This document introduces askmarkets, a platform that allows users to create their own prediction markets to aggregate information and forecast outcomes. It argues that traditional tools like surveys and meetings are inefficient at tapping into collective intelligence. Prediction markets bring people together, facilitate discussions, synthesize information, and transmit it through prices. The document shows screenshots of Yahoo stock prices on Google Finance to illustrate how news gets incorporated into prices. It then explains that askmarkets allows users to create their own questions, enter predictions, and see collective forecasts form. Users can also create private or public marketplaces for their organizations. The document promotes askmarkets as a wise decision-making tool that is especially useful during tough times.

1. Hi, let me give you a short presentation of askmarkets we hope you’ll
find of interest.

2. via headrush.typepad.com
There is a common belief that, while each of us is smart and capable,
getting all of our views and information together finally provides a less
insightful outcome.
We think it’s not our collective intelligence but the tools in use to
blame.

3. polls
57% of target market think that our
product is going to be successful*
* telephone survey among 500 householders
And which are these tools that we are use in everyday practice?
We turn to telephone surveys, which are maybe indicative of the public
opinion, but, let’s face it, in 2009 they look like an ineficient approach.

4. meetings
So, I guess we’re done! Idea XYZ
-mine by the way- is going into RD
for sample production.*
* “Consensus Executive Officer” ends a 2h session
on selecting a new product for development
Or we gather to spend hours together, and actually do not share our
true beliefs, as biases and politics get on our way.

5. estimates
In 2009 we will sell 5.2 million pieces*
* general sales manager’s estimate, adopted as-is
Given the failure of other tools, we typically resort to the aflatus of the
expert.
But, isn’t there a better way to sum up the information and knowledge of
the many? We think there is, here’s an example:

6. That’s a screenshot of the Yahoo stock, as presented in Google Finance.

7. The important parts of it are the following two:

8. News!
The first one is news, actually everything related to YHOO

9. Price!
The second one is price, here you can see the price of YHOO over time.
ok, so, you may wonder, where’s the magic?

10. news are here!
All news are weighted and evaluated in real time, finally getting
incorporated into prices.
And this is not a characteristic of this specific market, but a fundamental
property of each running one.

11. markets
bring people together
trigger conversations
sum up information
transmits it through prices
After all, these are the functions that each market performs (stock
market, betting market, futures market, or the flea market, you name it)

12. OK, the market concept seems to be remarkable,
but what do you do if...

13. ACME
... you are not interested in YHOO but in ACME,
and you are not interested in its market value but...

14. ACME Sales Q1
?
... in forecasting, for example, its sales for Q1?

15. ACME Project End Date
?
... or the end date of a crucial project?

16. ACME Market Share
?
... or the company’s market share? Markets are the best tool to
aggregate existing information and quantify the probability of any future
event.
But where are the ones regarding what matters most for your company
or community?

17. We believe they are here.
At http://askmarkets.com you may...

18. your
questions!
?
... create your very own questions

19. ?
your
forecasts!
... enter your predictions, information and beliefs

20. your
?
results!
... then watch collective intelligence taking shape for your own benefit.

21. dead
simple!
Making a transaction is a dead simple 2-step process,

22. dead
simple!
... while it’s equally simple to create your own market question.

23. And you also have a traders ranking, in a sense serving as a reputation
system that learns over time and improves by itself.

24. your
marketplace!
Liked all these?
Now you are able to create a discrete, public or private, marketplace for
your organization, check http://askmarkets.com/services for more.

25. does it matter?
tough times require wise decisions...
and wisdom lies in the crowds
And we strongly believe that now it’s high time you put such a tool into
use for your own company and/or community.

26. photos from under
Thank you very much!