ADDIE: SS1

On July 22, 2010 · 2 Comments

There are five stages to the ADDIE model – analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate. To a gearhead such as myself, these stages represent forward gears on a manual transmission. First gear is only intended to get the vehicle moving. If you don’t stop, you don’t need first gear. This was the thought behind the “dog leg first” manual gearboxes. Gearbox Magazine has been operating for the better part of a year, now, but as this is my first structured attempt at applying the ADDIE model to the project, I’m starting things off in first gear. Over and down.

SS1
SS1 is Special Stage #1. It’s a rally term for the first stage of the event where competition occurs. Rally is a special form of motorsport. Each special stage begins in one place and ends in another. Over the course of the event, teams will cover multiple special stages, sometimes even finishing on another continent. So it will be with this project.

SS1 is all about getting started. Maybe SS2 will focus on merchandising? Could SS3 be about international event organization? Time will tell. Each stage represents a new focus on our journey. The analysis stage is about questioning where we want to be in the future relative to where we are today so we can come up with a sense of direction.

Where do we want to be in the future?
This is my vision. Gearheads around the world getting to know each other better, uniting around brands or pursuits, sharing knowledge and experiences, doing things right, discussing what works, how it works, why it works, getting more enjoyment out of automotive projects, and living better lives through the power of knowledge and networking.

Building a new kind of global automotive community which does not cannibalize existing forums, instead providing a means for the best organized and most passionate communities to be positively represented in global automotive culture, to grow stronger and provide more value to active community members is a priority of Gearbox Magazine.

In short, Gearbox Magazine aims to unite gearheads around the world under common pursuits, to bring them together and empower them to live richer, more rewarding lives.

Where are we now?
I’ve spent the majority of my time online in the Mitsubishi community, so I’ll use examples from this experience. We are highly segmented. DSM owners stick to mostly DSM forums. Evo owners have their own forums, and it’s more of the same for the Galant, Colt, and GTO platforms.

In the early days of the internet, we congregated according to platform because it presented the best opportunity for technical craft mastery. You had a DSM, you subscribed to the Talon Digest email list. You joined DSMtalk or DSMtuners or whatever forum you could find where people were going fast with class in the hopes that you might be able to replicate their success.

Over time, forums grew increasingly popular. As technology has advanced and hosting prices have dropped, an ever greater number of online communities have sprung up. Some were started to serve local or regional communities, some were started to slight more established communities where people felt somehow marginalized. Today, there are likely dozens of choices for any popular platform.

The problem with forums.
Platforms come and go. The newest DSM you can buy – a 1999 model – is now more than a decade old. Many owners “get out,” selling off their projects and parts in order to pursue new projects with newer platforms. As these “old school” members leave, they are replaced with new members who bought what was once a US$27,000 vehicle on Craigslist for US$2,700. Priorities and attitudes change. The selection of viable project vehicles begins to dwindle. You can almost hear the Langoliers.

A summary
There are still passionate owners of nearly every platform ever made. The knowledge they possess – the sum of their experiences – both technically and socially are of immeasurable value. These are the community veterans who have likely seen and done it all. They have much to offer, but they face a constant battle with entropy as platforms age and fade.

I’ve seen forums which I’ve joined as member #3 wither and die, turning into little more than affiliate link real estate. I’ve seen other forums spring up with a broader focus, signaling a readiness to lead the online gearhead community into the future. The trick, it seems, is to yoke the strengths of the current online community and to make the most of opportunities available to us today.

Analysis Part I
First gear is designed to overcome inertia and get the vehicle moving. Well, we’re moving. We’ve decided where we want to go and we’ve got an idea of where we are right now. Next up, some good, old fashioned SWOT analysis. What do we have to work with? Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Then we’ll see about shifting into 2^nd gear – design – and setting this thing up for the first corner.

If you’ve got any thoughts on this part of the process – have I painted a decent picture of the situation, am I missing anything, etc. – please leave a comment below. Much of this process is based on asking the right questions. My familiarity with the subject matter for nine months now lends itself to the possibility of glossing over things now and again. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!