Ian Thorpe (@ithorpe) is a knowledge worker, international development worker, UN staffer and member of Change Agents Worldwide.

Ian has seen the potential of working out loud on projects and creating connection within a large organisation like the UN. Importantly #wol does your dissemination as you do your work:

1. How do you encourage people to start working out loud?
   Start with something simple such as single project – also maybe start internally or within a more closed space until you feel comfortable sharing more widely to get a feel for it  then expand from there
2. What advice to manage the benefits and the risks?
   To maximize the benefits  – do it consistently and do publicly (on the web as well as the intranet). To reduce risk – the opposite- keep it small and more restricted as in 1. above. – no risk no gain.
3. What surprises you about working out loud?
   The surprises are the great people you meet and connect with
4. How has working out loud changed your work?
   I use #wol as an alternative to note taking whether at conferences meetings, trips or projects – this way you can get feedback on them and also you have already taken care of the dissemination plan
5. Who inspires you to work out loud?
   All of the members of Change Agents Worldwide inspire me – but for me its those who don’t work in social business/collaboration etc. that do it that inspire me most  – in my domain the aid bloggers – individual development aid workers who blog about their work their challenges and their ideas to improve the system – all without being asked or encouraged to do so.