Flikr photo by david_wilmotI just read this awesome article on CNET about Cameron Sinclair, winner of the 2006 TED Prize and founder of the Open Architecture Network. In their own words, OAN is "...an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design."

By open source, they mean they compile, share, and then implement the ideas and resources of, well, everyone and anyone who contributes via their online network. What's amazing about this is that Sinclair and his organization have not only embraced the tools of Web 2.0 and open source development, but the concept, as well. And they've found a real-world application of it.

In a way, the physical blueprints of, say, an innovative design that can help save a village in Ecuador, have been open sourced.

Most of us in this community have talked about and implemented social networking tools to raise funds or build engagement for a campaign. We've created social change, but it's been somewhat abstract change. The OAN actually applies the tools and concept to change the planet's landscape physically.

From CNET's interview with Sinclair:

"We've been very fortunate because our focus has been what the Internet is supposed to do, which is the exchange of ideas and information not for financial gain but for social gain.

On my laptop were about 2,000 projects--cool, innovative stuff that could change the world--and they just sat on my laptop. Someone said, "Why don't you just put them on a server somewhere?" Originally, the network was going to be a repository of proven ideas. But as we began building it with the engineers, we realized here was an opportunity to create a project management system so that designers could implement projects on a really cost-effective basis."

In essence, these are the real implications of the Internet, social media, and open source tools for the nonprofit and philanthropic communities:

• Fast, inexpensive knowledge exchange (with more people, from more places)
• Real-time collaboration for development (of ideas, tools, societies)
• Global implementation of the products created by the first two points

I'd love to hear about other ways individuals and organization have applied the concepts of "Web 2.0" and open source to their off-line work!