This document discusses social networks and how to harness their power for social impact. It defines a social network as a group of people connected by relationships. While networks have long existed, connectivity is growing dramatically with new technologies like cell phones and online spaces. This represents a newly dominant form of organizing. The key is to help "Reed's Law" win out over "Brooks's Law" - meaning networks should scale exponentially with more participants rather than projects taking longer. To do so requires a "network mindset" of loosely controlled emergence, strengthening connections across the network, and decentralized decision-making rather than traditional top-down control.

1. The Promise of NetworksHow Social Connections = Social ImpactDiana Scearce, Monitor InstituteAugust 23, 2011This work is under the Creative Commons attribution share alike 3.0 imported license

2. What’s a social network? A group of people connected by relationships

4. verb: to connect, to spread, to organize into a network

6. Give space for self-organization

8. But connectivity is growing dramatically 5Bn cell phones (2010) 4Bn (2008) 3Bn (2007) 2Bn (2005) 1Bn (2002)

9. Plus, there are new tools for sharing content …. and new online spaces for connecting people

10. = a newly dominant form of organizing Source: Adapted from David Ronfeldt, RAND

11. How can we harnessTHE POWEROF NETWORKSfor social impact?

12. Reed’s Law The value of networks scales exponentially with the size of the network. Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

13. Brooks’s Law Adding people to a complex project makes it take longer. Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

14. Network Potential vs. Network Friction Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

15. We Want Reed to Win! Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

16. Network potential

17. 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.”

18. Coordinate diverse resources & action

20. It’s time-consuming work. What role(s) should I play?

21. There are lots of players involved. Where does accountability lie?

22. It requires spreading control and leadership. What if results are different than original intentions?Source of image: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

23. How can we help Reed win? Source: Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates

24. It requires a network mindset Traditional Mindset Network Mindset Firmly controlled & planned Strengthening individual efforts Effectiveness = concrete outputs Proprietary information & learning Decision making concentrated in one organization Loosely controlled & emergent Weaving connections & building network-wide capacity Effectiveness includes intangibles Public/open information & learning Decision-making decentralized

25. How can YOU work with a NETWORK MINDSET?

26. THANK YOU! Diana Scearce, Monitor InstituteDiana_Scearce@monitor.com