Lego Man: Why the next web is about meta data, first

The next web, the one that really counts, will connect us all via the real time expression of intent through meta data.

It will find ways for us to find each other through the things we find interesting. It will automate, cut down technical barriers and be available to all.

And the way we will cut through the unimaginable clutter of everything everyone finds interesting is to focus on the real time and focus on intent.

The more we can make relevant, intent related connections, the more value we bring to the network (for example, communities of purpose vs focus groups)

The first step is to connect in ways in which you can express your real time intent to others. All others.

That requires a simple ability to connect, a ubiquity of connection and perhaps (in the first instance) a focus less on the human expressing the intent and more on the meta data (content) being expressed.

Zemanta is giving us an intro to this right now: Less who is friends with who?, more what is interesting to who?

It is what the semantic web seeks to achieve, taking us beyond the node-focused world of social networks and towards the meta data (connections) of the networked world.

So we shift from focusing on social networks as some kind of goal towards a mission to enable our transformation into global digital social beings, constructed from and expressed as meta data across a silo-free web.

But for all this, we must not lose sight of the human.

Ideas don't act, humans do. It is our discussion of ideas that leads to the creation of new ones, new action and new value.

But in so much as we exist on the web, it is as a bundle of ideas which we choose to express or which are bundled with us through our interactions with others. Hence the initial focus on meta data. Hence the ever-deconstructable, reconstructable Lego Man. (image courtesy freezelight)

The next web has to retain the sovereign self while acknowledging the multiple complexity of that self.

Content, metadata, can and should seek out related ideas, provided those ideas come with a human attached.

Focusing on real time expression of intent of course misses a cornucopia of value stored in latent, indirectly expressed intent, which when shared will add thousands, millions more nodes to the potential communities of purpose that could form.

But let's see how we handle expressed intent first.

I'm meeting with citizensonline.org later this week with a view to joining as a trustee. It's mission is to add nodes to the network.

And really, this post has been about reminding myself about what is valuable in that endeavour.

But it's also my expression of metadata on these themes. I await the connections it makes with both interest and purpose...

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The Power of the Network: Your reviews

The first reviews for the Power of the Network are starting to appear - for which I'm full of gratitude.
Please take a moment to give them a read, point your friends at them, etc...
Neil Perkin at OnlyDeadFish said:

"David Cushman is one of those people that has a rare understanding of a complex subject - in his case the disruptive power of a networked world to transform business models, communications, value chains and, well just about everything."

Thanks Neil: In context here.

Anjali Ramachandran at One Size Fits One, said:

Image of Anjali Ramachandran

David Cushman's The Power of the Network, a collection of white papers from his blog, from that point of view passes the first test - that of having enough meat in it. The best chapter in my opinion is his explanation and exploration of Reed's Law and the Long Tail,

Thanks Anjali. In context here.

Via twitter: 

@johnfschneider Reading David Cushman's "The Power of Network" http://www.lulu.com/content/4590198 and finding it excellent.

@gleonhard: Recommends you study "The Power of the Network by David Cushman (Book) in Business & Economics" ( http://tinyurl.com/5r3nlk 

More as I discover them and they get pointed to me.

And please, if you think there's value in joining in, the blogger review program is still open, as is the win-one-to-give-to-a-friend comp which is all about doubling the value of this network we share!

.

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How you can double the value of our network

One extra person added to a network doubles its value. That's a truth revealed by Reed's Law; group forming network theory.

I also find that inspiring. It means if I ever feel like I'm wading through a quagmire of resistance to change, I know that adding one more connection can literally redouble my network's efforts and effectiveness.

We are all made greater by the sum of our connections - all of us. Even the newest, loosest connection.

So, with all that in mind, who would you like to introduce to this network WE share?

Who doesn't yet know they they need to know us?

I'd love to hear your suggestions - either privately via email or publicly by posting below.

Ideally it'll be someone you know because the best five suggestions will be rewarded with two copies of my book The Power of the Network.

The idea is you get to keep one for yourself and one to pass on to the person you've suggested needs connecting to our network.

If you've already got The Power of the Network, great (and thanks!) you'll have two copies to pass one.

I hope handing over a tangible real-world book will act as a physical conversation starter for you - a social object around which your introduction to the network can begin.

Maybe you'll see this as something interesting we can do together? I hope so. And if so, please share.

The closing date for this is December 31, 2008.

• By the way, I'm presenting at Mobile Content in London today - talking about Mobile's role in the eighth mass media at 9am (The Big Question slot) and on a panel in the afternoon at 4.10p. Come and say hi if you get the chance.

Focus Groups vs Communities of Purpose

The focus group is a much relied on tool in marketing, PR, politics - behaviour changing activity of all kinds.

But its role is disrupted and a layer of professionalism disintermediated by Communities of Purpose.

This morning I found (via twitter) Robert Scoble bigging up the response he got to a tweet on Twitter asking for advice on great accessories for his flip cam.

Robert said: "By the way, in just a few hours I got about 30 suggestions for the Flip accessory on Twitter. Is this the world's largest focus group? Yes!”.

But it's way better than that. What Robert was taking part in was an adhoc, self-forming community of purpose.

And there were two key elements which gave it an outcome with real value attached.

1. The community self organized around something they care about.

In this case its purpose was sharing best advice about the flip cam. Only a subset of Robert's followers cared enough to join in. This was likely driven by their desire to connect with other flipcam users (shared content about the flipcam and their desire to flag up ownership of it providing the glue) and to gain trust and authority within the larger community of purpose which has organized around Robert Scoble.

Odd to think of Scoble as a social object perhaps. But not wrong?

The second key element:

2. The real community of purpose here, the real creators of value, were the ones who cared enough about the purpose to drop everything in real time, right now.

In other words, a subset of a subset in any community is where it's ability to create value lies.

But this does not mean Reed's Law is wrong. No, because any additional node added to this network can still double its value. Why? The two sub groups are self-forming and self-organising.

So just because the purpose of one community subset does not tempt you to drop everything to join in, the next one may.

And unless you are connected you cannot contribute. Therefore just by being connected you add value to a network.

And the fact that you are connected may mean you are drawn in as the conversation grows and sustains.

As you see other people talking about it within your community you may follow the lead, lean forward and discover that if they are interested, you should be too.

And so, the difference between focus groups and communities of purpose?

1. Focus groups are centrally organized
Communities of purpose organize themselves around things they care about.

2. Focus group membership is centrally selected
Members of communities of purpose select themselves

3. In focus groups the centre makes the introduction and extracts the value
In communities of purpose members introduce eachother and share the value created

4. The composition of focus groups reflect the preconceptions of the central organizers
Communities of purpose are only limited in scope by the silo in which they form (btw, language counts as a silo).

5. Focus groups can't influence anyone outside the room in realtime.
Communities of purpose do.

Actually and quite simply, in all senses, communities of purpose do.

And that opens the doors to co-creation. Exactly what Robert was getting at in his subsequent tweets and response to my own.

“There's a reason behind the Flip question. I'm working with a supply-chain manager and he's showing me how we can disrupt the market about 1 hour ago from web.

“Imagine building a product, getting funding, getting feedback via Twitter, building it, marketing it, shipping it all within days. Wow.

“@davidcushman “I am shocked more companies don't design products on Twitter. After seeing the video we're filming now there will be more.”

Now. How will you go about organising your next focus group?