Comments on: Why the Future of Corporate Computing is ‘Informal’ http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:29:35 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jon Husband http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/comment-page-1/#comment-134061 Jon Husband Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:58:44 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/#comment-134061 I think that there are already many social networks operating inside most organizations .. and industries. Socnet software platforms and social computing are likely to make that more visible, and sometimes extend and sometimes compress the operations of said social networks. One of the key things about the visibility afforded, and collaboration (potentially) enabled by such platforms, is that increasingly the work to be done and the roles in carrying it out will be negotiated by the participants, the "team" (formal or informal) addressing what needs to be done. Rather than the pyramid "inverting", I suspect that it will "fragment", into networks of networks ... and I do not think hierarchy will disappear, it will just become more decentralized and more temporary. Look for more instances of temporary hierarchy in networks, wherein the hierarchy required or the necessary decision-making and monitoring / management is owned by the network. In such purpose-built (and often temporary, defined by a project or an objective) networks, different players may be in a hierarchical role at different times or points in a process, when a given set of skills and profile are required, to be passed on to the next person when conditions require. I think that there are already many social networks operating inside most organizations .. and industries. Socnet software platforms and social computing are likely to make that more visible, and sometimes extend and sometimes compress the operations of said social networks.

One of the key things about the visibility afforded, and collaboration (potentially) enabled by such platforms, is that increasingly the work to be done and the roles in carrying it out will be negotiated by the participants, the “team” (formal or informal) addressing what needs to be done.

Rather than the pyramid “inverting”, I suspect that it will “fragment”, into networks of networks … and I do not think hierarchy will disappear, it will just become more decentralized and more temporary.

Look for more instances of temporary hierarchy in networks, wherein the hierarchy required or the necessary decision-making and monitoring / management is owned by the network. In such purpose-built (and often temporary, defined by a project or an objective) networks, different players may be in a hierarchical role at different times or points in a process, when a given set of skills and profile are required, to be passed on to the next person when conditions require.

]]> By: Ronen http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/comment-page-1/#comment-115139 Ronen Sun, 02 Dec 2007 12:42:51 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/#comment-115139 Well, it is about time. Social networks technology is clearly an Intra tool. Well, it is about time.
Social networks technology is clearly an Intra tool.

]]> By: Sam Lawrence http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/comment-page-1/#comment-114733 Sam Lawrence Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:34:00 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/12/01/why-the-future-of-corporate-computing-is-informal/#comment-114733 Hi Joe, great post. Thanks. I think the place for corporate computing in enterprises will be a blend of both informal or formal. In fact, I just posted on this today on our blog. The informal aspects will need to marry with the formal ones, otherwise they'll just be bubbles that will get used temporarily and divorced from the core processes of the company. Our customers are also replacing their intranets and cms systems with our products, but the next big leap will occur when these new tools become higher impact "applications" that companies depend on. For that to happen, 2.0 will need to marry with the critical aspects of 1.0 and become aimed at common business activities. Otherwise a social network in a company will become no more than an employee yellow pages. A wiki will be a novel thing for engineers. And the corporate blog will be an internal newsletter from the CEO. Cheers, Sam Hi Joe, great post. Thanks.

I think the place for corporate computing in enterprises will be a blend of both informal or formal. In fact, I just posted on this today on our blog. The informal aspects will need to marry with the formal ones, otherwise they’ll just be bubbles that will get used temporarily and divorced from the core processes of the company. Our customers are also replacing their intranets and cms systems with our products, but the next big leap will occur when these new tools become higher impact “applications” that companies depend on. For that to happen, 2.0 will need to marry with the critical aspects of 1.0 and become aimed at common business activities. Otherwise a social network in a company will become no more than an employee yellow pages. A wiki will be a novel thing for engineers. And the corporate blog will be an internal newsletter from the CEO.

Cheers,
Sam

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