A Citizen Science experiment to assess time-tracking for professional interests using the nonprofit planning tool IPOOG. Volunteer participants will contribute 3-4 hours providing feedback through peer review sessions, exploring the benefits and ethics of systematic time tracking. Results will be publicly shared in 2025.

Background

This is my ‘Citizen Science experiment’. It will answer some specific questions about time-tracking but also determine whether one can pursue professional interests through friendly peer reviews. I am not saving the planet, but I do hope to add to the body of knowledge for non-profits, professional learning, and project management.

Three Questions and Who is IPOOG

Input, Process, Output, Outcome, and Governance (IPOOG) was introduced as a nonprofit planning tool in a prior blog (2024 Birkie Business Model). Tracking volunteer and staff time as an ‘Input’ was one element of IPOOG. To do this, an integrated project plan and time tracking tool was developed and I committed to use for at least 5 months (Tracking IPOOG Time). An interim report (Three Months of IPOOG’ing) discussed what I have learned so far.

My intention is to make the tool available in 2025 to interested individuals and organizations (both for and non-profit). A future blog will summarize the experience and consider larger issues by asking/answering three questions:

1. Can organizations and individuals benefit from systematically tracking time?
2. How can the process of time tracking be automated to be as non-intrusive as possible?
3. What are the benefits/concerns of tracking time in such a manner?

Looking For IPOOG in all the Right Places

To answer the above questions, I am looking for a few individuals to join a friendly peer review session. If you need professional development credits, I am happy to vouch for you. As a bonus, the last question covers the dreaded ‘ethics’ consideration.

So, what is your commitment? About 3-4 hours of your life over the next 2-3 months. You will attend 3 sessions to understand the tool, provide your feedback, and then critique the final ‘paper’. At this point, I have no plans to publish but the results will be public on my website.

Sign up below and I will send you the meeting invites for four sessions:

1. Session 1: IPOOG Overview, November 21, 12-13h.
2. Session 2: IPOOG and You, Date TBD.
3. Session 3: The IPOOG Future, Date TBD.
4. Session 4: Review and Critique of the Results, Date TBD.

What’s the Catch?

For those who do not know me, this is a professional interest-itch. I am simply examining the above questions, will write up the results and then will move onto the next itch.

I am not selling anything. Other than 3-4 hours of your life over the next few weeks and your honest feedback, there is nothing else I want from you. So, do you want to hang out with Frank for a few hours and IPOOG?