The Promise of Networks: How Social Connections = Social Impact
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The Promise of Networks How Social Connections = Social Impact Diana Scearce, Monitor Institute August 23, 2011 This work is under the Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
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Presentation for convening of Kellogg Foundation grantees working to improve the lives of vulnerable children in Michigan state.
Transcript of The Promise of Networks: How Social Connections = Social Impact
The Promise of NetworksHow Social Connections = Social Impact
Diana Scearce, Monitor Institute
August 23, 2011
This work is under the Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license
What’s a social network?
A group of people connected by relationships
network/ n̍ɛtˈwɜrk/― adjective: connected, transparent, decentralized
― verb: to connect, to spread, to organize into a network
― noun: a structural form for organizing
Many promising networks today…
― Have lots of participants
― Give space for self-organization
― Are fueled by new technologies
Networks aren’t new
But connectivity is growing dramatically
1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009
5Bn cell phones (2010)
3Bn (2007)
2Bn (2005)
1Bn (2002)
4Bn (2008)
Plus, there are new tools for sharing
content
…. and new online spaces for connecting
people
= a newly dominant form of organizing
Source: Adapted from David Ronfeldt, RAND
How can we harness
THE POWER
OF NETWORKS
for social impact?
Reed’s Law
The value of networks scales
exponentially with the size of the
network.
Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
Brooks’s Law
Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
Adding people to a complex project
makes it take longer.
Network Potential vs. Network Friction
Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
We Want Reed to Win!
Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
Network potentialChallenge Traditional Approach Network Approach
Develop better designs& inform decisions
Gather input from people you know
Access new & diverse perspectives
Connect a community with shared interests
Hold a structured conference
Design for serendipity
Spread what works
Disseminate white papers
Openly share/build knowledge
Mobilize action
Organize tightly coordinated campaigns
Catalyze widespread action and ownership
Overcome fragmentation
Bring players and programs under a single umbrella
Coordinate diverse resources and action
Design for serendipity
“Things that seemed totally impossible not so long ago are now going to happen… In the next few years a new wave of businesses will come in behind us. So many things are possible with collaboration.”
Coordinate diverse resources & action
Network friction
• It’s hard to “see” the whole system. How do I know what’s needed and what’s working?
• It’s time-consuming work. What role(s) should I play?
• There are lots of players involved. Where does accountability lie?
• It requires spreading control and leadership. What if results are different than original intentions?
Source of image: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
How can we help Reed win?
Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
It requires a network mindset
Traditional Mindset Network Mindset
Loosely controlled & emergent
Weaving connections & building
network-wide capacity
Effectiveness includes
intangibles
Public/open information &
learning
Decision-making
decentralized
Firmly controlled & planned
Strengthening
individual efforts
Effectiveness = concrete
outputs
Proprietary information &
learning
Decision making concentrated
in one organization
How can YOU work
with a NETWORK
MINDSET?
THANK YOU!Diana Scearce, Monitor [email protected]
