Platform lets groups collaborate to create online guides

People who are passionate about a particular topic or subject area can already share their expertise with others through Supercool School. Now, Phile is a platform that lets them collaborate with others to transform their shared knowledge into a comprehensive online guide. Now in beta, California-based Phile allows like-minded groups to work together to create an online guide to the things they care about, whether it’s rock-climbing, gardening or homemade beer. Whereas forums, email lists and wikis can aggregate great volumes of data, Phile puts a strong emphasis on ensuring a structure that keeps the most relevant information organized and at the forefront over time. Users begin by registering with the site and starting a group. Based on the name they give their group, Phile creates a website for it, with a unique URL. Users then create individual “stacks” for organizing the material they add to their guide, and Phile will create a tab for each stack along with separate sections dedicated to members, a forum and an FAQ. Then, each time a member wants to add information to their guide, they simply indicate where the information belongs, and Phile keeps it organized and easy to find. Consumer-facing businesses have much to gain from involving their customers in the creation of topic-relevant online guides. Phile, meanwhile, is also working on an API. One to try out early? Spotted by: Murtaza Patel