Chapter 1 - Why Design to Thrive?

Abstract

This chapter discusses public relations, marketing, policy making, and other strategies that designers can use to enhance the significance of their communities and networks for users and helps avoid the consequences associated with building a failed internal social network or online community for one's own organization. Whatever background one is from (Web designer or developer, information architect, content manager, usability or user-experience specialist, PR, or marketing professional), this chapter discusses how this book will help them build successful and sustainable social networks and online communities. This chapter introduces the four elements necessary for the long-term success of online communities called the RIBS of online communities and social networks. The RIBS (remuneration; influence; belonging; and significance) are intended to be a means of generating and provoking design ideas. The RIBS model can certainly be used as an analytical tool that can help people better understand how communities and social systems work. The chapter gives an overview of what each of these elements means. Specific design techniques that one can use in the social network or community are elaborated. Furthermore, each technique is provided with an actual example drawn from a social network or online community that the author has built or from a familiar popular system.