I had an interesting opportunity this past week to attend a "meeting of the minds." In Albuquerque 17 people convened, each bringing a different skillset: economic development, architecture, philanthropy, non-profits, for-profits, branding/marketing, tech strategy (that's me). The subject was how to fix some of the world's biggest problems. No biggie.
Stories of Impact
The most intriguing aspect of the day was seeing the common thread between the people in the room. All of us had some event or other sticky memory that served as an important part of steering toward a purpose-driven passion; that is to say, leading lives of legacy and impact for the better.
As we went around the room and each gave a spiel before really starting to mix it up and figure out how to save the world, so to speak, I laid out why I was honored to be there and what I was most passionate about.
I realize I don't often take the time to spell such things out on paper, let alone on my blog. It all bubbled up tonight as I put my youngest down to sleep and journaled a bit over the weekend.
Beyond Facebook
My single biggest fixation in tech right now is this idea of the purpose-driven social network. Social networking is in its infancy, its novelty. Facebook serves no other purpose than to connect us with friends and family. There is nothing in the DNA of Facebook which creates inertia towards positive change or good. Now, it must be said that good things can happen through connections on Facebook (consider an estranged family member finding his way back after twenty years through a simple search and private message). It must also be said that great purpose-driven applications have been built on top of Facebook. Facebook itself, however, lacks the purpose that will naturally lead users to proactivity--other than buying stuff from advertisers.
So Facebook doesn't excite me. What excites me are other networks that take the ingredients of Facebook and mash them up with purpose.
People are through with just connecting.
Now they want to do something meaningful with this new connective social tissue.
5 Features of Purpose-Driven Social Networks
1. Goals. At their core, these networks connect not only people but data. Specifically, I believe the best future social networks will be the ones that connect people toward a common goal and work backward to design the system that best achieves the goal. The best networks are also the ones that make your achievements on them "pop" with excellent game mechanics and reward mechanisms.
2. Data. Advancing progress means taking an initial measurement and then tracking the delta. The above three networks and others all do this well through thermometers, analytics, and project tracking.
3. Transparency. Exposure of the data. Radical transparency is and will continue to flip traditional philanthropy on its head. For too many years non profits have had to play a mix-the-numbers game to show impact. With the emergence of social networks that must include datapoints in the day to day interactions of its members, there will simply be progress or not--the data will speak and transparency will give it a loudspeaker.
4. Flatness. The idea of "donor/beneficiary" is giving way to a two-way relationship founded on the truth that everyone donates and everyone benefits when people come together for a common goal. Let's eliminate poverty; let's make adoption easier and better; let's spread the truth faster than ever. Total impact is not seen in the number of beneficiaries but in the subtle shift of mindset for the better.
5. Geography.While there are many purposes that are location-agnostic, I feel the most impacting networks are those that will empower meaning for members in a dual sense: 1) As a citizen of their neighborhood/town/city and 2) As a citizen of the world. The purpose-driven social network knows that worldwide change is seen through tiny movements in a million places.
Three emerging purpose-driven social networks:
- Kiva. Members of the social network can combine forces to support entrepreneurs in developing parts of the world to advance their businesses. Members don't have financial incentive to make these loans; only the intrinsic value of helping others. Kiva has been around for a while; recent advancements are making it even cooler, though.
- Sparked. A microvolunteering platform that allows members to help a diverse set of organizations with a diverse set of needs. If you're part of a cause, you can post something you need, and volunteers jump on it. The schtick is that the needs and the contributions to those needs are generally quick-hit type stuff. Many small actions can add up to big impact.
- Kickstarter. "A new way to fund & follow creativity." Great ideas meet a novel way of funding them. As an artist, you make your best pitch to the world and ask for money. In return, you'll give something special to your backers and keep them up to date with progress.
These are just three of hundreds of blossoming networks. What excites me most is not these three, but an overall pattern that is emerging in social networking: meaning.
