Through the Guides platform we want to enable individuals to actively participate in improving "guides" through common spaces. Our belief is that by using common spaces to improve our collective knowledge and "the way things work" we can uncover whole new ways of working and living that benefit everyone.

What does a purpose-driven common space look like?

Unlike the way we currently collaborate, an open common space is unique in the following ways:

1. Shared: Nobody "owns" the purpose or the agenda, but progress benefits everyone.
2. Intentional: Different people have different motivations to participate and energy to contribute.
3. Impermanent: may last a year, a day, or a lifetime. People and roles change frequently and the space is constantly evolving.
4. Self-Organizing: Includes diverse people with no hierarchy where traditional titles have less relevance
5. Empathetic: A foundation of trust and compassion is required to create a safe space for people to bring their "whole selves" to contribute
6. Emergent: It's non-linear and dynamic, with an emphasis on co-creation of knowledge, not productivity
7. Connected: It creates connection between the people participating, and to a knowledge network to draw from and build on.

These spaces currently don't exist anywhere. We've ignited some ecosystems, but we haven't created spaces that enable true collaboration. It is our mission to create them.