STEP THREE

Choose the Right Technology

Steps 1 and 2 explored types and uses of social networking systems, including how companies use social networking for business results. This step offers a logical process for identifying business and functional requirements needed to choose the right solution for your organization. A key benefit of this step is a process to help make social networking technology decisions based on business and organizational needs.

Pathways to Connection

The ways that organizations connect to the social networking world vary widely. Some companies simply choose off-the-shelf solutions, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other popular applications, and allocate appropriate staff to the project. Other organizations with specific needs or business goals choose to build, buy, modify, or license a complete social networking solution for their business. The custom option may seem a bit scary, but this step will explain the concept of custom-built social networking systems, how they operate, and how and why your organization may (or may not) choose this path. In addition, “bolt-on” applications (software that is compatible with your existing technology infrastructure and is used for social networking) will be discussed. However, before moving you might appreciate a basic grounding in the technologically sophisticated social networking systems currently offered in the marketplace. This book can only give you a flavor of the wide variety of technology available, but the discussion should help you at least ask the right questions.

What Are Social Networking Systems?

Social networking systems are the technology-enabled applications that enable social networking to occur from computer to computer (or via mobile technology) on the Internet. Eric Taub, a technology and consumer electronics writer, has an interesting view of social networking systems: “For business owners, social networking sites are today's virtual water coolers, giving users 24-hour access to people around the globe.”

Many social networking systems offer features that are similar to free systems such as Facebook and LinkedIn. If you visit the Starbucks or Zappos social networking sites, the similarities are readily apparent. However, many companies that offer services to build customized social networking platforms can clearly build in specialized customer and user information gathering, as well as other integration options that provide value. Visit the websites of a few social networking companies (Awareness, Newsgator, Orbius, and others) for further examples of these specialized benefits and more.

When to Use a Systematic Approach

For many organizations, off-the-shelf technology offers all the flexibility and features needed to take full advantage of social networking with and among customers and clients. For others, a custom-built system is best. But before making any large-scale social networking decisions, you need to first understand the bottom line business goals for social networking and connect these goals with the potential offered by social networking. In addition, consider how your social networking implementation will influence existing organizational systems and practices. Here are a few other reasons why taking a systematic approach to deciding on the complexity might make sense. Follow this approach when

resources (human, capital, or other) will be required to implement the social networking solution

the social networking system will require integration with current business-critical systems in your organization (including sales order management systems, supply chain management systems, and so on)

the system will require integration across multiple organizations or departments, or will involve more than one social networking system

the system must be compatible with critical elements of your company's current technological infrastructure.

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Choosing the Technology

Figure 3.1 presents a systematic process for selecting the right technology level for your organization's social networking system. The steps and overall advice may be modified depending on your organization's structure and needs. While you can move through the steps rapidly, don't skip any of the steps. After all, the process is intended to provide a business direction that will save your organization time and money and produce top and/or bottom-line value.

Nine Stages to Success

The nine-stage process can be used in a variety of business scenarios; it is deliberately broad and intended to help you make the best initial decisions possible for your organization. Some organizations already have well-documented decision-making processes, so incorporate these established ways of critical thinking into your planning.

FIGURE 3.1
A Social Networking Solution Technology Selection Workflow

Stage 1: Identify Needs Based on Critical Business Initiatives

Implementing social networking systems at any level must be linked directly to business or market value. Whether you are driving change from inside a business unit as an individual contributor, as a director of marketing, as a senior vice president of sales, or as the CEO, business alignment is not optional. Just because social networking is “cool” or other companies use it is not enough of a reason to garner needed leadership and stakeholder buy-in. Your initiative must align with a critical business initiative or business direction. For example, if your organization's goal is to grow market share among teenage users of your product, that strategy would clearly include Facebook, MySpace, or perhaps a custom-built social networking system, if appropriate.

Stage 2: Establish a Core Decision-Making Team

Assuming you have established a clear business need, you need a team of assorted experts to make next-step decisions. Following are some important team members and their functions:

Project sponsor or champion—The project sponsor or champion is usually a business unit manager or division manager who expects that social networking will drive growth or value or has a vested interest in the success of the project. In some cases, this might even be the CEO or another person from the executive team.

Team lead—This is the person who will drive the project day to day, help manage the overall project timeline, and so on. This person is often the individual who had the original vision to leverage social networking to support some critical business driver and is passionate about its potential for the company. If you are reading this book, at some point in the future it might be you.

Information technology (IT) representative—Invariably during the development of functional specifications and organizational IT requirements, someone from IT will be useful. In addition to technical support, this person can typically access the IT roadmap for the company, can act as a proponent for the initiative, and can help streamline the process.

Functional stakeholder(s)—There may be other functional stakeholders that make sense to involve, including a person from human resources and representatives from other parts of the organization who will be directly affected. For example, you may need to involve a person from the sales organization if the social networking solution is intended to help make sales operations more efficient, or you may need a marketing representative if the social networking system will be used to drive marketing and/or awareness.

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Develop a project plan or work breakdown structure to support the technology-selection initiative. This will help ensure that the right people are committed at the right time to the right tasks and that the project can be completed in a reasonable and agreed-upon timeline. Worksheet 3.1 provides an example of typical elements in a project plan.

Stage 3: Develop Core Functional Requirements

Most organizations leverage a standard set of technology applications, operating systems, and security systems. Any new system must be compatible with existing systems, and the IT department must sign off on your plan. Use Worksheet 3.2 to help you identify core elements of your functional requirements.

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Stage 4: Develop a Criteria Matrix

Based on the core functional requirements, the team creates a criteria matrix that can be used to assess potential social networking systems. This can easily be captured in a spreadsheet or a word-processing document. Once the draft criteria matrix is created, share it with some nonteam members to validate assumptions. Another person from the IT organization might be a good resource to review the proposed criteria matrix. Once the criteria matrix is completed, identification of solution candidates can begin. Worksheet 3.3 is a sample criteria matrix template with some sample questions.

WORKSHEET 3.1
Project Plan Template

Instructions: Please provide information to complete the worksheet, which can later be used as the basis for your project plan.

Overarching Project Goal______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

In-Scope and Out-of-Scope Activities____________________________

__________________________________________________________

Project Success Factors_______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Project Team, Roles, Responsibilities, and Contact Information_______

__________________________________________________________

Project Timelines____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Key Tasks and Task Assignments_______________________________

__________________________________________________________

Communication and Status Meetings/Communication_______________

__________________________________________________________

Risks and Mitigation__________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Project Budget______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Escalation Guidance__________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Key Deliverables____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

WORKSHEET 3.2
Core Functional Requirements

Instructions: Please answer the following questions to help identify core functional requirements.

• What is the size of the target audience?

• Who is the target audience?

• What are the standard minimum end-user computer configurations for acceptable performance? For example, are there minimum processor speeds, Internet connectivity/bandwidth requirements, browser requirements, and such?

• How will the social networking system be accessed?

• Are there technology platforms or products that are not allowed in your company's IT infrastructure?

• Are licensing fees associated with the solution?

• What limitations on concurrent users are in place for the social networking system, if any?

• What are common related products that interact with the social networking system?

• What security options are available and/or required?

• What are maintenance and update requirements?

• What are typical use cases the company envisions for the social networking system?

• How long does a typical enterprise implementation take?

• What languages does the social networking system support?

• What training resources are provided or are available with the social networking system?

Note: These core functional requirements can be weighted and included in logical groupings.

WORKSHEET 3.3
Solution Criteria Matrix

Instructions: Rate a solution provider using the following worksheet as a guide. Please note that the actual criteria matrix used will probably have many more criteria. This is meant to give you an idea of some of the key functional areas to include.

Stage 5: Establish a List of Potential Solution Candidates

With the business need clearly identified and objective criteria established for the selection process, the next critical step is to identify a list of solution candidates. Step 1 of this book lists some of the core types of social networking systems, as well as some specific solutions available (such as Facebook, Twitter, and so on). These are often good places to start depending on your need. However, be aware that many, many more social networking systems exist, and new ones are created continually. Talk to peers and conduct some research, if necessary, to identify any new or niche solutions that might work well for your organization.

The key here is to not cast the net too widely, especially if your organization is trying to make a decision as rapidly as possible. Add the candidates' names to the matrix and assign reviewers or a team to assess them. Facilitate a meeting with the reviewers and discuss each portion of the criteria matrix and the proposed solution candidates, as well as required timelines and any special instructions. You can use Worksheet 3.4 as a way to identify potential solutions to review against the functional requirements of your organization.

Stage 6: Review Potential Solutions Against Criteria and Rank Them

Every solution that is considered should be reviewed against your criteria and rated. When the ranking and rating is complete, use Worksheet 3.3 to review your choices again before moving to the next stage.

Stage 7: Participate in Product Demos with Company-Specific Use Cases

One key decision-making tool is a use-case scenario that describes how the end user would experience the custom-built solution. This is extremely important for custom-built solutions, because you are requesting functionality that isn't typically available out of the box. You will want to verify the new functionality will work in scenarios that are representative of actual activities your company might experience. Additionally, while you might participate in demonstrations for off-the-shelf social networking, the frequency of that is far less than with custom-built solutions. Worksheet 3.5 is a simple version of this tool and includes the most important questions to ask.

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WORKSHEET 3.4
Solution Criteria Matrix

Instructions: Use the matrix below to help identify the potential solution, providers, URLs, key features, clients, client satisfaction, and comments for your potential social networking system. This might be best done in a spread-sheet or word-processing document, and will ultimately be used as a central source of information to facilitate your social networking solution selection.

WORKSHEET 3.5
Use-Case Scenario Tool

Instructions: This worksheet will help you identify specific use cases that are relevant to your organization. Fill in each column for potential use cases you would like to see demonstrated, or as a way to prioritize the one(s) you actually want to see the supplier demonstrate.

Stage 8: Choose the Social Networking Solution

Based on the cumulative feedback and the ability of the solutions to meet the minimum use case requirements, you can make a final decision on a custom-built or off-the-shelf social networking system.

Step 9: Use Off-the-Shelf, Buy, Modify, or Build Social Networking Solution

Depending on the specific solution and your organization's goals, you now should have all the information necessary to make the decision to use an off-the-shelf solution, buy a solution, modify a solution, or build a social networking solution for your organization. Even if your decision is to forego building a custom system, your thoughtful review will enable you to connect all the options for maximum efficiency. In addition, the decision-making process likely uncovered options, such as customization offered by Facebook, MySpace, other social networking systems, or third-party providers that fit your business or enterprise goals.

Selling a Custom-Built Plan

If your inquiry into social networking indicates your organization will require a custom-built solution, you will certainly need a strategy to sell your plans to upper management. A complete business-case scenario plan, included in the appendix, will help you build a well-reasoned document to convince those who hold company purse strings to commit funds to the project.

Summary

Now that you have systematically selected your social networking systems, you are ready to think even more strategically about the business benefits of those systems.

Step 4 will provide a more detailed roadmap to using social networking for business success.