Some thoughts on ranking social software platforms and tools for professional use
For some time now, I am involved in some initiatives to create a vision on social software and help in choosing the right tooling.
The first experience that struck me is that people immediately try to convice you of the absolute advantages of their favorite platform as possibly the only and most comprehensive solution.
The larger your company is and the more widespread your company is located, the more "favorite platforms" are recognised. And apart from this, the social software tools that are are available on internet really form an eco system that is continuously changing according to Darwin's law; tools are invented, getting popular, survive of do not survive, adapt to new user's expectations, and so on.
I personally think that you should accept the fact that your social software platform will be an eco system as well, and that you should tune your requirements to that fact: openness, easy integration and communication with other platforms/tools.
Furthermore, social software is, and will never be a substitute for face-to-face communication. To elaborate on this, please consider the difference in requirements that people that do not know the other community members that well (e.g. young professionals) could demand opposed to the requirements that members of the old boy's network could demand to social software tooling. Means of getting to know eachother and knowing who does what is much more important for young professionals.
Last but not least, you should always have a clear purpose of the tools in mind. Which goals would you like to reach in using the tools? Using Twitter in your spare time to share trifles and random thoughts is quite different from trying to achive a shared vision on a particular topic. In my opinion, purchasing social software must also be based on some business case.
The first experience that struck me is that people immediately try to convice you of the absolute advantages of their favorite platform as possibly the only and most comprehensive solution.
The larger your company is and the more widespread your company is located, the more "favorite platforms" are recognised. And apart from this, the social software tools that are are available on internet really form an eco system that is continuously changing according to Darwin's law; tools are invented, getting popular, survive of do not survive, adapt to new user's expectations, and so on.
I personally think that you should accept the fact that your social software platform will be an eco system as well, and that you should tune your requirements to that fact: openness, easy integration and communication with other platforms/tools.
Furthermore, social software is, and will never be a substitute for face-to-face communication. To elaborate on this, please consider the difference in requirements that people that do not know the other community members that well (e.g. young professionals) could demand opposed to the requirements that members of the old boy's network could demand to social software tooling. Means of getting to know eachother and knowing who does what is much more important for young professionals.
Last but not least, you should always have a clear purpose of the tools in mind. Which goals would you like to reach in using the tools? Using Twitter in your spare time to share trifles and random thoughts is quite different from trying to achive a shared vision on a particular topic. In my opinion, purchasing social software must also be based on some business case.
posted by HansR at 9:28 AM
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