AboutUsInc
AboutUs, Inc is a non-traditional corporation that provides the back end structure for the AboutUs.org website.
As staff, we are organized into four groups, Operations Team, Content Team, Development Team and Community staff. We aspire to be a flat organization that encourages leaders to emerge from anywhere in the organization but recognize that some structure is necessary for smooth operation. Structure is provided by two co-leaders for each group and by a system of Sponsors who are responsible for mentoring, guiding and evaluating the people they sponsor. Everyone including the CEO has a sponsor.
The Operations Team is responsible for the smooth operation of the company and has responsibility for Facilities, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources and Payroll.
The Content Team is responsible for creating specific content from paid sources.
The Development Team is responsible for maintaining, upgrading and developing the technology that supports AboutUs.org.
The Community staff is responsible for attracting and nurturing the community members that provide quality control, assistance and content for the site.
As a company include assuming good faith of everyone, transparent operation, self organization, promoting a do-ocracy, using real names on our site, building a content commons, building a collaborative environment, and breaking down barriers to technological fluency.
Communication media includes the AboutUs.org wiki site itself, continuous use of several IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels, traditional email, Skype Voip, and Vonnage Voip.
Staff reside in three locations with our main office located in Portland, Oregon. Our office in Pakistan provides staff in all four of our teams and, with a 12 hour time differential, almost 24 hour operation of AboutUs.org. One staff member resides in Chicago.
The copmany/website is currently funded by angel investors who, in two rounds of funding, have provided 2 million dollars to the project. Additional income is generated from site advertising.
Our major challenges are building external communities, internal and external communication, leadership, decision making, team building and new technology development.
Company Values
In addition to the community definition of WhoWeAre CommunityValues, we hold ourselves to the following values
Discussion
I really like MarkDilley's idea (see page history) of merging this page with AboutUs.org. And, I'm concerned that such a merger will continue the confusion between the company AboutUsInc, the website AboutUs.org and the community. TedErnst | talk 09:10, 10 November 2007 (PST)
