Online social networking: The glue that binds people together at NASA

Online social networking: The glue that binds people together at NASA Celeste Merryman, Principle, UserSphere Research

Talking About GLUE PEOPLE GOSSIP ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING 2 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

People Sticking things together since 4000 BC tree sap, tar, beeswax, natural rubber, animal bones, ﬁsh, Greek Glue Recipe egg whites, starch, milk protein blood, bones, milk, cheese, vegetables and grains. 3 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Today’s adhesives have got to be strong Photo credit: NASA 4 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank Adhesive agent is used to apply the foam to the tank Photo credit: NASA 5 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Space Shuttle Tiles Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller Tiles are mounted to a felt pad using a silicone adhesive then the tile and pad combination are bonded to the aluminum skin 6 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Glue is Similar to Social Networking (i.e., social glue) Different personality types, Types of adhesives different types of bonds Mechanisms of adhesion What makes people connect Testing bond resistance People create weak or Failures in adhered strong bonds based on surfaces experience and trust People test the relationship bonds daily Sometimes relationships fail 7 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Gossip & social networking are the social glue, binding people together. 8 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

In Olden Times, Gossip Helped Keep You Alive Raiders Rams 49ers People used gossip to share stories about who was a reliable mate, to learn societal rules, and for storytelling to share morals and fables. Grassy hill photo - http://jeremy.lwidof.net/downloads/grassy_hill_web.jpg 9 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Today online social networking enables social bonding across distances at the speed of light People still trying to ﬁnd reliable mates and to learn societal rules quot;Gossip is an important bonder.” quot;By sharing information we develop sense of trust and intimacy.quot; Frank McAndrew, PhD, an applied social psychology professor 10 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Applied Example “…seamless collaboration of NASA workforce across multiple centers will be vital in the planning, design, and development of exploration-related capabilities and technologies. ~Information Resources Management Strategic Plan, (2007) Jonathan Pettus, then NASA’s Chief Information Ofﬁcer 11 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

NASA Needs Online Social Networking Geographically dispersed Aging workforce Mission transition 12 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

The NASAsphere Pilot pilot online social networking in NASA Need a good logo and message 13 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Creating the Adhesive Layer Built trust into the pilot I used my social networks to invite participants Then participants invited coworkers they knew and who trusted them Set the expectations for participants Set rules of work conversations and engagement Knew what they were doing there - gave them tasks to complete 14 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Mechanism for Bonding Qualities the participants noted as important to social network participation  Person’s attitude and openness, willingness to embrace (new things),‘ageless’ attitude, and an attitude to can overcome fears  Can see the benefit to the individual  Usability and intuitiveness of the tool  Wiliness to explore new ways to enhance communication 15 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Testing the Bonds 16 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Social Glue & Bonding Questions and Answers 298 participants 93% of answers were by people from a different NASA center Lots of people supporting NASAsphere content 17 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

NASA used online social networking to bond in the business environment 18 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

the POWER Social Bonding via Online Networking You don’t know who knows what you need. Presenting a question to a large group of people, increases your chance of finding someone who does. 19 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

By the end, at least one person from every NASA center participated. When asked in a 52% follow-on survey… recommended an Agency implementation 73.5% said 62% said they would they would read it contribute daily/weekly daily/weekly 20 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Bond Failure??? Waiting, waiting on implementation funding, a CTO, a CIO 21 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Parting Thoughts People have an innate need to talk to each other. You want to create social glue for your employees. Figure out what technology supports it. 22 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Info Celeste Merryman Principle, UserSphere Research Email cjmerryman@sbcglobal.net Find presentation @ http://www.slideshare.net/cmerryman NASAsphere report @ scribd.com cmerryman 23 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Readings The new word on GOSSIP: Discusses why people gossip. Essential  functions of gossip; Information on evolutionary psychology; Disadvantages of negative gossip. Nigel Nicholson. Psychology Today, May/Jun 2001 http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20010501-000022.html (3/27/09) Bonding over others' business. Zak Stambor. Monitor on Psychology  Volume 37, No. 4 April 2006 http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr06/bonding.htm (3/27/09) Have you heard the latest?, Monitor on Psychology. Lea Winerman. Volume  37, No. 4 April 2006 http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr06/latest.html (3/27/09) 24 GlueCon 2009, Copyright Celeste Merryman, UserSphere Research

Online social networking: The glue that binds people together at NASA

by Celeste Merryman on May 11, 2009

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Online social networking: The glue that binds people together at NASA — Presentation Transcript