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NetSquared enables social benefit organizations to leverage the tools of the social web.
skeptiliciously devoted to web 2.0
What's *really* new on the Web, as opposed to buzzwords and soundbites?:
- groups can distribute manage and coordinate tasks very efficiently using free and low cost tools.
- people can express themselves widely and using their own chosen methods; blogs, video, photos, social networks . the cost is free or extremely low.
- blogs create a new form of communication with an embedded feedback system and constant peer review and critique by other bloggers.
- People are learning that very effective strategic thinking and trust amongst participants is essential to achieve successful use of new communication and collaboration media.
- The ability and reality of tool Integration overcomes limitiations of separate tools and creates new app possibilities.
- software as a service allows upgrades for all in a good way; when it works.
- users participate in content development and can drive how the tools can be best used -- they are encouraged by newer designs to find new uses.
- techniquest like tagging create ad hoc collection creation of items that are useful.
Which tools best embody the new opportunities from your point of view and why?:
- flickr.com -- photos are good at storytellies where words are not. aggregated photo groups make for better chances of identifing great use
- delicious -- aggregating bookmarks reveals patterns of value and intelligence between peers or on topics.
- wordpress.com == blogware
- maps.google.com -- open api
- socialtext - wiki application
- mediawiki - wiki
- pbwiki - free/lowcost wiki with growing featuresets.
Who's doing the best work with the new tools (technically or in terms of social benefit or both)?:
I don't know. I hear lots of talk, but see very few case studies that show definitive benefits. For myself, I feel I've had a tremendously successful experience using a socialtext wiki, blogs and calendar to manage personal support during a many-monthlong health crisis. This makes an excelledt case study for why a web2.0 savvy method of family/friend/community support management is superior to other methods in terms of the time demands it took and the outcomes realized.
What's the bad news? What are the greatest barriers preventing web-based technology from producing social change?:
- The bad news is that people and organizations still need strong trust, great communication skills and resources to work together effectively. Organizations (many of which appear to exist to protect their turf and have dynamics that actively work against collaboration) haven't found strong ways to incorporate web 2.0 into their business models. This will need to happen.
- Ad hoc projects based on volunteer action alone, and that seek to make lasting change, run up against project complexities and requirements for expertise that demand an organizational structure.
- Many of the tools are still too immature for widespread, comfortable, cost-effective use by the nonprofits who need them.
- Techniques for best use of a suite of web2.0 applications need to be well written and widely read.
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