An Overview

Concentrate Effort

Our objective is simple: to selectively bring about improvements in the application of all-too-often overlooked definitions in life, work and commerce (e.g., the application of a "secondhand smoke" definition has enabled 3,000 municipalities, most U.S. states and sixteen countries to significantly reduce smoking).

Open4Definition is a straightforward approach. It is pragmatic, highly selective and at times even contentious; and it works.

Select Targets

There are sapient definition improvement opportunities in a wide range of fields (and within the intersection of various fields) where the cost of implementation will be minor and the resulting benefit gained significant in comparison. Territorial fights are almost certain to break out if definitions and their applications are proposed by an unknown outside body. We may therefore focus (at least initially) on definitions that lie within "no man's land" or reside in fragmented fields in obvious disarray.

Ramp up Results

Open4Definition will concentrate unapologetically on attracting members willing to act and with influence. Our results will rely upon great minds, practical problem solvers, radical geniuses and the talent of the truly unexpected. We will provide participants and others uncommon processes, custom tools and 'just enough' implementation support to accomplish the tasks at hand. This is a community that will give back as much to its members as it asks of them.

Surmount Setbacks

Our process consists of four major steps – Charter, Examiner, Implementation and Tracking. For more detail see The Open4Definition Process Abstract.

We view Implementation like a batting average in baseball. That same perspective may also apply to the Charter and the Examiner Team steps. No one gets a hit at every turn at bat nor will a) everyone who signs up be a major contributor, b) every Examiner Team survive startup, or c) each targeted definition improvement be implemented completely. That's simply reality. However, a few big winners can make up for a multitude of small setbacks.

Starting Up

This is the most basic question. How to start up a Project that relies upon out-of-the-box thinking? Everything we do begins with people coming together for a common cause. Our projects will be spawned by leveraging existing participant networks while capitalizing on emerging tools to identify key players.

We don't expect to get absolutely everything right the first time or two around. We have developed a process through beta testing of the following five Developmental Projects. These simulations and efforts have allowed us to refine the framework. They have also given us an exhilarating glimpse into the magnitude of the potential benefits possible through Open4Defintion.