What is MetaCollab?
MetaCollab is a collaborative encyclopedic project based at University of Melbourne’s Centre for Ideas. It invites people from diverse fields—design, community organizing, technology—to document and reflect upon how collaboration works. It’s built by doing collaboration, not just studying it.
Why it matters today
In a world where teams span continents, organizations, and disciplines, understanding the dynamics of working together is crucial. MetaCollab gathers diverse examples—from civic tech to distributed design networks—to show how people build trust, align goals, and create impact across contexts.
What you’ll find on MetaCollab
- An evolving taxonomy of collaboration concepts
- Case studies such as “Collective Intelligence Platforms” and “Cross-Sector Projects”
- Templates and frameworks contributed by researchers and practitioners
Many entries link to related entries, helping readers navigate between ideas. You can explore subjects like Collective Intelligence, Open Source Collaboration, and Civic Technology Networks.
How collaboration is both subject and method
MetaCollab functions like a living lab. It encourages contribution, debate, revision and reflection—all classic elements of collaboration. For example, someone might propose a new entry on “peer governance,” others edit it for clarity or scope, and together they build a richer resource.
Real-world relevance
Professionals in government, nonprofits, open-source, or community design use MetaCollab to inform their work. A civic planner looking to design participatory processes may reference the “Cross-Institutional Collaboration” category, while an open-source developer may contribute a case under “Distributed Innovation.” That link between lived practice and structured knowledge is valuable.
How you can get involved
If you’ve co-designed a community project, helped create a federated digital platform, or participated in a collaborative network, you can become an author. Visit the About page to learn contribution guidelines, or sign up and dive into building new entries from your experience.
Further reading on collaboration
– A scholarly review of collaboration in civic innovation: Brookings report on collaborative governance
– An essay on collaboration theory from the P2P Foundation
Why MetaCollab stands out
Most platforms collect knowledge, few bring knowledge into being through collaboration itself. By hosting and modeling collaboration, MetaCollab doesn’t just tell you what collaboration is—it invites you into the process. That reflexivity makes it a genuinely unique resource.
Your first steps here
Explore a concept that interests you, check related entries, or add your own case study. MetaCollab is less polished than Wikipedia, but richer in collaborative potential. It’s ready when you are.
