Quora: Wisdom of the crowd

These days I find myself increasingly use quora to get answers to my questions over just using a Google Search. At times, I even enter my query with "+quora". This is the level of trust I have developed for answers on quora. Here are some reasons that I really like Quora:

1. Quality of the content/answers: I use Quora quite extensively and have not really come across any question that is useless or an answer that doesn't provide any relevant information. With its quality management techniques such as upvote/downvote, flagging, community monitors etc. coupled with a robust algorithm, Quora ensures that the crowdsourced content on its website is always of good quality. 
2. Trust: I see the real identity of the people on Quora and these are the people I can trust without a second thought. Without Quora I would never have had a chance to learn from seasoned product managers like Ian McAllister, Ken Norton etc. An extreme example of real identity I saw on Quora was an answer from a murder who is currently an inmate at San Quentin jail. 
3. It's fun: I can spend hours reading interesting stuff on quora unlike their competitor sites such as Yahoo or answers.com, reddit. On the other hand, I would kill hours on other social networks and never learn anything. Quora has the skill of retaining people or making them spend more and more time on the site & gain knowledge.

Nevertheless, I believe that Quora has long way to go. It is very critical for Quora to maintain the quality of its content and people as it grows. I already see some repeated questions that end up creating two different threads for the same questions, lot of questions not being answered etc. In addition, it is very critical to manage the quality and growth the moment it decides to monetize. Of course, Quora is not just a philanthropic initiative and cannot sustain without revenue like Wikipedia. Even founders and investors of Quora have talked about monetizing the website in future. Quora needs to to ensure that monetization doesn't hurt the sentiments of its users who have been sharing their wisdom on the website. Here goes my recommendation for future Quora: 

1. Search: Quora's search functionality is very limited. It just tries to do keyword match. To make Quora a place to get answers to everyone's desired questions, Quora should enhance its search functionality. As a Quora founder, you don't want someone to go to Google to search for answers on Quora. 
2. Expand into other functional areas, geographical areas and languages: Quora's reach is currently limited to answers related to technology, business, entrepreneurship and venture capital with widespread adoption in United States, India and Brazil. I would like to see Quora being expanded to other functional areas such as Science, Arts, History and Agriculture. I would love to see a day when my dad who is an agriculturist post questions on a disease about his crop in his regional language or share his 30 years of knowledge to help others. 
3. Monetize/incentivize users while maintaining the quality of content: Currently, Quora has the concept of credits. Quora can expand the credit strategy to develop a system that provides features such as promoted questions, promoted answers and promoted profiles. Promoted content displayed will be a combination of content quality and the bid placed for promoted content. Users can also pay to get answers quickly and answerer can earn money for answering the question within stipulated time. 
4. Reputation Score and Job Search: Quora reputation score and area of expertise can be used for matching jobs with experts - like stackoverflow career section. It is a great way for organizations to drive passive candidates who could be the best hires. 
5. Knowledge marketplace: Quora reputation can be leveraged for getting clients for knowledge related services/consulting professionals.  You can bid your hourly rate on the website. Quora calculates the actual rate (can be more than or less than what you bid) based on your reputation in specific area. Example: product management, ERP/CRM, Salesforce, Retail.
6. Product Marketplace: Quora can also be a marketplace to buy anything that appeared in answers or recommendations by people on the website. Lot of people ask about the right books to refer for various technical and management subjects. It will be a significant value add to the user if s/he can buy the book with a single click. It could also be a software or a SAAS. Quora can have tie ups with Amazon or Google Play, iCloud create this marketplace. 
7. Quora answer graph: I want to see the social graph of a question. Like who all have answered the question, what is their reputation, who have up/downvoted the question or answer. Also an algorithm to calculate the placeholder based on the reputation of the answerer, appropriateness of the answer, votes and comments. It will be fun to browse that graph that would make me stay for much longer time on quora. That’s exactly quora wants.
8. Quora for enterprises: White labeled version or cloud based version of quora for managing enterprise knowledge repository. Or a cloud-based solution for enterprises to manage their knowledge repository. 

These are my thoughts about Quora. In a nutshell, I want to see my favourite website grow to be the place for any question I may have and get instant answers with satisfactory quality. 

Transforming the world through education...!!

He is a tech titan, a highly successful silicon valley entrepreneur and a PhD from world class tech university in United States.. One day he chose to exit from his first venture n sold the company to ibm.. Rather than running after investment options with higher returns, he decided use huge share of his profits to make difference in the lives of people, communities, societies... Instantly, he recalled the faces of his classmates who discontinued their studies because of the inability of their parents to provide financial support for their studies.. This was the day on which Dr. Prabhu Goel's brain child Foundation For Excellence(FFE - http://www.ffe.org/ ) was born...!! 
With the noble vision of creating an eco-system of excellence through education, Dr. Prabhu Goel founded FFE in the Silicon Valley in 1994. Since its inception, Foundation For Excellence has transformed the lives of more than eleven thousand needy students through scholarship award programs.

Foundation For Excellence organizes Open House Event every year that provides a unique opportunity to connect with scholars, alumni, facilitators, donors and volunteers.

This year's open house was held on 16th Oct 2011.. Infosys Technologies Co-Chairman Kris Gopalakrishan graced the occasion as chief guest... 
Managing Trustee of FFE India Dr. Sudha Kidao, Volunteer and Past Executive Director of FFE USA Mr. Suresh Seshan, Prof. Rishikesh Krishnan IIM Bangalore who is also a Trustee & Director of FFE were among the other dignitaries who added color to this special event...


It was indeed a special day for me... As an alumnus and a volunteer of the organization I had taken up the role of emcee for the day with Dinesh another alum of FFE..!! It was a mix of excitement and a pinch of pressure to perform as I was facing such eminent guests and a hugeeeeee crowd..!! Extremely supportive audience manifolded our confidence and we successfully facilitated the event..!! more about emceeing in the next post... 


Breakout sessions followed the main event...  We, alumni of the organization, discussed about how we can take crucial role in taking the organization to next level and spread the culture of giving back to the society...!! Rajeev Gupta, a social entrepreneur, shared his invaluable knowledge about enrolling all members of alumni association to contribute to FFE's mission... 
Overall it was indeed an awesome day...!! 


As Winston Churchill said “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”
The most precious gift you can ever give to someone is Education..!!


Happy Giving..!!


PS: I request readers of this blog post to consider making contribution to the Noble vision of FFE. For more details please visit http://www.ffe.org 

Another recession???

We have been hearing that world has not really come out of recession and America is approaching another recession which is much deeper than what we have seen in 2008. Here is what Porter Stansberry says about expected recession... It may not be as bad as he predicts, but certainly its time for America to handover the power to Asian Giants... !!

Independence Day Celebration @ Sunshine

Spirit of freedom was eloquently flowing in the words every sun-shiner!! Freedom of speech was being exercised in perfect way!!

“Tiranga”, India’s National flag had colored the festive mood of Sunshine’s 544th meeting… We, Sun-shiners celebrated the “64th Independence day of India”.

President Jose in his special speech shared the Great Visions of India’s past president, rocket man and visionary leader “Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam”. Let me put it in APJ’s words.

1. FREEDOM - India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and built on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.

2. DEVELOPMENT - For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling; our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed, self reliant and self assured nation.

3. The India must STAND UP TO THE WORLD. Unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand.

Authenticity in his words made each of think and work towards realizing APJ’s dreams of “Developed India”. The speech awakened the patriot in every Sunshiner!!

Table topic master Anand had wisely designed the topics to ignite the nationalism and integrity of speakers. The session was flooded with the ecstasy of patriotism…

Lastly, National Anthem “Janagana Adhinaayaka Jayahe……” in Latha’s voice took us to the nostalgic mood…!! We paid our tribute to the brave freedom fighters, who surrendered their lives for the nation’s integrity!!

Let those immortal souls rest in peace!!

Let that patriotic euphoria be alive forever!!

Wanna calm the fluttering butterflies in your stomach??

Yessss!! There is a way out!! Very Simple...!! When you are forced to fight with the fluttering butterflies often, U get used to it :) Table topic session of the toast masters meeting is specially designed to push you towards achieving it !!
Today I had the chance to pull people out to speak on exciting topics :)) yeah...  I was the table topic master of the day...!!
How do you feel when some one asks you to express your views on "Time Management" when you are really late for the event??
Doesn't it make you feel like running out of the place.... ;) But U cant ;-)
Like every other Thursday, I was late for TM meeting.. and theme of the day was "Time Management". I, being table topic master, was asked to express my opinion on Time Management. ouchhhhh!! being 15 min. late, I really don't have any moral rights to speak on this :(( hmmmm... I need to get out of my IST(Indian Stretchable Time)...
Coming on to Today's experience, feel like I performed this role better than last time. I found myself much comfortable on the podium today!!
Had I done much research on topics......

Here goes the topic list:
1) Life is just a series of moments.If you miss the moments,you miss your life.
2) You Can’t Predict the Future, But You Can Create It
3) If You Keep Doing What Worked in the Past You’re bound to Fail
4) Approach Problems with Your Ignorance—Not Your Experience
5) The Objective of Marketing Is to Make Selling Unnecessary
6) Management is a social function and has mostly to do with people, not things and procedures
7) Every organizational unit is a direct reflection of the leadership it's been given
8) With 3G spectrum auctions, Govt of India raised 16k crores Rs. But it created negative impact on the credit metrics of telcom operators.
Could you provide your views on this...
9) Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things
10) Ideation without execution is nothing more than delusion
11) When you really want to do something the whole universe conspires to help you in achieving it!!
12) Recently Google Pulled out from china citing security threats as the main reason. Do you think this is the right business decision for a company like google?

Table Topics

Current affairs/Social issues

• If you have the privilege to transform the education system in India, How would you want the system to be?
• Recently, the U.S. Senate passed the health care bill with the vision to provide good healthcare to everyone. Could you express your ideas on how we can ensure quality healthcare to every Citizen of our nation.
• Do you think Indian Rupees /China’s Yaun can replace US $ as world’s reserve currency?
• Do you think stricter policies imposed by government can reduce pollution and make great contribution to the green earth mission?
• Your views on whether software patents should be awarded?
• Do you think quality healthcare should be made as fundamental right of every citizen?

Quotes

• "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -Benjamin Franklin
• Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant -" -Robert Louis Stevenson
• Who we are is the result of desires backed by actions
• "Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes." -Peter Drucker
• "It's not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity." -Francis Bacon
• The best way to predict the future is to create it.
• Happiness is not what you get! It is what you choose to feel.
• Ideation without execution is nothing more than delusion
• Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
• Desire is the turning point of all achievements – Napoleon Hill
• Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
• Action creates clarity
• Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change
• NO MAN HAS A CHANCE TO ENJOY PERMANENT SUCCESS UNTIL HE BEGINS TO LOOK IN A MIRROR FOR THE REAL CAUSE OF ALL HIS MISTAKES

International Speech Contest - An education session by Ian Faria

It was all set for the most awaited session!! Banjara hall was full with the excited sun-shiners looking forward to learn the art of “Winning the world championship of Public Speech”. Gracious presence of Mr. Ian Faria added color to the occasion.

The education session was led by, Ian Faria, the Founder Chairman for Toastmasters International - Territorial Council of South Asia. Ian Faria has been recognized as one of the best motivational trainers in India by the leading magazine “THE WEEK”. Victory in “Toastmasters International Taped Speech Contest 2001” added a feather to his bouquet of accolades.

Mr. Faria started the session with the quest to “Be The Best”. His question “Why win a contest” made each of us to inquire ourselves. So why does one want to win a contest?

* Speak better: Success elevates one’s confidence to a whole new level and creates a great sense of accomplishment. It greatly enhances the speaking skills.

* Be a role model: Winner sets a new standard and stands as a hero in the eyes of everyone.

* Lead better: Fundamental of leadership lies in communicating your thoughts clearly to your subordinates. Successful communicators make best leaders.

* More expected: By winning a contest you set the benchmark for yourself and everyone expects more from you. It pushes you towards much greater improvement.

* Kaizen: Philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement. You go through a deep learning process when you walk in the path of success.

Then he shared the public speech winning formula with the audience. Winning speech is formed by the amalgamation of content and delivery with right proportions. The “Winning formula” is tested and has produced great results in all public speaking contests. Ian Faria provided invaluable tips to deliver the winning speech.

Content (50%):

* Crystal clear message – SOP(Content) /SLO (Single Line Objective)

* Opening ( 1 min – 150 words)

* Emphasize the key point

* Rhetorical device – similes, metaphors

* One winning phrase – repeated at least twice

* Summarize

* Close – 1 minute

* Humor

* Drama

Delivery (30%):

* Emotions – Roller coaster

* Effective, passionate

* Appropriate voice modulation

* Humor

* Break and acceleration

* Be loveable

* Powerful gestures

* Facial expression

* Avoid repeated words

* Connect to audience

* Use stage effectively

* Close – strong, effective, emotional, pause

Language (20%):

* Appropriate to audience

* Well prepared – grammar, phrases

* Rhetorical devices – similes, metaphors

Phases:

* Idea: Idea is very critical in your success. Choose something which you are passionate about, something which makes you feel like a winner before you get up from the chair!! Your speech should have great take home value to the audience. Ultimately, every one is interested in “What’s in it for me?”

* Script: Speech script should be an evidence of the creativity of the speaker. Use rhetorical devices – similes and metaphors in your speech

* Practice: Practice rigorously

* Feedback: Feedback from the mentor and club members is very crucial in the speech crafting process. It helps you to spot your weaknesses and take corrective actions.

* Compete: Present the idea with confidence.

Winning speech of 2007 “The Swami's Question” by Mr. Vikas Jhingran was being played as the demo speech. The speech combined humor with a personal tale of being a not-so- motivated student in India. Answering the swami’s question “Who am I?” helped him to improve his grades and make it to his dream college MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Speech incorporated all qualities of the best public speech and replay of this speech served as best demo for the session.

In short, key in delivering the great speech is to connect to the audience, take them in the roller coaster of emotions and leave an indelible impression.