How to get networking initiatives of the ground?

The two biggest questions we encounter when talking to businesses on using networks to improve collaboration, innovation and effectiveness are; How to get it of the ground and the business case validation.

Let’s start with getting it off the ground. We only have to look at our own experience. Why did we start a new company on collaborative networking? Why did we start this blog? The answers lie in how we met and what each of us is good at. One of us is good at facilitating and accelerating trends, the other in mediating groups of people, keeping them together under a common purpose. Both of us where triggered by the same wave that is hitting the net and the world linked to it; social software and networking. We both believe this is going to happen, with or without us.

This teaches us that there has to be a seed, that people have to understand the benefits for growth and take an interest. It then becomes essential to facilitate growth and not control it, however good your intentions are, control is deadly to growth in this area. Some things take off and work well for three months and crash (the bandwagon effect dying out), other experiments need time to grow into their potential. There do not seem to be general rules for success.

What seems to be working is creating play grounds for people to start their own initiatives, for them to create common purpose amongst differing backgrounds and possibly cultures. Mediation of these groups is essential in creating identity, an identity that is grounded in the company’s vision, and faces outward based on themes of interest. Trial and error is an important part in this, since people get to the point of understanding what’s in it for them at different times! We need to put in place a timeline and reward structures that address the creation of human, creative, social and financial capital.

This brings us to the second question. The business case is not just about money, it’s just as much about personal development, improving and creating new relationships and gaining and sharing experience and knowledge. The business case should take into account what we are learning and sharing with each other and what that means for our collective effectiveness and added value as a group.

Let us be honest here, in our combined 35 years of business experience, we have yet to see the first business case that actually works out as initially intended. They are an invaluable means to create commitment with all stakeholders to start an initiative; they provide the means to prepare the mind for what is to come and are a benchmark for progress. What they are not is an accurate prediction of the future.

We use a methodology that takes stakeholders through a process of identifying the value of an initiative, its value drivers and the attributes of those value drivers. The latter ones are essential for steering the end result, for this is where people’s motivation derives from. The results are used to check for the necessary capabilities within a company and set up the overall timeline. Once that is done we use various financial models to set up a validated business case. Because all steps are documented, we can easily recalibrate when circumstances change or an assumption is proven wrong. This way of setting up a ‘living’ business case is ideal for networking initiatives and the steering of these complex opportunities.

A network for starters

Yesterday went to an exiting initiative by the Rabobank (the largest bank in the Netherlands). Together with local authorities and the University of Twente they facilitate a reintegration project for the unemployed. The central idea is to provide an entrepreneurial space for the jobless, they have the time to work on their ideas for half a year, work out a business plan and start a business of their own, without loosing their unemployment benefits. Yesterday these new entrepreneurs showed of their products and services. Ranging from wedding planners to exiting ideas on packaging.

Together with the University of Twente we will look into how entrepreneurs use their network to support and enhance their business. Two conclusions can be drawn already, the first is they use them extensively; the second is that the web plays no role what so ever at this moment in time. Interesting to see why and how we can start a process of acceptance of the web as a useful extra tool for finding partners, suppliers and customers and collaborating with them.

We had some interesting discussions with two students and one of the speakers for the day. One of the students was there as part of an assignment to see what the economic consequences are for the local community of the Rabobank initiative, the other as a case for how entrepreneurs learn. Will be interesting to see what they have to tell. Our discussion with one of the speakers (Roel Pieper, Lectorate E-Business at the University of Twente) on how to use the web for collaboration and learning will get a follow up in August.

Social Software; nothing without context

Having had a little experience with the social software community, what strikes me is its lack of focus on a business level. In the Netherlands we have a saying: “It is like a bucket full of frogs, they jump in all directions if disturbed”. I am not saying it’s an exact analogy, because on some level there always is a focus, but there seldom is one on a business level.

People in the social software community talk about weak links being the best catalyst for the value of a network, most of my weak links are outside of this community. The Netherlands being the country with the highest broad band connections in the world doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its fair share of digibetism. Most of the people I talk to use a PC and can answer their e-mail, use a browser and possibly a word processor, but that’s about it. Whenever I talk about using the web as a tool to find, connect and explore with other people their eyes glaze over.

I think there are two major reasons for this. The first is the fear of using technology; the second is the lack of context in most networks. Regarding the use of technology we apparently have some ways to go to make things intuitive and easy to use for those who have not grown up with a computer in the house. Spamming and identity theft do not help in pulling people over the threshold. Blogging on this site is a nice example of improvement in the usability area. It used to take just as long if not longer to post pieces on a site as it took to write them. Now it is write it and publish! Then again, I already know how to use a word processor which gives me the edge over those who may have far more interesting things to say, but do not know how to use one. The good news is, because of the apparent success of Wiki’s and blogs the industry is finally looking at ease of use from a user’s perspective instead of adapting the best technology solution to how it must be used.

Context is something almost as illusive. Can it be created, or do the members of a community have to create it themselves? Chicken and egg problem, or do we meet in the middle? A good example is wikipedia, the context is a library/encyclopedia and an index is used as reference model. People just hopped on, because they recognized the context and know how to use the reference model. Why is LinkedIn still successful and is friendster struggling? Probably because one is grounded in the context of finding a job and offers a meeting place for employer and employee to find each other, the other is just about meeting each other. To me the latter is not good enough, why would I go there? It is just too spontaneous; I get too many irrelevant requests; I loose interest too quickly, it burns hot and fizzles out. My 'free' cooperation depends on whether I see myself reflected in the network (identify with the context) and what I get out of the network compared to what I put in.

The message is that ease of use is needed to make web based social solutions available to all, better protection against spam and identity theft is needed to convince them to use it and context is needed to create communities around and go the distance. To keep your eye on the ball you need to do all. They are best done by a group that includes people to create the right interface, know how to secure it and people who know the context the network is created for. So watch your weak links, there may be people out there who can help you set up social software solutions within the context they identify with!

Cooperation Crossing Signals with the University of Twente

Today we had discussions with representatives of NIKOS, the knowledge institute of the University of Twente. The topic was how we could get a formal relationship with the University whereby both parties could benefit from each other. Our focus was on the scientific backing of our social networking endeavors, specifically in the area of human behaviour supported by technology. The focus of NIKOS was to find out whether our ideas where viable, we where the right people for the job and whether our concept would add to the areas where the University and the scientific community it is part of would benefit from research.

We are glad to announce that starting July 1st of 2005 we will be working together with the University of Twente to provide solutions to improve communication, the sharing of information, learning and collaboration within organizations by providing their employees with the ability to create their own personal information and communication space and their own path to personal leadership.

Collaborative networking and learning

As stated before, we had a very interesting time at the newly restored Castle Vanenburg in Putten, NL. Here, we will go into some of what was said and concluded on the topic of Social networking & Collaboration and its application in the field of learning.

All of us agreed on the fact that Social Software solutions being offered - from e-mail, forums and web meetings to blogs and wikis - and the communities that arise from its use, are growing rapidly. We discussed the fact that corporations today cease to function if basic e-mail services cease and that organisational borders (internal and external) are more and more difficult to define and uphold in the face of spontaneous web based communication and collaboration.

Factors slowing down the growth of social software solutions are security, privacy, cultural differences and especially in larger organizations ICT policies that restrict or prohibit the use of most web based communication solutions, e.g. instant messaging, blogging, etc. The primary reason behind restrictive ICT policies is the spontaneous nature of many networks and their communication. We still cling to the old command & control adagio and favour virtual project rooms that can be closed of to the outside world and can be monitored. Whether this is sustainable or not, opinions diverged.

It was clear to all that we need to find a balance between control of the situation and room enough to manoeuvre and innovate. In other words how much free cooperation is needed to provide outside knowledge as a basis for innovation while still using structured processes to provide direction and purpose? Clear to all was the fact that cultural differences must be taken into account when designing solutions that span multiple cultures in the use of social software. For instance, Northern Europe primarily uses e-mail in its communication, while southern Europe tends to use instant messaging.

We moved on to learning at this point since we will need training and education on how to deal with the emergence of social networks. You cannot just shout anything you want on the network(s) you are part of. Many networks are self correcting, but wouldn’t it be nice if we did not have to invest a lot of energy in getting rid of back ground noise. Also, if we want to apply social software solutions in our daily business it had better be a little more structured and focused than the average social network our kids are members of. Combine the fun with the useful.

When it comes to e-learning, many programs shattered on copying existing content one on one to interactive media. Without the interaction! Folkert Castelein from the Global Learning Group proposes to re-design existing content & know-how with a Socratic & tasks based approach (coaching by asking the right questions) and design learning processes like a project scenario based on questions and choices. Provide people with a clear path to what they need at the time they need it. For this to happen we need to be able to offer little snippets of learning and access to their peers and coaches, coaches who have been there and are willing to share their experience. There was little discussion at this point, because we all agreed on the basic premise Folkert put forward.

Before running out of our allotted time, we agreed that social software solutions and learning meet at the point where experiences are shared and people start to use what they have learned in their daily routine. To be able to provide context and experience next to theory, we need to know whom to contact on what topic and we need to be able to set up a means of communication and start working together to learn together. It works both ways! How to best develop solutions to achieve this and ground the behaviour of people in these solutions is a most likely candidate for our next meeting. One we are looking forward to!

Round table on Social Networking & Collaboration June 1 2005



Yesterday (June 1st 2005), we got together with a very interesting and diverse group of people to discuss H2 enable people to find, connect and explore together. For us it was our first formal meeting as a new company, for most of our invitees it was their first in depth experience of what social software could enable in our daily lives.

We discussed how social software solutions provide real empowerment to people. It is the basis for an institutional capacity to work closely with other highly specialized people to get better faster. It provides a personal information space where Personal Leadership can be achieved, and people can Find, Connect and Explore together. It is a place where YOU decide from whom, how and what to learn to improve.

We all shared our enthusiasm, fears and ideas on where to go next. Next will at the very least include another Round Table as successful as yesterday’s one.