Richard (not his real name) was absolutely surprised to be included in a team. He found IdeaConnection™ by searching idea marketplaces and as part of his "day job", Richard wrote a report on online innovation. "As part of my research, I signed up for the IdeaConnection™ newsletter," he says. "IdeaConnection™ seemed to have a pretty neat mailing list so I followed it. They had nifty examples of innovations and that is when I saw the virtual reality project: for a lark, I applied. Next thing I knew, I was part of the team..."

One of the main reasons Richard got involved with an IdeaConnection™ project was to learn from the experience. "I was curious to participate and see what it looks like from the inside," says Richard. He was also surprised at the quality of the experience and the professionalism of his team members. Although all four individuals came from a different background and skill set, Richard says they complimented each other. "We each had just enough difference of opinion to push the creative boundaries." And according to Richard, that's what it takes—diversity plays a major role in finding the solution.

Richard emphasizes that diversity is integral when working on something different and creative. "It pushes the boundaries of what is possible because it needs a few different perspectives," he says. "Someone will say, 'I've heard of this,' or 'I have used this at work,' or ' In my experience...' Or in my case: 'I have never seen it in my lifetime!' So now we all have a broader reach of ideas."

When Richard first came onboard, he had no idea how it would work. "If anything, I was more cautious, working with strangers that spanned a few continents," he says. "Like a new employer, none of us were sure of what to expect and that unknown element of the relationship was amplified because we had never met in person." That soon changed. Richard recently met a team member (about a six-hour drive away) and they have become good friends. And he keeps in touch with the other members by e-mail and phone. Richard can't talk about the problem because of a non-disclosure agreement, but he can say that he found it fascinating and a "tremendously fun experience". In the past he has been involved with four or five teams he considered "amazing" but all from a work environment. "This experience counts as one of those dream teams," he says. How did the problem-solving begin? The team didn't see the solution at the beginning. Instead, Richard likens it to a musician's jamming session. "What if we do this, and what if we do that too—it went from there," Richard explains. "Projections got us closer to the solution." Richard adds that the project is ongoing, "The solution seeker is interested in having it done well. We have had a few milestone dates that are set, which we met. He has been supportive of the team and the work we have done."

The Team Richard has an MBA in business and undergrad in philosophy. He has worked virtually as a writer, but had never been involved a physical prototype until the IdeaConnection™ project. Another team member works in the automotive sector, heavily involved in prototyping. A third member is an electronics engineer with a Ph.D. and the fourth individual also has a Ph.D. "When it comes to understanding cognitive science, he is the expert," says Richard. "And being an expert in virtual reality is very important as it is a big component of our project."

There are advantages to working in this environment, Richard points out. "In a company, people are generally there because they want a full-time job, but with a VR project, you can bring together a diverse team in a temporary position. However, there were a few times when Richard felt overwhelmed, but that was mainly due to trying to meet a deadline. Once the prototype was completed, everything was clear sailing.

"The project with IdeaConnection.com proves to me that you can create a very effective team on the fly composed of complete strangers, and that is a pretty amazing thing," says Richard. "Companies try to do that with people they have hired all under the same roof and it doesn't always work.

"I suffered some lack of sleep and it cut into my family time a little bit but they know I'm a little crazy and love to get involved in whacky projects," he adds, laughing. On a more serious note, he thinks everyone on his team will want to do this again. "And I would recommend it to anyone."

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