns. A lot.

View all posts by Ben Wilkoff →

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Author: Ben Wilkoff